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 October 21, 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 the final day of the city’s Fall Cleanup will be on Saturday, October 25. He said residents can drop off bulky trash and have documents shredded from 8am – 12pm. Mr. Young gave special thanks for UMD Police, Prince George’s County Police and College Park Staff for their presence and assistance with College Park Day. He acknowledged the city’s receipt of Certificate for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) for the city budget submitted in May 2024. Mr. Young said that elections for Mayor and Council will take place on Election Day, November 4, from 8am – 8pm, and early voting will be at held at David Hall on Sunday, November 2 from 11am – 4pm. Residents must be 16 years of age by November 4 to be eligible to vote. He said the deadline to register to vote in College Park was October 20. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Former District 2 Councilmember Bob Catlin 

Former District 2 Councilmember Maxine Gross

Former Prince George’s County Councilmember Danielle Glaros

Former District 1 Councilmember Kate Kennedy

 PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS

Maryland Economic Development Week

Honoring Helen Reniere’s 100th Birthday

AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Councilmember Hernandez made a motion to remove item 25-G-106 from the consent agenda and place it on action items. 

PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS

Bob Catlin, resident – talked about three major development projects in the city that happened over a short period of time during the early 2000s, including IKEA, JTCC and the Washington Post Distribution Center. The area where JTCC is now located was the M-NCPPC service center. Initially, it was thought it would be great to have an indoor skating rink there. A former White House staffer, Ken Brody, came to the area and was an avid tennis fan and had money to invest. He went to the county, and they offered the land in 2002, and it has been a good development. The garage at Metro was built in 2001, and then the FDA building. 

Dan Blasberg, resident – thanked Councilmembers Esters and Whitney for their work. He acknowledged their relationship had been a bit tenuous in the beginning but has improved. He promised he would treat those who assumed their positions better. 

Margaret Moskowitz, resident – the last time she came to council she expressed concern about city processes. She gave a shout out to Councilmembers in District 2 and District 1, and District 2 candidates who listened to her concerns. She said Mr. Khokhar exercised a great deal of care while listening to her concerns and providing her with information. She thanked Mr. Young for his assistance and said she was sleeping better. 

 CONSENT AGENDA

25-G-104 Approval of a contract for Curbside Food Scrap Collections – Robert Marsili, Director of Public Works

25-G-107 Approval of a contract for Obvio Inc. Automated Traffic Law Enforcement Agreement -Jatinder Khokhar, Director of Public Services and Stephanie P. Anderson, City Attorney

Councilmember Esters made the motion to accept the Consent Agenda, seconded by Councilmember Hernandez. It passed unanimously.

PRESENTATIONS: 

Quarterly Financial FY2026 – Gary Fields, Director of Finance

Mr. Fields said most things in the quarterly report are as expected. He said we received Real Estate Property Tax revenue in both September and October. He said revenue from the State Amusement and Hotel/Motel tax should be seen at the beginning of the calendar new year. Mr. Fields said the significant expenses reflected the $2.6 million annual total for interfund transfers made in one payment. He said the CPCUP and Non-Dept and Boards and Commission are all paid in July.  He thanked Mr. Olive for preparing the presentation. 

Councilmember Whitney asked if the 17% in income tax receipts reflected what was happening at the federal level. Mr. Fields said he did not think that the Federal shutdown had impacted revenue. 

Councilmember Hernandez asked for what was included in the 33% of expenditures from the Mayor & Council budget and said he wanted folks to understand that 33% of the city’s budget went to CPCUP. Mr. Fields said that was not the case. He clarified that what we were reviewing was what had been spent thus far from the Mayor & Council budget, which also included $80 thousand in annual dues paid for organizations like the Maryland Municipal League and the Washington Council of Governments (COG). 

Community Preservation Trust Presentation on 5021 Lakeland Road – Orlando Velez, Director of Operations and Housing Initiatives, CPCUP

Ms. Kennedy said she was excited to speak to council. She said when the Trust started, they envisioned partnerships with others. She introduced Orlando Velez, who has been in his position as Director of the Trust since June. Ms. Kennedy introduced herself as the Chair of the Community Preservation Trust (CPT).

Mr. Velez introduced himself as the new director of operations and partnership programs and invited team members to introduce themselves. Mr. Velez said the shared goal of the Trust is to provide quality affordable housing and strengthen the partnership with city. 

