Mayor and City Council

MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING CITY OF NEW CARROLLTON JANUARY 13, 2025 Present were Councilmembers Briana Urbina, Lincoln Lashley and David Lai; Mayor Katrina R. Dodro, Administrative Officer Maisha Williams, Chief of Police Col. David G. Rice, Code Enforcement Manager Daryll Green, City Attorney Jason DeLoach and City Clerk Ashli Pressey. Councilmember Duane Rosenberg was absent. I.​ Call to Order: The Council Workshop meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Council Chair Urbina in the Municipal Center, Room 230. II.​ Public Comments: The following members of the public made comment: ●​ Craig McClain spoke about the importance of fiscal oversight and expressed concerns about unbudgeted spending. ●​ Phelecia Nembhard asked whether the signs would be effective to get messaging across in snow storms and stated other options should be looked at. She inquired about money from the State for the Harland Street property. ●​ Stephen John stated that he believes the City does not need a parking study. III.​ Council Announcements: Council Chair Urbina asked if any of the Councilmembers had announcements. Councilmembers Urbina, Lashley, & Lai made announcements. ●​ The Council announced a water main break, upcoming community events, and service and volunteer opportunities around the community. Councilmember Hussey’s resignation was announced. IV.​ Upward Bound Community Field Day Presentation: Two students from Parkdale High School presented their plan for a community event focused on the negative effects of social media and technology on youth. The Council expressed interest in the idea and discussed potential funding and logistical assistance. V.​ Sourcewell Cooperative Purchasing Presentation: Representatives from Sourcewell gave a presentation on cooperative purchasing, explaining how Sourcewell works and the benefits it offers to municipalities. The Council discussed the benefits of cooperative purchasing and how it can save time and money. Concerns about ensuring fair prices and transparency were also discussed. VI.​ Brudis & Associates Presentation Representatives from Brutus and Associates presented their qualifications and experience in traffic safety planning and public outreach. They discussed their approach to addressing traffic safety issues,  including data analysis, community engagement, and sustainable design. The Council asked questions about the proposed timeline and the possibility of accelerating the project. VII.​ Westbrook St & Stanwood St Solar Project Paperwork regarding the scope and specs for two solar projects were presented for review. They also discussed the possibility of raising the threshold for permits to come before the Council. They discussed the possibility of drafting a bill to raise the threshold for monies that are not spent by the City. VIII.​ Report of the Mayor and Department Heads The Mayor and Department Heads Report was moved to the next meeting due to time. IX.​ Discussion For Watch Fire Signs The Mayor and the Council discussed the necessity for new signs to better communicate with citizens. A representative from local company Empire, who contracts with Watchfire, answered Council questions. X.​ December Meeting Minutes Meeting minutes from December were presented for review before the Legislative meeting on Wednesday. XI.​ Set a Date for Public Hearing on Charter Changes Council Chair Urbina asked to delay setting a Date for the Public Hearing on Charter Changes until Councilmember Rosenberg was present. Councilmembers Lai and Lashely agreed and they tabled that discussion. They then discussed setting up a date to discuss charter changes with the City Attorney. The date of March 1, 2025 at 10:00 was set for a Council Retreat. XII.​ Motion to Adjourn Councilmember Lai moved to Adjourn the Council Workshop, the motion was seconded by Councilmember Lashley. The motion was passed unanimously (3-0-0). The meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Kaitlyn Schisler City Clerk Note: These minutes are a summary of the actions taken by the City Council and do not include all details of the discussions. Please refer to the official meeting transcript for a complete record.