Comments are by Councilmembers Llatetra Brown Esters and Susan Whitney and are not approved or sanctioned by the City of College Park.
Click here to watch the video of the City of College Park Mayor & Council Meeting held on September 9, 2025. By going to this link, you can watch the discussion of specific agenda items you are interested in. If you have questions about Council actions and discussions, please email us at lbesters@collegeparkmd.gov and swhitney@collegeparkmd.gov.
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
Mr. Young said that Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC) has completed the boardwalk repair on the Paint Branch Trail, saying the trail is open for traffic between Mazza GrandMarc and Hollywood Rd.
The City of College Park will hold general elections for Mayor and Council. Election day will be Tuesday November 4 from 8am -8pm at City Hall, early voting will be held on Saturday November 2 from 11am – 4pm at Davis Hall. Friday September 12 is the deadline for those submitting petitions to run for office.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Former District 2 Councilmember Robert Catlin
PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS
AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Councilmember Rigg made the motion to approve the agenda, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Bob Catlin, resident, Co-president of the Berwyn District Civic Association (BDCA) – he is interested in two items, including the appointment of the Resident Commissioner at Attick Towers and the Ruatan sidewalk project.
He went on to talk about the history of city development. He said the Ikea project used about 50 acres of land north of the Beltway, which used to be a campsite that moved to Cherry Hill Lane. Mr. Catlin said the developers told the city not to get hopes up because they wanted to build in Montgomery County. Ikea bought the property for $7 million but only used half. They sold the half they didn’t use for $12 million. He noted that the property needed to be annexed into the city.
CONSENT AGENDA
25-G-85 Approval of the appointment of Leroy Kelly to the College Park Housing Authority for a five-year term as the Resident Commissioner
25-G-86 Award of an amendment to contract CP-24-01 with NZI Construction Corporation in the amount of $306,643.27 for construction of sidewalk on Ruatan Street Steven Halpern, City Engineer
25-G-87 Approval of the installation of stop signs at Hollywood Road and 50th Avenue making this intersection an all-way stop – Jacob Vassalotti, GIS Coordinator
25-G-88 Approval of the installation of stop signs at Lackawanna Street and Narragansett Parkway making this intersection an all-way stop – Jacob Vassalotti, GIS Coordinator
25-G-89 Approval to install a Prohibited Parking Zone on the west side of 47th Place between Edgewood Road and Nantucket Road – Jacob Vassalotti, GIS Coordinator
Councilmember Esters made the motion to approve the Consent Agenda, seconded by Councilmember Whitney. It was unanimously approved.
PRESENTATIONS:
Financial statements/information required from City grant recipients/applicants – Gary Fields, Finance Director
Mr. Fields said the City received a request from Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell to require an audit of those receiving city grants. He said to be eligible for a grant, an organization must submit financial statements signed by two organization officers. The updated form makes it clear that two board members must sign off on the application. Mr. Fields said the cost of an audit would be more than the actual grants.. He said certain grants dictate when we request financial statements.
Councilmember Whtiney asked about the statement that organizations could only receive one grant per fiscal year. She asked if that applied to civic associations getting both their community events grant and the Spanish translation grant. She asked if moving forward they would only be eligible for one or the other. Mr. Fields said they had typically considered those two separate grants, but Mr. Young said the practice had been to award both. He said the language should be clarified.
Councilmember Esters asked it would be helpful to ask for additional information from any entity that may have received $15,000 or $20,000 from the city over time. Mr. Fields said it would not make sense to audit these organizations given the cost of an audit. Councilmember Esters clarified she was not asking for an audit but wondered if we might want additional information from those who have received a significant amount of money from the city over time.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell thanked Mr. Fields for his work. She said she wanted to make sure there were some safeguards in place.
Councilmember Rigg asked if the civic associations can fulfill these requirements set forth. He said we would not want to place too much of a burden on grassroots organizations. Mr. Fields said he would be willing to work with any organization to create financial statements. Councilmember Rigg asked if it is necessary to have a particular tax status to file an 990. Mr. Fields said for small 501c3s the 990 would not be necessary. Non-501c3 organizations would not require an 990, and we would accept simple financial statements.