Mr. Velez said 5021 Lakeland once had a home that was built in the 1900’s. The home was destroyed due to a weather event in 2022. In 2025, the property was purchased by the city with the support of the Restorative Justice Commission (RJC). 

The project is to provide a new owner-occupied home. 

Click here to see the presentation. 

Mr. Velez said the project will include involvement of UMD students who will engage with the community. He said the project design is rooted in community engagement. The home is to be sold to Habitat. The new owner will benefit from 0% interest loan. The Community Preservation Trust will hold the land lease for 99 years. This is the development of a vacant lot into a home for a family who may not otherwise be able do own. 

Councilmember Whitney said she was excited about the project and asked about the possibility of building a duplex, and whether it would require a zoning change. Habitat for Humanity’s Ron Spoor said he understands that state affordable housing legislation allows non-profits to build a duplex on a single family lot

Councilmember Esters said she was excited about the project and asked about the timeline from construction to occupancy. Mr. Velez said they would need to get approvals and permits. He said he would hope to see construction start by the end of 2026. 

Mayor Kabir asked about the work of Habitat for Humanity related to affordable housing. The representative from Habitat for Humanity said they have developments in Silver Spring, Rockville and Montgomery Village.

Councilmember Ranker said he is aware of a similar project in New Orleans, and he loves the model. Sometimes the state law has gone farther than the county has. He asked if there is a groundbreaking at the end of next year when would an owner be identified, and he asked about giving first opportunity to Lakeland Legacy members. Mr. Velez said there is a priority to work with the Lakeland community, but they must follow all Fair Housing laws. 

Councilmember Hew asked if there could be consideration of modular homes for this project. Mr. Velez said it is exciting to see modular homes come together, but one of the models leveraged by Habitat is volunteer building. Mr. Spoor said they always consider modulars, but this project is one where they would like to involve many volunteers and students.

Councilmember Hernandez asked how much the city is going to sell it to the Community Preservation Trust for. Mr. Velez said they will be putting together a package for $200,000. After looking it up, Mr. Young said the home was purchased by the city for $211,000Councilmember Hernandez asked to talk about it offline. 

Councilmember Esters asked Mr. Velez if CPT has bought land in the past. Mr. Velez said no, they purchased homes in the past. He said this is a new venture, and the use of CBE funds allowed for building on the land. There is technically a structure on the property, but it is not livable. 

Councilmember Mackie asked if they would install environmental measures that would make the house affordable to live in, as well as buy, such as solar panels. Mr. Velez said that was part of the conversation. He worked on a previous house that was an airtight, passive house that decreased heating and cooling costs by 80-90%. He said they’d have to get additional donations for that but aren’t ruling it out. He said the students must consider the practicality of both building and living in the home.

Mr. Velez said they are not asking us to vote tonight but sought Council input.

PUBLIC HEARING AND POSSIBLE ACTION:

25-O-11 Ordinance, 25-O-11, An Ordinance of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park Authorizing the acquisition of certain real property located at 8807 Rhode Island Avenue and 8811 Rhode Island Avenue, College Park, MD 20740, for a public purpose –Kenneth A. Young, City Manager and Stephanie Anderson, City Attorney

Dan Blasberg, resident – he has been asking about for this land since he has moved in. It has gone through some iterations and he has advocated for a community garden. He thinks the city needs a larger community garden. If there is any consideration of development, he asked that it not be residential. It should be something that is open to the community.

Todd Larsen, resident – lives in Berwyn and is on the Committee for a Better Environment (CBE). The Committee has visited civic associations around the city to get feedback on what people would like to see in a climate action plan. They often hear that people want more green space. This land could help. It could provide more tree canopy. It is adjacent to the existing permaculture garden. If it is turned into a garden, he asked that a water source be provided. He said he appreciates that the city is asking the community what it would like to see done with the property if it is acquired.

Alec Lynde, resident – in full support of the acquisition; he was part of the CBE when the property was available two years ago. Looking forward to working with the city and council to determine its use. 

Bob Catlin- resident – spoke last time when this was introduced. It is a great property. There are only two houses that border the property. The land is approximately 1/8 of an acre. He supports the purchase. Glad to see we have a chance to get it in city hands

Kelly Jordan, resident – in support of the purchase of the property. It seems like a good thing for the city to do. 

