Mayor and City Council

MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING CITY OF NEW CARROLLTON AUGUST 18, 2025 Present were Councilmembers Duane H. Rosenberg, Cynthia Mills, Lincoln Lashley, and Briana Urbina (Councilmember Angelli Sybel Malavé was excused); Mayor Phelecia Nembhard, City Administrative Officer Maisha Williams, Assistant City Administrative Officer William Barclay, Major Marc Butler, and City Clerk Kaitlyn Schisler; City Attorney Jason DeLoach (virtual). I. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by Council Chair Rosenberg in the Municipal Center, Room 230. II. Public Comments The following members of the public made comments: ●​ Cynthia Poles-Suite addressed the Council regarding stop sign cameras, expressing doubt about the accuracy of police data on tickets issued at stop signs and its usefulness to make a decision. ●​ Damien Drakes, of United Baptist Church, brought attention to a vacant property across from the church, proposing transforming the land into a youth center or a senior living facility. He proposed transferring the land to the Church to complete this vision. ●​ Katrina Dodro clarified the city-owned land must remain green space under Maryland’s "Open Space" program; she also requested removing agenda items on Ryan Hussey and Chief Rice. ●​ June Garrett expressed frustration over unresolved issues with Chief Rice and Ryan Hussey, called for transparency, and urged the Council to focus on restoring New Carrollton’s upkeep. ●​ BiBi Satar-Wilson requested the Council consider options through code enforcement or the police force to address cars blocking sidewalks, forcing pedestrians into the street. ●​ Raneda King thanked everyone involved in approving a one-year grace period for property taxes. ●​ Marilyn Padmore inquired about large pickup trucks with debris, suggesting potential code violations. She also requested clarification on police roles during major emergencies. ●​ A resident offered expertise on the council-manager form of government, advocating for its potential improvement to New Carrollton. ●​ Councilmember Urbina shared a positive experience with their son's internship at DPW. III. Council Announcements Councilmembers Lashley, Urbina, Mills and Rosenberg made announcements including community events, food distributions, school starting Monday and safety reminders. IV. Open Meetings Act Discussion This discussion was removed for a future meeting. V. Weak Mayor-Strong Mayor Discussion City Attorney Jason DeLoach had a discussion with the Council about the form of government. Jason explained the differences between "strong mayor" and "weak mayor" systems, noting that most cities, including New Carrollton, use a blended model. VI. Vacant Property Discussion The vacant property discussion was moved to a future meeting as Code Enforcement Manager was not available to discuss. VII. Ryan Hussey Discussion The Council addressed Ryan Hussey’s resignation after public requests for closure. The Administration clarified that he was not paid post resignation. VIII. Chief Rice Resignation Regarding Chief Rice,Chair Rosenberg stated that his retirement details and the council’s unanimous approval of a budget amendment for additional salary upon his departure are publicly available on the city’s website. IX. Enforcement Regulations Discussion The Mayor raised concerns about favoritism in applying codes, urging the Council to prioritize fair enforcement to support city beautification amid rising complaints. Councilmembers discussed revisiting the 72-hour parking rule, addressing long-standing code violations, and adopting a softer, more communicative approach to parking enforcement. X. Department Head Appointee Discussion The discussion shifted to the mayor’s appointees for department heads, with councilmembers discussing concerns about the candidates. The Council determined they would continue the discussion when all members were present. XI. Ordinance 26-03: Home Accessibility (2nd Reading) The Council had a second reading of Ordinance 26-03, an Ordinance amending Ch. 41 of the New Carrollton Code to provide a waiver for permit fees under certain conditions. XII. Lobbyist Report The lobbyist report from G.S. Proctor was presented to the Council. The Council expressed disappointment and skepticism about continuing lobbyist services, agreeing to add a vote on contract termination or replacement to Wednesday’s agenda. XIII. Training Repayment & Retention Policy Administration introduced a policy requiring employees to repay training and travel costs over $500 if they leave within six months. The Council agreed to include the policy for a vote on the Legislative session. XIV. Report of Mayor and Department Heads The Administration, Police Department, and DPW gave their monthly reports. including police data, Pepco tree trimming issues, and accelerated bridge project progress. Updates included the new financial system, community events, bridge updates, police data and in-house recycling. XV. July Bills The July check register for bills was presented to the Council. Councilmember Lashley praised the clarity of the OpenGov system and inquired about a $24,000 payment to the Boys and Girls Club. XVI. July Minutes The July Meeting Minutes were presented to the Council for review. X. Motion to Adjourn Councilmember Mills motioned to adjourn the meeting. Councilmember Lashley seconded the motion. The motion passed (4-0-0). The meeting adjourned at 8:55 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 video for a complete record. Agendas and Approved Meeting Minutes can be found at: https://www.newcarrolltonmd.gov/AgendaCenter