Mayor Kabir asked about the exemptions of a 990. Mr. Fields confirmed that Churches and some other non-profits are exempt from filing the 990.
Councilmember Mackie thanked Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell. She said from her experience there is accountability from the city and information is available for people to see. Mr. Fields said it is public record.
WORKSESSION DISCUSSIONS
Recommendations of the compensation of the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, and Councilmembers – Teresa Way-Pezzuti, Human Resources Director and Compensation Review Committee
Ms. Way – Pezzuti said the Compensation Committee agreed that Mayor and Council should receive an additional $10,000 per year based upon the responsibilities and comparisons with other municipalities. As it related to the role of Mayor Pro Tem, she said there were other cities that had Vice Mayors who stepped in when the Mayor is not available.
Mayor Kabir said that in 2023, the Council took a raise after research done by staff. At the time, the recommendation was to increase the salary. He acknowledged that the current recommended raise was significant and asked why. Ms., Pezzuti said the committee reviewed more municipalities and felt the raise was warranted.
Ms. Arelis Pérez, member of the Compensation Committee, said the committee looked at twelve cities in Prince George’s County, and others in surrounding counties including Montgomery, Anne Arundel and Frederick, for a total of 16.
Councilmember Rigg thanked the committee for bringing their recommendations to Council. He said there was a notable difference between most Prince George’s County municipalities and Montgomery County municipalities. It strikes him that most Montgomery counties have zoning authority. He asked if it is possible that their responsibilities may be more involved. He asked if the committee considered factors such as that, including the time individuals spent doing their jobs. Are there any other factors that may cause the difference?
Councilmember Esters said it is nice to be valued but we should be thoughtful as this decision is made about council compensation.
Councilmember Mackie asked if there will be more responsibilities for Mayor and Council. Ms. Way – Pezzuti said there would not be more responsibilities.
Councilmember Esters asked for clarity related to that outlined responsibility for the Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem to attend committee meetings in all districts. She asked if it was meant to read civic association meetings rather than committee meetings. Ms. Pérez confirmed that it should have read “civic association meetings”.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked for confirmation that executive coaching was to improve councilmembers’ service on the dais, rather than attending conferences like MML. Ms. Way-Pezzuti said both were intended.
Councilmember Hernandez said the Council works hard for their residents. He said no one has a confirmed position for the next term. He said he wanted to focus on “the why.” He said we all have a huge civic duty to the community and said the responsibility can be taxing. He said it is challenging to motivate quality candidates, and the increase would help cover the costs. He said we have a unique responsibility in College Park in that we have interpersonal relationships with partners and the University. We have benefits such as cell phones and computers. He said compensation is important when you want quality candidates, and our salaries need to reflect that.
Councilmember Ranker asked about the fiscal impact of the increase being $90,000 per year. Ms. Way Pezzuti said it is to include health benefits and retirement, which are not reflected in the $90,000.
Councilmember Whitney said she would like to understand from the city manager’s point of view if he thinks there is a problem with moving forward with such an increase. She said health insurance is often a wild card. Mr. Young said we can afford it, but you have to talk about it prior to the budget planning meeting. The cost for adding additional folks to the insurance plan would not be that high. It would be more beneficial to the city for there to be more people on the plan.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said many years ago we looked into the council having health insurance benefits, but it was too expensive. Former Mayor Fellows looked into the state retirement plan, allowing for council to buy into it. She said sustainability is her concern. She said we do it for the love and passion for the community. It has only been twice since she has been on the Council that we have discussed compensation increases.
Councilmember Whtiney said an increase could help us attract people who are younger in their careers.
Councilmember Rigg asked about the structure of the insurance. If the city is going to cover 80%, he estimated the cost to be about $10,000.00. He said if we were to adopt this committee recommendation there may be much more incumbency. You might see more people who self-fund campaigns. One way we could consider doing this could be a baseline and then add an inflationary measure.
Councilmember Hernandez said it is uncomfortable to have a conversation about one’s own salary. He agreed it could make a difference in younger people getting involved. He asked about tying any increase to the COLA.