Susan Blasberg, resident – in support of the city buying the property and spoke to Fazlul and Alan about purchasing the property. 

After the Public Hearing was declared closed, Councilmember Whitney made the motion, which was seconded by Councilmember Esters. It passed unanimously.

25-G-105 Permit Parking on Delaware Street between 48th Place and 49thAvenue – Jim Miller, Parking Enforcement Manager

Mr. Miller said residents have had issues with construction workers and now residents from The Flats parking in the area. They would like to see the permits be 24 hours, 7 days a week. 

Mr. Hernandez said there are residents who do not want to see 24 hours. 

Councilmember Ranker asked if was permitted parking on Delaware Street. Mr. Miller said there is currently no permit parking on Delaware Street and that the Declaration of Covenants says that residents of The Flats are not to park on the streets. 

Larry Marcu, resident – the problem isn’t just construction workers, students park on the street, as well. There are cars just parked, and they do not know whose they are. Everything south of Delaware is permitted. It could be that the problem moves north. 

Betsy Pugel, resident – at the end of the block there is a school bus stop. Part of having permits is to ensure that children are safe. If 24 hours is not viable, then maybe 2pm- 8am

Michelle Bernard, resident  – issue came to a head during construction. The issue is when individuals come down the street. With cars on both sides and no gaps, it is challenging. 

After the Public Hearing was declared closed, Councilmember Hew made the motion and was seconded by Councilmember Hernandez.

Councilmember Hew, asked for Mr. Miller to comment on the attraction for dumping and other behaviors on Delaware Street. Hew said he was in favor of the restrictions.

Councilmember Whitney said the developer provided more parking space than required for the Flats. She also clarified that the Declaration of Covenants only stated that residents of The Flats would not be eligible for residential parking permits. 

Councilmember Hernandez asked about our enforcement of the Covenants. Mr. Miller said that in this case there is no enforcement if there is no permitted parking. 

Councilmember Riggs expressed frustration with the piecemeal nature of this work. The city needs to think holistically about permit parking. 

Councilmember Ranker applauded the residents on the block for taking this step and would defer to the councilmembers in this area. 

Councilmember Hernandez said the problem is that this street is particularly narrow, there are few stop signs and few speed bumps. 

The motion passed unanimously.

ACTION ITEMS: 

25-G-106 Authorize the Mayor to request that M-NCPPC proceed with engineering and design of a pedestrian bridge crossing of the Northeast Branch at or near Location 2 as indicated during the October 7, 2025- MNCPPC presentation.

Mr. Gardiner – letter is a follow-up to council from our last meeting where M-NCPPC staff presented various options to Council. Based on comments from the meeting, staff drafted a letter to communicate the interests of Mayor and Council. 

Councilmember Hernandez said he did not have an issue with the content of the letter, rather he had an issue with how the council is doing letters. This letter was sent from the Mayor on behalf of council, while another letter sent to the county regarding police was sent from the mayor and not the council. 

Councilmember Ranker asked how someone distinguishes letters they receive from Mayor or Mayor and Council. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said letters that come from Mayor and Council should specifically say they come from Mayor and Council. 

Mr. Gardiner said letters generally include a statement that references approval from Mayor and Council. 

Councilmember Hew said he had a concern we were recommending that they build this bridge in the 100-year flood plain. 

Councilmember Ranker said he did not think it goes against their recommendations and suspects that the government self-insures. 

Councilmember Riggs made the motion, seconded by Councilmember Ranker. It passed unanimously.

25-O-13 Introduction of an Early Lease Ordinance to establish the timeframe in which property owners must communicate an offer for a successive lease or notice of non-renewal to a current tenant – Jatinder Khokhar, Director of Public Services

Ms. Anderson, city attorney, said this was an ordinance to amend the city code for the timeline when lease can be renewed, when it is legally acceptable for the landlord to not renew the lease, enforcement and remedies.

Councilmember Rigg said he heard from residents that the fees as described apply to the landlord. There are residents who had concerns with this applying to residents. He wanted to ensure that the fees did not apply to residents for not signing their lease within the 10 days, etc.

Councilmember Ranker said prior to the meeting he learned that residents had been asked to re-up their lease for 2026. 

Councilmember Rigg introduced the ordinance with a second from Councilmember Hernandez.

