Mayor and City Council

MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING CITY OF NEW CARROLLTON MARCH 17, 2025 Present were Councilmembers Briana Urbina, Lincoln Lashley, David Lai and Duane H. Rosenberg; Mayor Katrina R. Dodro, Administrative Officer Maisha Williams, Police Chief David Rice, Public Works Director William Boyd and Community Engagement Officer Araceli Guzman; City Attorney Jason DeLoach, and Green Team Chair Angela Alarcon. I. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:02 p.m. by Council Chair Urbina in the Municipal Center, Room 230. II. Public Hearing on Charter Changes-April 2, 2025 Council announced information regarding a public hearing on proposed charter changes on April 2, 2025. III. Public Comments The following members of the public made comment: ●​ A member of the public asked about a proposal to extend term limits and provide health benefits for the Mayor and Council. ●​ Agnelli Sybel questioned the timing of the term limits referendum and thanked the City for addressing her accessibility needs. ●​ Cynthia DB Mills sought clarification on the wording of Ordinance 25-14. ●​ Phelecia Nembhard raised concerns about contracts over $30,000, budget adjustments, and suggested a referendum on voting rights for all residents, as well as commenting on the cost of health insurance for elected officials. ●​ Jim Wildoner commented on Council and Mayor salaries, term length, and the potential for increased oversight with a shift away from the strong Mayor system. ●​ Cynthia Poles-Suite inquired about the status of renovations to the Hanko Building. IV. Council Announcements Councilmembers Urbina, Lashley, Lai & Rosenberg made various announcements regarding upcoming community events, City services, and ongoing tax preparation services from VITA. V. Green Team Update Angela Alarcon reported on the Green Team's activities, recertification efforts with Sustainable Maryland, and future initiatives. The Green Team requested an additional $1,500 in funding for 2026. VI. Report of the Mayor and Department Heads Mayor Dodro, City Administrator Maisha Williams, Public Works Director William Boyd, and Chief David Rice provided their monthly updates. The Council requested that Mayor Dodro’s funding request for a modular building be moved to a future meeting as an agenda item. VII. Construction Permit 6405 Inlet St Paperwork regarding the scope and specs for the 6405 Inlet St construction project was presented for review. The Council had no questions. VIII. Review of Bills for February 2025 The Bills for February 2025 were presented for review. There were no questions. IX. PG County Municipal Association Funding Council Chair Urbina moved to table the discussion of PG County Municipal Association Funding. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Lai. The motion passed unanimously (4-0-0). X. Review RFP-NC-2025-12 City & Residential Recycling Proposal The City recycling contract RFP was discussed. City Administrator Maisha Williams reported a single bid from the current contractor. Councilmember Rosenberg requested a cost comparison of landfill vs. recycling, and collaboration with neighboring cities to leverage buying power was also considered. XI. Review RFP-NC-2025-11 City Hall Multi Purpose Room HVAC System Replacement City Administrative Officer Maisha Williams presented information on the RFP for the HVAC replacement system. Councilmember Lai moved to approve the City Hall HVAC replacement proposal from Alliance Trade Service for $77,900. The motion was seconded by Lincoln Lashley. The motion was approved unanimously (4-0-0). XII. Update to City Code Removing Council Approval for Private Home Repairs & Construction The Council discussed legislation to update City Code to remove Council approval for private home repairs and construction. XIII. Discussion of Ordinance 25-14 An Ordinance Establishing Restrictions on Posting of Political and Campaign Signs The Council discussed legislation imposing penalties for the illegal placement of campaign signs and adding enforcement mechanisms. Council Chair Urbina moved to have City Attorney Jason DeLoach draft language stating, "Any signs placed illegally will be removed, and a letter will be issued from the Board of Elections explaining the reason." Councilmember Lai seconded the motion. The motion was passed unanimously (4-0-0). XIV. Discussion of Ballot Questions Mayor Dodro proposed ballot questions on four-year terms for the Mayor and Council, and health benefits and COLA for elected officials. The Council chose to include only the four-year mayoral term question. ​ XV. Q & A with School Board Representative (Jonathan Briggs) School Board member Jonathan Briggs addressed questions on the Safe Passage Program, Charles Carroll Middle School updates, absenteeism, language immersion, and the new transportation plan. He promised written follow-up responses to unanswered presubmitted questions, which the Council will publicize. XVI. Motion to Adjourn Councilmember Lai moved for the adjournment of the Council Workshop meeting. Councilmember Lashley seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (4-0-0). The meeting was adjourned at 10:03 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.