Councilmember Hew thanked the committee for their work. For him, it is not just a Tuesday night meeting. There are many meetings that he attends, and he has participated in community academies, and there are costs associated with that.It would make it easier to attend.
Mayor Pro Tem said two changes might need to be made, with one being Charter changes to change the name of Mayor Pro Tem. She said it was suggested that the name be changed to Vice Mayor for simplicity. Mr. Young disagreed with the suggestion, as Mayor Pro Tem is common.
Councilmember Whitney said she concurs with what has been said by Councilmember Rigg.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said people are confused by the difference between Mayor Pro Tem and Mayor. Councilmember Esters said the confusion may be addressed through communication and awareness.
Councilmember Whitney said she leaned toward a baseline increase without insurance with future increases based on CPI, as suggested by Rigg.
Mayor Kabir said he was concerned about inflation. Mr. Young said that a percentage increase can be capped.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked if it is possible to move forward with the salary increase and then asked how long it would take to understand how much healthcare would add to councilmembers’ salary. Ms. Way-Pezzuti said it would depend upon how many councilmembers are added. Mr. Young said the city belongs to a trust (LGIT) that shares cost and risk.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said if everyone is comfortable with the salary, we can then come back to discuss insurance.
Councilmember Rigg asked if we would be required to make a budget amendment.
Councilmember Esters asked about the cost structure of professional coaching. Mr. Young said the cost is approximately $169 per hour. She said if the focus of professional coaching is on making us better on the council, staff can ensure we get the training we need.
Councilmember Hernandez said he would like to see executive training as an option.
Enhancing Energy Efficiency – Pilot program that will assist single family homeowners applying to secure an energy audit by a Maryland certified electrician/contractor to determine energy efficiency levels in line with Maryland Empower Program – Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager and Gary Fields, Finance Director
Mr. Gardiner said this proposal came from Councilmember Hernandez to get more people to participate in Empower Maryland. This program places a fee on our bills and pools the fee to support benefits. One benefit is to offer an energy audit to assess energy cost. Councilmember Hernandez suggested a rebate program to encourage residents to take advantage.
Councilmember Hernandez said the energy delivery rate has surged in recent years, resulting in higher bills. Governor Moore authorized a relief fund to assist residents. Hernandez said he recently sought more energy efficient systems for his own home. Vendors suggested an energy audit, which is currently supported by federal government. Having done the audit, he received a total savings of approximately $13,000. He said we all are paying whether we use the program or not. He said this could also help in creating less stress on the grid.
Councilmember Hew asked when the city did its last energy audit. He said doing so would give a sense of the impact of such a program. Mr. Young said we are currently going through an energy audit.
Councilmember Hew said we had past workshops about clean energy and efficiency, saying he thinks this falls into the wheelhouse of the Committee for a Better Environment.
Councilmember Esters said when she first read about the proposal she did not understand why we would support an existing program. She said she understands the importance of the energy audit and the barrier initial costs might present for some. She said she believes the program should focus on low-income, owner-occupied homes. She also believes that awareness is a issue and further promotion would be helpful.
Councilmember Whitney said she is in favor of the pilot program. She has taken advantage of this audit and benefited from it. She agrees in owner-occupied homes and believes it should be extended regardless of income, saying it would help overcome possible skepticism. She said we can start with owner-occupied homes, then extend it to rentals.
Councilmember Mackie said she supports this initiative and thinks if we support it, it can indeed help residents avoid scams.
Councilmember Rigg said he supports this as pilot but disagrees that it should be restricted to owner-occupied homes.
Councilmember Hew said he was hesitant going to renters given the fact they may not be here long. He said unless there is work done to make the building energy efficient, it will change continuously.
Councilmember Whitney said she never carried around appliances as a renter. She said much of what is offered will stay with the home and accrue across occupants.
Councilmember Ranker said he loves the idea and said we should encourage and incentivize it. He said he is willing to do it for rental properties. He asked if we do this, how do we make sure the most vulnerable residents receive the information.
Councilmember Hernandez said there is an expectation that there will be further increase in energy costs. He said he did not give thoughts to owner-occupied or rental but would suggest that a percentage be geared toward owners and renters.