25-O-14 Introduction of an Ordinance to allow for amendments to Chapter 110-2, Penalties, as it is applied to Chapters, 87, 115, 125,138, 141,and 144 of the Code of the City of College Park for the purpose of increasing the maximum amount of a fine for a municipal infraction that may be imposed by a municipality to enforce ordinances and increase all tiered penalties and add tiers to penalties where are not currently defined – Jatinder Khokhar, Director of Public Services

Mr. Khokhar said the sections are frequently used by code staff. Recently the State has increased the maximum fine amount from $1,000 – $5,000. Ms. Anderson said that the fines are meant to be a deterrent. Mr. Khokhar said they seek to be fair.

Councilmember Hernandez asked if we chose $5,000, could we tier it out?

Mr. Khokhar said he was looking for direction from Council.

Mr. Young said the original intent was to choose $5,000 and tier it out.  

Councilmember Mackie – asked for clarity on noise versus nuisance. Mr. Khokhar said

there is no difference. 

Councilmember Rigg said unruly social gathering were meant to be considered a higher

level than the noise violation. Councilmember Ranker agreed with Councilmember Rigg’s

comments. 

Rigg made the motion to introduce the ordinance as redlined in the Red Folder. Mackie seconded.

25-G-108 Approval of Property Use Agreement on Application for transfer of location of a Class C, Fraternal, Beer, Wine, Liquor License, College Park Lodge No. 453, Loyal Order of Moose, Inc. t/a Loyal Order of Moose 453, from 3700 Metzerott Road, College Park, Maryland 20740 to 8907 Baltimore Avenue, College Park, Maryland 20740 – Jatinder Khokhar, Director of Public Services and Stephanie P. Anderson, City Attorney

Ms. Anderson said property use agreement for a Class C beer and liquor license transfer for 3700 Metzerott Road to 8907 Baltimore Ave. 

Moose Lodge No. 453 President Debbie Herbert provided some background for the organization. It has been in the community for 77 years. They had to sell their property to a church, then it was sold again. They have been looking for property in College Park because they would like to stay here. The new property at 8907 Baltimore Ave. is available and has a 2,400 square foot building. Moose is a fraternal organization that has contributed to the community. 

Councilmember Esters said she appreciated their time and work in the community and their desire to stay in College Park. However, she did have concerns about this location and had a series of questions. She said it is a prominent corner with issues related to ingress and egress. She asked if their plans to renovate would come back before Council. Ms. Anderson and City Manager Young said they were not sure those plans would come back before Council. Esters said she would like to learn more about their plans for ingress, egress, and parking, acknowledging the residents who live on the block behind the land and across from the existing bowling alley. She also asked about any level of engagement with community members so they would be aware of the proposed use of the property. 

Councilmember Whitney asked Ms. Anderson if the City could require the Moose Lodge to come back before Council with their plans. Ms. Anderson said she could have that discussion with their attorney.

Councilmember Hernandez asked about the number of members in the Moose Lodge. Ms. Herbert said there were 440 members, 15-20% of whom are active. 

Councilmember Hernandez said he was supportive and did not understand the concerns of his District 2 colleagues. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said she was in support of District 2 and looked forward to working together to identify next steps forward. 

Ms. Herbert said this was submitted over two months ago. She asked if there was something she should have done to get it on the docket sooner. She said they want to have a beautiful building. 

Ms. Anderson said she did receive the submission two months ago and looked at the date of the hearing to determine when it would be added to the agenda. She said the questions from Council arise once items are placed on the agenda  

Bob Catlin, resident –  said he saw that the liquor license was on the agenda the other day. He said it would not be nearly as controversial as the previous contract proposed under Chick-Fil-a. 

Councilmember Mackie said the Moose Lodge has been very community-minded. She will be supporting their request. 

REQUESTS FOR / STATUS OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Councilmember Hernandez said there is a District 1 property in the Mom’s Parking lot. It is a state building that has been vacant since 2017. Asking for a letter to be sent to Gov. Wes Moore asking to assess the possibility of using the property to create affordable housing or mixed-use housing that includes senior affordable housing. 

COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE

Mr. Biffel, non-resident – ordinance is unnecessary for the lease. There is strong incentive to renew. Some students would like to “play coy”. It is the students who stress the need to renew early. There should not be any impediments. In Ann Arbor there have been unintended consequences. Just because the state allows further fines doesn’t mean they should be imposed. If they are not being ignored, there is no need to increase the fines. He hopes the Council will not pass the ordinance. 

COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON OR CITY MANAGER

Councilmember Rigg said he was excited about the opening of new business in District 3, Padel. He described Padel as the love child of tennis and pickleball. 

Councilmember Mackie thanked the UMD Students who came to engage with them at City Hall for a recent panel on civic engagement. 

Mayor Kabir mentioned serving on a panel at the end of the week sponsored by the Greenbelt Coalition.

Councilmember Esters said she wanted to acknowledged staff for work with the resident who previously shared concerns related to processes and followed up to say that she felt heard. 

Councilmember Hew said he toured with the police academy for a new program. He said he was surprised that CPT did not mention the sale of their 100^th home in through their homeownership grant, which was in District 1. 

Councilmember Hernandez said he had good news working with Parkdale High School and their establishment of a PTA. He said that Shoppers would soon be closing, and their last day of operation will be November 8. He said he hoped that economic development will work to identify another supermarket. 

 MEETING ADJOURNED

Click here to see the full agenda for the City of College Park Mayor & Council Hybrid Meeting on October 28. 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:

Presentations:

Missing Middle Housing Presentation 

Presentation of and Discussion on 2025 Permit Fees Analysis by Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS)

Action Items:

Ordinance to amend Chapter 87 to increase the maximum allowable height for front yard fences from three (3) feet to four (4) feet.

In person, Live stream and virtual

https://zoom.us/j/95954061842

Date: October 23, 2025
Time: 7:30 PM - 8:45 PM
Location: City Hall Council Chambers
Address: 7401 Baltimore Ave, 2nd Floor, College Park, MD 20740

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 October 7, 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 the city will hold its general elections for Mayor and Council on Tuesday November 4 at City Hall from 8am – 8pm.  Early voting will be on Saturday, November 2 at Davis Hall from 11am-4pm.  The deadline to register is October 20 and you must be sixteen by November 4 to vote.  Saturday, October 25 will be the next fall clean-up day and will include shredding from 8am – 12pm.

Weather-permitting, re-paving will occur this week on Wichita Ave near Magnum Road. The Senior Advisory Committee will host a game day on Wednesday, October 15. 

College Park Day will be on October 18 from 12pm – 6pm at the College Park Aviation Museum.  There will be food, art, and activities, including a flyover by a helicopter and planes. 

New Director of finance introduced – William Shannon Olive.  Two other employees brought on – Marc-Anthony Cuellar, Graphic Design Coordinator, and Edwin Daniel, Public Safety and Emergency Manager. 

Councilmember Rigg said after more than 12 years of work, the drainage system in Calvert Hills is in the ground.  A portion of the park will not be available for several months as the ground settles.  

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Former District 2 Councilmembers Maxine Gross and Robert Catlin

PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS

A. Indigenous Peoples Day 

B. Grant for Safe Schools Day

C. 80th Anniversary Phillips-Kleiner VFW Post 5627 Auxiliary 

AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Councilmember Esters made motion to amend the agenda and make the Restorative Justice Commission presentation the first presentation given the number of people in the audience.  Seconded by Councilmember Whitney. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell made a motion to approve the agenda as amended.  Second by Councilmember Mackie.

PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS

Bob Catlin, resident of Berwyn and co-chair of the BDCA, the next BDCA meeting will be held on October 16 and will include a candidates’ forum. Mr. Catlin shared the history of the two Rhode Island Avenue properties being considered for purchase by the City. He said the properties used to have houses on them, but the Washington Post found them an eyesore and had them torn down. In 2009, the BDCA President asked the company to donate the land as parkland. The Washington Post declined. When the paper was sold to Jeff Bezos, the request was again made and was again declined.

David Dorsch, resident, the house on 4704 Calvert Road should be sold and that money should be put into the coffers.  The city should not be in the house rental business.

Maria Cordone, resident- for the past few months Yarrow has been meeting to establish their Yarrow Civic Association. Their civic association has been established, and they thanked Councilmembers Ranker and Rigg for their support.  

CONSENT AGENDA

25-G-102 Approval of Community Services Grant-Sponsorship for $2,000 for a walkathon fundraiser for the Holy Redeemer School Home and School Association, as recommended by the Mayor and Council Grants subcommittee – Gary Fields, Director of Finance Motion 

25-G-103 Award of contract to Apple Ford under Baltimore County contract #00004504 in the amount of $56,911.30 to purchase one (1) 2026 Ford E-Transit T-350 Low Roof Special Event Van – Robert Marsili –Director of Public Works.  

