Mayor and City Council

MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING CITY OF NEW CARROLLTON APRIL 2, 2025 Present were Councilmembers Briana Urbina, Lincoln Lashley, David Lai and Duane H. Rosenberg (left at 9:28 p.m.); Mayor Katrina Dodro Administrative Officer Maisha Williams, Police Chief David Rice, Community Engagement Officer Araceli Guzman, and City Clerk Kaitlyn Schisler. 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 Comments The following members of the public made comment: ●​ Kathy Ross expressed concerns about illegal activities, littering, and deteriorating conditions on 89th Ave. III. Council Announcements Councilmember’s Lai, Lashley, Urbina and Rosenberg gave announcements about upcoming events. IV. Review Rules for Public Hearings Council Chair Urbina reviewed the rules for the Public Hearing, and announced the advertisements of the Public Hearings. V. Public Hearing on Charter Changes The following members of the public made comment: ●​ Agnelli Sybel criticized the short timeframe for reviewing the proposed charter amendments, insufficient advance notice and inadequate time for review. ●​ Phelecia Nembhard questioned the ability to critique incomplete charter resolutions, raised concerns about limited post-hearing input, and stressed considering the impact on future councils. ●​ Marva Oxley asked about the necessity and timing of the charter amendments, suggesting a postponement until after the upcoming election. ●​ Jim Wildoner raised concerns about inconsistent use of council-manager terminology in the charter and noted prior written testimony had not been received. ●​ Cynthia Poles-Suite made comments on excused absences for the Council. VI. Council Comments on Charter Changes The Councilmembers made the following comments: ●​ Councilmember Lashley noted the charter review was long overdue, emphasizing that while some changes were simple, others—such as the form of government—needed deeper consideration. ●​ Councilmember Lai noted the challenge of balancing a complete draft with public input and raised concerns about the timing of amendments ahead of the upcoming election. ●​ Councilmember Rosenberg explained the proposed changes to the mayor’s role, the shift toward a city manager structure, and updates to the recall process for elected officials.  ●​ The Council reviewed charter revisions addressing mayoral responsibilities, creation of a comptroller role, budget authority, vacancy procedures, and clarification of the strong mayor system. ●​ The Council discussed the budget process, roles of the city administrator and comptroller, job qualifications, and the appropriate level of detail for the charter. ●​ The Council also discussed mayoral succession, election language updates, meeting scheduling on holidays, administrative restructuring, financial oversight, and audit responsibilities. ●​ Forfeiture standards for elected officials, excused absences, and penalties were also discussed. VII. FY 2026 Budget Public Hearing ●​ The Council held a public hearing on the FY 2026 budget, presenting key highlights including a 2.94% COLA for city staff, increased tipping fees, and planned capital projects. Investments in technology and park improvements were noted. ●​ Council discussed specific budget items such as interest income, fluctuating PEG funding, and state highway user revenue (HUR), which supports street paving and debt repayment. Concerns were raised about OpenGov software costs and reduced federal grants. ●​ Mayor Dodro questioned the long-term sustainability of the current constant yield tax rate. ●​ Council emphasized the importance of funding community outreach, youth programs, and addressing fire department needs, including a new truck. ●​ Council discussed a proposed $25,000 compensation study to be funded from the health and wellness fund. Concerns were raised about cost, previous studies lacking results, and potential staff morale impact. Chair Urbana explained that an MML-led study would focus on updating job descriptions and assessing market pay. Council requested actionable outcomes and consideration of alternative evaluation methods. ●​ A member of the public expressed concerns over the reason and implementation of any compensation study. They also expressed using the procurement department to do a request for information to find the cost of the study. ●​ Phelecia Nembhard mentioned that a previous compensation study had been completed but no action had been taken. VIII. Removal of Second Public Comment from Agenda Councilmember Lai moved to remove the second public comment item from the agenda. Councilmember Lashley seconded the motion. The motion was approved unanimously (3-0-0). VIII. Motion to Adjourn Councilmember Lai moved to Adjourn the Council Workshop Meeting. Council Member Lashley seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously (3-0-0). The meeting was adjourned at 10:29 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.