Mayor and City Council

MINUTES OF CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP MEETING CITY OF NEW CARROLLTON SEPTEMBER 15, 2025 Present were Councilmembers Duane H. Rosenberg, Cynthia Mills, Lincoln Lashley, Briana Urbina (virtual, left meeting at 8:54 pm), and Angelli Sybel Malavé; Mayor Phelecia Nembhard, City Manager Maisha Williams, DPW Director William Barclay, Major Marc Butler, and City Clerk Kaitlyn Schisler; also present was Police Chief Nominee Linwood Alston. I. Call to Order The meeting was called to order at 7:01 p.m. by Council Chair Rosenberg in the Municipal Center, Room 230. II. Public Comments The following members of the public made comments: ●​ Marilyn Padmore emphasized the need for strategic staffing improvements in New Carrollton, including higher hiring standards, a hiring freeze, and an internal audit. ●​ Roy Miller called for investigations into the rehiring of past personnel without proper review. ●​ Cynthia Poles-Suite raised concerns about the lack of transparency in the previous police chief appointment and recommended issuing an RFP for a more accountable selection process. III. Council Announcements Councilmembers Lashley, Mills, Malavé and Rosenberg shared announcements including upcoming events including a blood drive, Community Day, library programs, and a free giveaway event run by New Carrollton Bible Church. IV. Appointee for Chief of Police Discussion Lynwood Alston was introduced as a candidate for Chief of Police. Councilmembers asked about Alston’s qualifications, innovation in policing, and community engagement. Alston highlighted successes including securing grants for AI surveillance, improving officer retention, and proactive strategies using education, engineering, and enforcement. V. Report of Mayor and Department Heads The Mayor, Administration, DPW, and Police gave brief updates. Police reported 97 calls and $15K in parking revenue; DPW noted the pedestrian bridge is complete pending inspection. The Administration reminded residents about the PMAC survey. Mayor Nembhard clarified that evolving salary scales from the compensation study make comparisons across years difficult. VI. August Bills The Council was presented with the check register for August. VII. August Minutes August Minutes were presented to Council for review. VIII. Compensation and Benefits-Next Steps Councilmember Malavé proposed to the Council a three-phase plan to examine compensation costs, including a three-year pay freeze and setting salaries for new department heads within budgeted ranges. Phase two would include conducting an internal salary and hr process audit, and following this there would be a compensation review for all city positions. The Council discussed the proposal and determined legal counsel will draft resolutions before any vote. IX. LetsDriveSafer The status of the "Let'sDriveSafer" program, which involves Rob doing a profile of the city's risks, was discussed. A meeting was scheduled for the current week to initiate the process, with a promise of an update on whether the program would begin by the end of the week. X. RFP for Consultant to Search for Police Chief The Council discussed whether to use a headhunter for the Chief of Police position, given past difficulties in finding a suitable candidate. Councilmembers Urbina, Mills, Malavé and Lashley expressed disinterest in an RFP process, supporting the current viable candidate, Chief Alston, who was recommended by municipal chiefs. XI. 6400 Lamont Property Update Chair Rosenberg inquired about the property at 6400 Lamont, which was sold months ago but still has plywood-covered windows and remains an eyesore. City Manager Williams confirmed that the new owners have been contacted and paperwork is underway to resolve the issue. XII. Ordinance 26-04 Budget Amendment (Second Reading) The Council had the second reading of Ordinance 26-04. There were no questions and they determined that they would vote on it in the legislative session. XIII. Ordinance 26-05 Vacant Property Legislation (First Reading) Due to time constraints, the first reading of Ordinance 26-05 was moved to the next council meeting. XIV. Resolution 26-02: Exempt Employee Time Recording Policy The Resolution 26-02: Exempt Employee Time Recording Policy language was presented to the Council. There were no questions. XV. Motion to Adjourn Councilmember Lashley moved to adjourn the meeting. The motion was seconded by Councilmember Mills. The motion passed (4-0-0). The meeting was adjourned at 8:58 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