Discussion and review of Chapter 129 License and Chapter 144 Occupancy Permits of the City Code – Jatinder Khokhar, Director of Public Services and Stephanie Anderson, City Attorney
Mr. Khokar said his department has done a few code blitzes and has learned from these events, which are unannounced visits where there are checks for compliance. Some businesses were not in compliance. He said he was looking for guidance from the council. He said he would like to implement core requirements: registry for occupancy, mandatory training, requirements for refuge, tenant conduct, and management placard.
Councilmember Riggs said he thought the approach was very direct, thoughtful, and improving tenancy in the city. He asked if requirement number four, which focuses on the expectation of tenant conduct, will require a change to leases or allow for owners to enforce. Mr. Khokhar said the language can be added to the ordinance. Ms. Anderson said we need to know who we are reaching out to. She said owners should make sure the provisions are in their leases. We still need to hold the owners responsible.
Councilmember Ranker asked about requirement number two, which focuses on required education and training for owners and investors, and if it is normal in other Big 10 cities. Mr. Khokhar said it is not common in in Big 10 cities, but it is common in code. He said figuring out what the requirements are for being a landlord in our city will be referred to Council, including penalties for non-compliance.
Councilmember Mackie agreed with the core requirements proposed by Mr. Khokhar. We have good landlords and those who are not. So, we need some level of uniformity. She said this is the biggest issue that she deals with. It is not always the renters; it is often the landlords who are not doing what they should. All rentals should have requirements.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell thanked Mr. Khokhar. She said we have been talking about this for 10 years. She has received comments from residents that she will send to Mr. Khokhar. She said it is a new day in College Park, and it is the right thing to do.
Councilmember Whitney thanked Mr. Khokhar for bringing this back to Council and for listening to what Council has shared. She said she appreciated the educational component.
Councilmember Esters said she concurred with her colleagues and appreciated the educational component. We need to make sure people are aware of their responsibilities.
Councilmember Hew thanked Mr. Khokhar for his work. He said we have a responsibility to maintain a quality of life, and it should not come without education. He is fully in support.
Council Hernandez said he knows there are many areas around the city that are owned by a few owners. He asked who would be taking the training. Mr. Khokhar said the owner or the designated property manager would take the training. Councilmember Hernandez said he would like to make sure the right people are held accountable. Mr. Khokhar said staff has agreed to offer the training twice a year. The relationship is usually with the property owner.
Mayor Kabir asked how long it will take to implement the changes once the ordinance is complete. Mr. Khokhar said about 48 hours.
Discussion of Potential Annexation Options – Kenny Young, City Manager, Steve Halpern, City Engineer, Jacob Vassalotti, GIS Coordinator
Mr. Young said many cities, including College Park, grow through annexation, which is the process of legally including within the corporate limits of a city or town an incorporated area that is outside the municipality. Annexation of surrounding areas plays a significant role in influencing economic growth, environmental protection, quality of life and municipal well-being.
The City of College Park is close to being fully built out, with many of the available properties within its boundaries being controlled by Prince George County School Board or the University of Maryland. Other areas just outside city limits that could have potential for affordable housing or sustainability initiative are controlled by USDA, UMD, Maryland Park and Planning and the State of Maryland.
College Park is currently 5.68 square miles/3,635.2 acres and the size of the total area under consideration for the annexation discussion is 7.86 square miles/5,030.65 acres. The total appraised value of the areas under consideration is $580,294,600, and $355,788,300 is currently classified by SDAT as “exempt.”
Why Annex? Mr. Young said we have many sustainability initiatives. The only other land that is available is in the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) property. We also have a mulching and food scraps area, which is currently being operated on land we do not own. He said the options that were once available are limited. These are things we need to consider. There are other areas that have a College Park address but that are not in the city. The post office has done us a disservice (those living in Atworth have a Riverdale Park address). In this area, there are few opportunities where you can find undeveloped land near the beltway.
The federal annexation process is not clear; it is possible to go various ways. It’s different from MNCPPC. In most states, the process would be similar. He is not sure that you can rule out the process of spot zoning.