Councilmember Whitney made the motion to approve the Consent Agenda, seconded by Councilmember Mackie. It passed unanimously.

PRESENTATIONS: 

D. Restorative Justice Commission 

Maxine Gross thanked the city, Mayor, Councilmembers Whitney and Esters for guidance and hope that it will be continued beyond their time on council.  She acknowledged the people at First Repair. Ms. Gross said there was once a trailer park that was located at the entrance of Lakeland that was redeveloped during urban renewal. When Lakeland merged with the city in 1945, there was talk about Lakeland and how the low-income population would be a burden on the city. She said during Urban Renewal Lakeland was divided into three areas, Conversation Area, Clearance Area West and Clearance Area East.

Karin Brown asked everyone to be open to restoring a community that experienced harm.  She mentioned the four main recommendations from the Restorative Justice Commission (RJC), including the creation of Lakeland Legacy Members, assuring a fair market value for the homes purchased during Urban Renewal, restoring visual and physical access to the Lake, and using the historic Lakeland High School site as a cultural and educational institution.  

Councilmember Esters thanked the members of the commission for their recommendations and acknowledged their work has been a long time coming. She acknowledged that the city, county, and state played a part in Urban Renewal and asked for thoughts about how all entities will be brought into the discussion. Ms. Gross said that they are looking to the city to answer that question.  

Councilmember Whitney thanked the commission for their work and for synthesizing all that has been done. She asked for the commission’s timeline for the creation of the Lakeland Legacy Council. Ms. Gross said the concept was to put a cap at the year to identify legacy members. They have lists of people who have been displaced who they can advertise to. Ms. Gross said they would like the Lakeland Legacy Council to be established by the end of 2026. Councilmember Whitney asked if there is concern about filling the positions for the RJC and the Legacy Council. Ms. Gross said there is concern about filling the positions. 

Ruth Murphy mentioned there has been preliminary discussion with the pastor of the Seventh Day Adventist School.  She said there are several partners who are working together.  They will continue to seek partnerships.

Councilmember Whitney asked about the reason for choosing compensation in 1975 dollars. Ms. Gross said the majority of urban renewal’s displacement of Lakelanders occurred in 1975.  

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked how we continue education in the city of College Park. Ms. Murphy said we employ more guidance counselors in the schools and track the progress of students. She also said pairing students with remedial readers, helping to make connections for students.  Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell clarified her questions and asked how we continue to educate communities in College Park about Lakeland. Ms. Murphy said by amplifying personal stories. Ms. Brown said the move forward should include a communications plan. Ms. Gross said there is a lot of information out there on Lakeland – NBC4 documentary, the mural under the bridge, Shadows of Lakeland. She encourages the city to add information to the website. The Lakeland Community Heritage Project turned over the tour to the city 2-3 years ago. An exhibition at the Aviation Museum will open on May 1, 2026. 

Councilmember Mackie said all residents of College Park should read the reports on Lakeland. She said she remembers from the book that a lot of the fathers were groundskeepers at UMD and had a passion for the environment.  

SGA Liaison Nick DiSpirito asked about any initial conversation with the University of Maryland about the scholarship and asked how students can help.  

Councilmember Hew thanked the RJC for their work. He was not fully aware of what occurred and is happy to be a witness to what is happening now. He said he appreciated the coordination and looks forward to progress. He said it is long past due.

Councilmember Rigg said he was proud to endorse these efforts. He acknowledged these efforts are expensive and longstanding and suggested they work closely with council to prioritize.  He asked that things be done quickly.  

Mayor Kabir said he was grateful that the commission wants to continue the work. A new charge from the council will be the next order of business. 

Ms. Gross asked the Mayor and Council to accept the report and asked staff to look at the report and determine where items may be tasked to staff and other entities. She pointed out that restorative measures could help students in Lakeland schools who don’t live in the community.  

A. Good Neighbor Day 

Amy Caballero of the UMD Community Engagement Office reminded us about Good Neighbor Day is Saturday, October 25.  She mentioned two projects, including building a library at the Pregnancy Aid Center and a clean-up at Lake Artemesia. Ms. Caballero said sign-up is on the website.  The event will include a Health and Well-being Fair which will be on October 25. Free activities for the family.  

