Mayor & City Council

MINUTES College Park City Council Meeting Tuesday October 7, 2025 7:30 p.m. HYBRID In Person in Council Chambers of City Hall Virtual over Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/92398574069 PRESENT: Mayor Kabir; Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell; Councilmembers Hernandez (Zoom), Hew, Esters, Whitney, Mackie, Ranker and Rigg. ABSENT: None. ALSO PRESENT: Kenneth Young, City Manager; Bill Gardner, Assistant City Manager; Yvette Allen, Assistant City Clerk; Melissa Flores, Assistant City Clerk; Stephanie Anderson, City Attorney; Gary Fields, Finance Director; Shannon Olive, Finance Director; Jacob Vassalotti, GIS Coordinator; Jatinder Khokhar, Director of Public Services; Nicholas DiSpirito, Student Liaison; and Amira Abujuma, Deputy Student Liaison. Mayor Kabir opened the meeting at 7:30 p.m. ANNOUNCEMENTS: Councilmember Hernandez: The North College Park Civic Association will meet on Thursday at Davis Hall. Federal Workers, if you need help, reach out. Councilmember Esters: There is information for resources on our website for anyone that needs assistance. Councilmember Whitney: Lakeland Civic Association will meet virtually on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. UMD has a home game this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Mayor Pro Tem, Mitchell: Employ Prince George’s is hiring a Career Consultant. The National Disability Employment Awareness Month Job and Resource Fair will take place on October 16, 2025, at the Laurel Multi-Service Center at 1:00 p.m. Councilmember Mackie: Sign up to volunteer for Good Neighbor Day. West College Park Civic Association will meet on Sunday night at College Park Woods Clubhouse. Councilmember Ranker: Yarrow Civic Association will be meeting this Saturday at the College Park Airport at 1:00 p.m. College Park City Council Minutes October 7, 2025 Page 2 of 8 Councilmember Rigg: The Calvert Hills Civic Association held their Elections recently. Galvin Fox is the new President, Chirs Ross, Vice President, Grace Pettey, Vice President, Nick Brennan, Secretary and Urs Weber. Nicholas DiSpirito, Student Liaison: Met with the Councilmembers of District 4 to discuss their priorities. Hosting a 2025 candidate forum on October 29 at 7:00 p.m. Amira Abujuma, Deputy Student Liaison: Closed the applications for the Advisory Council. CITY MANAGERS REPORT: Kenneth Young, City Manager: Election Day: Tuesday, November 4, 2025, City Hall, Community Room, 7401 Baltimore Avenue from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Early Voting: Sunday, November 2, 2025, Davis Hall, 9217 51st Avenue from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Last Fall Clean Up will take place on Saturday, October 25 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. More information can be found on our website. Washington Gas will have crews resurfacing the 9700 block of Wichita Avenue. The College Park Senior Advisory Committee will host a Game Day on October 15th at the College Park Wood Club House. College Park Day will be held on Saturday, October 18 at the College Park Airport. Introduced the new Director of Finance, Shannon Olive. In addition to Shannon, we have hired Mark Anothny in Communications and Edwin Daniel, Public Safety and Emergency Manager. PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS: Mayor Kabir proclaimed Indigenous Peoples Day, and Grants for Schools Day. Also honored Phillips-Kleiner VFW Post 5627 Auxiliary for their 80th Anniversary. AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA A motion was made by Councilmember Esters and seconded by Councilmember Whitney to move the Restorative Justice Commission to the first presentation. A motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem and seconded by Councilmember Whitney to remove Worksession item 14A and bring back at the October 21, 2025, meeting. A motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell and seconded by Councilmember Mackie to approve the agenda as amended. The motion carried 8-0-0. PUBLIC COMMENT: Bob Catlin, resident: The Berwyn Civic Association will meet on October 16th which will include a Candidates Forum. Mr. Catlin spoke about the history of the properties located at 8807 and 8811 Rhode Island Avenue. David Dorsch, resident: the house at 4704 Calvert Road should be sold and that money should be put into the coffers. The City should not be in the house rental business. College Park City Council Minutes October 7, 2025 Page 3 of 8 Maria Cordone, resident: The Yarrow neighborhood has been meeting to establish their Yarrow Civic Association. Their civic association has been established, and thanked Councilmembers Ranker and Rigg for their support. CONSENT AGENDA: A motion was made by Councilmember Esters and seconded by Councilmember Mackie to approve the Consent agenda, which consisted of these items. 25-G-102 Approval of Community Services Grant-Sponsorship for $2,000 for a walkathon fundraiser for the Holy Redeemer School Home and School Association, as recommended by the Mayor and Council Grants subcommittee – Gary Fields, Director of Finance 25-G-103 Award of contract to Apple Ford under Baltimore County contract #00004504 in the amount of $56,911.30 to purchase one (1) 2026 Ford E-Transit T-350 Low Roof Special Event Van – Robert Marsili – Director of Public Works The motion carried. 