Councilmember Hernandez said he was supportive of all the ideas of annexation. He once asked about Sunnyside Park being annexed, but city staff have gone way beyond. The why of being supportive is because the more land we have, the more we have control over. External stakeholders still have a say about the property. He asked what increasing the city limits would mean for staff and services
Councilmember Hew asked about zoning. He said the USDA comes with certain conditions. He said he thinks this is great idea.
Mayor Kabir suggested a cost benefit analysis as we consider this process.
Councilmember Esters asked about the need for disclosure by the current owners. She said there could be unknown risks with some of the properties. For instance, she lived in one area listed as an option and is aware of ongoing infrastructure issues.
Councilmember Whitney asked questions about costs of annexation. She asked if we were to annex UMD property would we take over costs of say policing and plowing those areas. Mr. Young said no, since we would not be purchasing the land.
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell thanked Mr. Young for the indulgence. She looks at this as having a seat at the table as we continue the conversation. She said that as the city starts to look at the protocol for the cost/benefit analysis it would benefit us to limit the options. She asked about the timing of the process. Mr. Young said this is going to be a long process and includes all the things outlined in the packet.
Councilmember Mackie said she supports annexation. There are a lot of pros. In most places things will remain, we would not be developing the land. Annexation gives the city a seat at the table. The list should be reduced and there should be an assessment of each option.
Councilmember Ranker said this is interesting and exciting. He quipped that he is for anything that will connect to the Sardi’s in Beltsville, then asked about the cost of annexation. Mr. Young does not feel it will be a lot of staff time, but there will be some expensive legal fees. Ranker asked if annexation would increase or decrease our chances of getting land use authority. Mr. Young said we still have to work with the county.
Councilmember Rigg said based upon his understanding, residential single family is a loser, multifamily is a mixed bag and commercial is a winner. He said he is in favor of areas that fill in the gaps along the corridor, but there are areas that do not make much sense to him.
Councilmember Esters asked if we would negotiate with the other surrounding cities like Beltsville and Greenbelt. Mr. Young said that Beltsville is unincorporated.
Councilmember Whitney asked about planting trees on MCNPPC land for any land that we annex. Mr. Young said MNCPPC has already been asked to move in that direction.
Mr. Young concluded the discussion by saying he will reach out to each district to discuss further.
REQUESTS FOR / STATUS OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Mayor Kabir submitted a request to approve the sponsorship of two Lakeland College Park basketball teams to the 2026 Inter-Center Basketball League for $1200.
Councilmember Whitney said items listed on the printed version of the September 9 agenda as future agenda items for the October 21 meeting were only placeholders, as they had not been vetted by the Restorative Justice Commission.
COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON OR CITY MANAGER
Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said she would be attending the upcoming Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors meeting that will focus on AI.
Councilmember Hew said he witnessed UMD Government Policy students on the quad doing a trash pickup. He said he appreciated their efforts for the city.
MEETING ADJOURNED
CLOSED SESSION
Pursuant to the statutory authority of Maryland Annotated Code, General Provisions Article,§ 3-305, the Mayor and Council will meet in a closed session to consult with counsel to
consider the acquisition of real property for a public purpose and matters directly related
thereto. The Mayor and Council will not return to open session after the closed session end.
Click here to see the full agenda for the City of College Park Mayor & Council Hybrid Meeting on September 16, 2025. Tune in, show up or share your thoughts/concerns about the following anticipated Consent Agenda and Action Items, and Worksession discussions proposed to be on the agenda that may interest District 2 residents. Please contact us as soon as possible if you need accommodations to participate in a meeting, including language translation:
Consent Items:
- Approval of a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture requesting not to relocate the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC)
- Approval of the FY23 Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA) Grants – Lakeland Heritage Arts Project
- Approval of sponsorship of two Lakeland College Park basketball teams to the Inter-Center Basketball League in the amount of $1200
- Ratification of the FY27 Community Parks and Playground application – Little Roanoke Park
Public Hearing:
- Ordinance – amending eligibility requirements and criteria for tax credit on real property within Revitalization Tax Districts
Action Items:
- Introduction – Ordinance amending Mayor and Council compensation
Work session Discussion:
- Discussion to identify required amendments to ensure proper permitting and enforcement related to Short-Term Rental units in the City of College Park
The College Park District 2 Digest 