Mayor & Common Council Meetings

CITY OF WESTMINSTER, MARYLAND MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL MEETING MAY 20, 2013 QUORUM: The Biennial Organizational Meeting of The Mayor and Common Council was held in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1838 Emerald Hill Lane, Westminster, Maryland, on the evening of May 20, 2013 at 7:00 P.M. Mayor Utz; Council Members Chiavacci, Frazier, Wack and Whitson; Council Member-elect Suzanne Albert; City Administrator and Acting City Clerk Wolf, City Treasurer Palmer; Chief of Police Spaulding, Director of Public Works Glass, Director of Recreation and Parks Gruber, Director of Community Planning and Development Horn; and City Attorney Levan were present. Council President Halstad and Director of Housing and Preservation Services Beyard was excused from attending. MINUTES: Upon motion of Mr. Chiavacci, seconded by Mr. Whitson and unanimously passed, the minutes of the Council meeting of May 13, 2013 were approved. NEW BUSINESS: Nicky Smelser read the following Statement of Return of Election submitted by Chief Judges Susan Thomas and herself and Election Clerk Marge Wolf: “To The Mayor and Common Council of Westminster: We the undersigned Judges and Clerk of the biennial Municipal Election, held in the City of Westminster, Maryland, on Tuesday, May 14, 2013, between the hours of 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM for the election of Mayor and two (2) members of the Common Council of the City of Westminster for four years commencing on the third Monday of May 2013, do hereby certify that the polls were opened at 7:00 AM and closed at 8:00 PM on this 14th day of May 2013, and that at said election the whole number of ballots cast was 705 and of that number of votes cast for the individual candidates for the respective offices was and is as follows: FOR MAYOR NUMBER OF VOTES REBECCA A. ORENSTEIN 237 KEVIN R. UTZ 452 FOR COMMON COUNCIL MEMBER NUMBER OF VOTES SUZANNE P. ALBERT 358 TONY CHIAVACCI 429  MISTY HENLINE 193 DOUG MATHIAS 320 And it appearing that Kevin R. Utz received the highest number of votes for Mayor and Suzanne P. Albert and Tony Chiavacci received the highest number of votes for Members of the Common Council, we do hereby declare that they will hold office for the next four years. And we do further certify that the above statement is correct in each and every respect, and that notice has been given to the candidates of their election.” Dr. Wack thanked Ms. Smelser and Ms. Thomas for their service to the City and dedication to the election process. Dr. Wack asked to postpone the reading of the Proclamation for Common Council President Damian Halstad due to his absence. Dr. Wack then asked for a motion to adjourn the current meeting for the sine die. Mr. Frazier motioned, Mr. Chiavacci seconded and the motion passed unanimously. BIENNIAL ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING: The Supervisor of Land Records with the Clerk of Circuit Court Carmen Cashman administered the Oath of Office to Mayor Utz and Council Members Albert and Chiavacci. On motion of Mr. Chiavacci, seconded by Mr. Frazier, Dr. Wack was elected Council President and Ms. Albert was named President Pro Tempore of the Common Council. Mayor Utz read the list of recommended Mayoral appointments: Finance and Personnel – Dr. Wack, Chair, Ms. Albert, Vice-Chair; Economic Development & Community Affairs – Mr. Chiavacci, Chair, Dr. Wack, Vice- Chair; Public Works – Mr. Frazier, Chair, Ms. Albert, Vice-Chair; Public Safety – Mr. Chiavacci, Chair, Ms. Albert, Vice-Chair; Planning and Zoning Commission – Ms. Albert; Recreation and Parks Advisory Board – Mr. Frazier, Chair, Mr. Chiavacci, Vice-Chair; Cable Regulatory Commission – Tom Cannon; Town Center Board – Mayor Utz and Mr. Chiavacci; Greater Westminster Development Corporation (GWDC) – Mayor Utz and Dennis Frazier; Arts Council – Ms. Albert; Westminster Cemetery – Mr. Whitson. Mr. Chiavacci made a motion to approve all of the recommended appointments and Mr. Frazier seconded. Mr. Whitson asked for clarification on when the Westminster Cemetery board met; Ms. Wolf stated that she would give him the information after the meeting. Ms. Albert asked for clarification on her position on the Public Works Committee; Mayor Utz clarified she was named Vice-Chair. The motion passed unanimously. ADJOURN: Council President Wack adjourned the meeting at 7:19 PM. Respectfully Submitted, Samantha H. Parthree