8-0-0. PRESENTATIONS: Restorative Justice Commission – The Way Forward Towards Restorative Justice in College Park: Maxine Gross, Karin Brown, and Ruth Muphy, presented The Way Forward. Creation of Lakeland Legacy Members, assuring a fair market value for the homes purchased during Urban Renewal, restoring visual and physical access to the Lake, and using the historic Lakeland High School site as a cultural and educational institution. Councilmembers thanked the commission for its long-awaited work and recommendations. Questions focused on how the city, county, and state would be brought into future discussions; the commission noted they look to the city for guidance. The commission shared that they hope to establish the Lakeland Legacy Council by the end of 2026 but expressed concern about filling positions for both the RJC and the Legacy Council. They also highlighted ongoing partnership efforts. Councilmembers encouraged broad community engagement, noted the historical contributions of Lakeland families, and asked about collaboration with UMD and opportunities for students to support the work. Council expressed deep appreciation for the commission’s efforts, acknowledged the need for prioritization, and stressed the urgency of continuing progress. College Park City Council Minutes October 7, 2025 Page 4 of 8 The Mayor thanked the commission and said issuing a new charge will be the next step. The commission requested that the Mayor and Council accept the report and direct staff to determine how its recommendations should be assigned across city departments and partner entities. Good Neighbor Day Amy Caballero from the UMD Community Engagement Office reminded everyone that Good Neighbor Day will take place on Saturday, October 25. She highlighted two project opportunities: building a library at the Pregnancy Aid Center and participating in a clean-up at Lake Artemesia. She noted that registration is available on the event website. Ms. Caballero also shared that a Health and Well-Being Fair, featuring free family activities, will be held on the same day. Child Care Task Force Gavin Neubauer and Christina Martin Kenny of the Child Care Taskforce gave an overview of their presentation. Recommendations from the Taskforce: • Detailed website to host information about providers. • Reduce or waive city permits for providers. • Host or subsidize professional development for childcare staff within College Park • Provide a small capital project grant for expanding capacity. Staff will review the Child Care Task Force report and determine the next steps. Calvert Road Pedestrian Bridge Study The City has expressed interest in a pedestrian and bike bridge to connect Old Calvert Road Park. Councilmember Rigg, who has worked on this project for eight years, noted prior studies on traffic changes and emphasized that the current park is difficult to access by bike. Parks & Planning staff indicated that Option Four is currently preferred and that $2 million has already been allocated for improvements. Councilmember Ranker raised concerns from his community about safety and lack of consultation, noting that residents prefer Option One over Option Four and want coordinated improvements for safe park access. There is broad support from county and state delegations for Option One. M-NCPPC representatives stated that they need to review City input, consult leadership, and follow their formal process. They noted that the $2 million would cover soft costs; however, additional funding and prioritization are required to implement Option One. They look forward College Park City Council Minutes October 7, 2025 Page 5 of 8 to receiving input in writing and will provide community engagement as requested by the Mayor. At 10:28 p.m. a motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell and seconded by Council member Whitney to extend the meeting. Motion carried: 8-0-0. PUBLIC HEARING 25-O-10: An Ordinance of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park, Maryland, Amending Chapter § 62-17, Mayor and Council Compensation, to change the amount of compensation payable to the Mayor and Council Teresa Way-Pezzuti, Director of Human Resources, reviewed the staff report. If this Ordinance is adopted, it will not go into effect until after the new Council is sworn in. A motion was made by Mayor Pro Tem Mithcell and seconded by Councilmember Esters to adopt Ordinance 25-O-10 and Ordinance of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Maryland, Amending Chapter § 62-17, Mayor and Council Compensation, to change the amount of compensation payable to the Mayor and Council. The motion carried 6-0-1 (Ranker abstained and Hernandez Zoom link lost Connection) A motion was made by Councilmember Whitney and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell to suspend the rules to allow a resident that has been sitting in the audience to address Council. Motion carried: 8-0-0. Courtney resident: Crystal Springs safety concerns with the lack of sidewalks and speed safety devices. City Manager Kenny Young will contact the resident during business hours. Legislative Priorities: City’s legislative priorities for the 2026 General Assembly session: 1. Increased funding for state childcare scholarships (program closed to new enrollment in FY26) 2. Prohibition on use of algorithmic software to determine rents in Maryland. 3. Prohibition on stopping in bike lanes and possibly requiring helmets for bikes and scooters. 4. Broaden the municipal piggyback tax base by creating more brackets for incomes over $250,000 or identify additional revenue sources for municipalities. 5. Pursue municipal land use and zoning authority. 6. Pursue authority to tax single-family rental properties at a different rate than single- family owner-occupied properties or to require assessed values of rental properties to be based on the income-generation approach. 7. Lakeland Land Trust. College Park City Council Minutes October 7, 2025 Page 6 of 8 8. Stream Restoration Project 9. Mortgage Protection Scams 10. Veterans Tax Credit 11. Seniors Tax Credit 12. New Construction must use Native Plants 13. State Matching Funds to Invest in Clean Energy for Public Buildings 14. Emergency Preparedness Grants ACTION ITEMS 25-G-98 Calvert Road: Provide directions to the City Manager and City Engineer on how to proceed, at this time, with Calvert Road A resident asked that the City change the speed limit and add traffic calming devices on Calvert Road. The City Manager is presenting this item to the Council to seek direction on how to proceed. The Old Town area has experienced an increase in micromobility vehicles, and pedestrian traffic on Calvert Road to access the Metro station continues to rise. The City Manager believes that raising the speed limit from the current 15 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour would be unwise. Studies on raised crosswalks and speed bumps have generally shown that they do not meet warrants in most locations throughout the City. Therefore, the City Manager recommends maintaining the current 15-mile-per-hour speed limit and keeping the existing sidewalk conditions unchanged. A motion was made by Councilmember Rigg and seconded by Councilmember Ranker to direct staff to keep the existing speed limit on Calvert Road at 15 miles per hour and maintain the current sidewalk condition. Th motion carried: 7-0-0 (Hernandez absent) 25-G-99 Approval of a contract of sale to purchase the properties located at 8807 Rhode Island Avenue and 8811 Rhode Island Avenue, College Park, MD 20740, from Rhode Island LLC for a purchase price of $300,000 plus settlement City Manager Young reviewed the staff report. Acquisition of this property would provide an opportunity for the City to include open space or residential development that is consistent with the neighborhood and supports the strategic plan, together with improvements to the streetscape. A motion was made by Councilmember Esters and seconded by Councilmember Whitney to approve the Contract of Purchase and authorize the City Manager to proceed with the College Park City Council Minutes October 7, 2025 Page 7 of 8 purchase of the property located at 8807 and 8811 Rhode Island Avenue, College Park, MD 20740, in the amount of $300,000, plus settlement costs. The motion carried 7-0-0 (Hernandez absent). A motion was made by Councilmember Whitney and seconded by Councilmember Whitney to extend the meeting. The motion carried 7-0-0 (Hernandez absent). 25-O-11 Introduction of an Ordinance, 25-O-11, An Ordinance of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park Authorizing the acquisition of certain real property located at 8807 Rhode Island and 8811 Rhode Island Avenue, College Park, MD 20740, from Rhode Island LLC for a purchase price of $300,000, plus settlement costs for a public purpose. City Manager Young, City reviewed the staff report. Acquisition of this property would provide an opportunity for the City to include open space or residential development that is consistent with the neighborhood and supports the strategic plan, together with improvements to the streetscape. The eventual use of the property will be explored by the Mayor and Council later. A motion was made by Councilmember Whitney and seconded by Councilmember Esters to introduce Ordinance 25-O-11. The Public Hearing will be held on October 21, 2025. The motion carried 7-0-0 (Councilmember Hernandez absent). 25-G-101 Approval of an agreement with Monarch Consulting to perform a comprehensive assessment of the Code Enforcement Division of the Public Services Department The Department of Public Services (DPS) staff is seeking authorization to engage an outside consultant to conduct an assessment of the Code Enforcement Division, which includes administrative specialists and code enforcement officers. The DPS Director, Code Enforcement Manager, and Code Enforcement Supervisors have identified several areas that could be improved or enhanced through such an evaluation. The assessment is expected to identify specific training needs, highlight educational opportunities related to code enforcement, and establish strategies to encourage staff to enhance and apply their professional credentials. A motion was made by Councilmember Rigg and seconded by Councilmember Mitchell to approve an agreement with Monarch Consulting to perform a comprehensive assessment of the Code Enforcement Division of the Public Services Department. Motion carried 7-0-0 (Hernandez absent) FUTURE AGENDA: Ranker/Mitchell - Internship Opportunities for Undergraduates. Carried 7-0-0. College Park City Council Minutes October 7, 2025 Page 8 of 8 COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON OR CITY MANAGER Councilmember Rigg: We reviewed several presentations that were quite busy and contained a lot of information. He recommends that the new Council take a step back to consider its priorities. These priorities should be reflected in the new strategic plan and addressed during the Council’s advance. Councilmember Mackie: attended the Chesapeake Bay Environment Committee Meeting. Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell: attended a press conference for COG on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Mayor Kabir: there are three upcoming candidate forums. He said he will be attending Maryland Municipal League (MML) conference to accept a Sustainability award for the City. Councilmember Whitney: University of Maryland (UMD) has a program in AI certification that is self-paced and free. She asked that we consider changing our meeting format to hold public hearings prior to presentations. Councilmember Esters: Resident guild was well written/presented. Councilmember Hew: Will be attending the UMD Institutional Bio Safety meeting. There are twenty-one Good Neighbor Day projects, and more volunteers are needed. Encouraged residents to sign up. ADJOURN A motion was made by Councilmember Whitney and seconded by Councilmember Esters to adjourn the meeting. Mayor Kabir adjourned the meeting at 11:53 p.m.