Mayor Kabir thanked Councilmembers Mackie, Hew and Ranker for their involvement with planning Good Neighbor Day.  

Councilmember Hew said he was expecting to see the presentation about all the progress of Good Neighbor Day.  

B. Child Care Task Force

Gavin Neubauer and Christina Martin Kenny of the Child Care Taskforce give an overview of their presentation. 

Mr. Neubauer began the presentation by saying the prime responsibility of childcare falls on women.  Childcare is extremely expensive, and it is not a profitable business. Providers have decreased by 15.5%, and there has been a shift from home daycare to larger centers. On average it costs $15,523 per year. 

There is much frustration from parents looking for childcare. They often lose an average of $1,000 for waitlist fees. Communication is a challenge, as childcare providers are focused on childcare and not communication.

Recommendations from the Taskforce:

• Detailed website to host information about providers
• Reduce or waive city permits for providers
• Host or subsidize professional development for childcare staff within College Park
• Provide a small capital project grant for expanding capacity

Ms. Kenny said that not a single member of the taskforce, who has children, have children in College Park childcare centers. They are not affordable or accessible; there are just too few. When the shutdown occurred, it forced people to make the decision between maintaining childcare to ensure that they have it when they return to work and paying for childcare they do not need when they are not getting paid. The community is starved for more childcare information.

Mayor Kabir asked about adding information to the website. Bill Gardiner said they will discuss it at the staff level. Mayor Kabir asked about the transparency of childcare waitlists.  

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked if he was looking for the training of new staff for home-based care providers, PGCC offers first aid and CPR training, and state stipends could be helpful.  She asked if the Department of Licensing provided a listing of availability. Ms. Kenny said the list has not been reliable. 

Councilmember Ranker thanked the taskforce for their work. It is an essential issue we need to work on. There are a lot of requirements that must be met to convert space to in-home day care. We need to determine interest. Micro-capital grants could be helpful. Capacity improvement would help an existing business to increase staff. He would like to see fifty new home-based centers that give priority to city residents and suggested a four-cities pilot program.  

Councilmember Hew asked about how many children a home-based facility can bring in. Ms. Kenny said It depends upon the size of the home. The in-home providers she is aware of in the region have had no more than eight children. Councilmember Hew asked if employers are helping to fill the gap for childcare needs. He referenced Microsoft as a large employer we could work with to fill the gap.  

Mayor Kabir asked about next steps.  Mr. Gardiner said staff can look through the report and determine next steps.  He thanked the members of the taskforce for their work and quick turnaround.  

C. Calvert Road Pedestrian Bridge Study 

 The city has expressed interest in having a bridge to connect the Old Calvert Road Park for pedestrian and bike travel.  

Councilmember Rigg has been working on this project for 8 years and is happy we are now here.  He Asked if there were any prior work related to doing a traffic diet on the existing bridge. DPWT had done a previous study. The long-term improvement would be rehabilitation of the entire bridge. He was not clear about how a bike user would be able to use option four to better use the park. The concern of residents is that the existing park is landlocked. The plan is for the road to have an extremely low speed limit.  If I am a cyclist and I am on Campus way and I want to go to Old Calvert Road Park, it is not easy to do, so nobody does it. 

Parks & Planning representatives said their staff consider option four the best. They have $2,000,000, which they have already started to use to make improvements.  

Councilmember Ranker said he has been on the council for 7 months, but he lives in Yarrow/College Park Estates community.  The community does not want to give up the left-hand turn. He said he wished there had been some consultation because the current sidewalk placement makes it dangerous. He went to the City Manager, Engineer, and Assistant Manager when the construction started and they had no idea what was happening, but it was too late to provide input.  

The representative from M-NCPPC said they are not done yet; they tried to do what they could without the need for permitting. Councilmember Ranker said he wants to make sure the work is done well and with the community’s interest in mind. Most people are open to complete green streets along Campus Drive. People are very interested in getting to the Metro by bike or on foot. Residents do not want funds to go to option four, rather they want the money to go toward making option one happen. They want improvements to be coordinated and to get into the park safely. The bridge has major issues that need to be dealt with. He said there has been unanimous support from county and state delegations for option one. No one wants to take on option three.  

M-NCPPC representatives said they want to consider the input from the city and understand what will need to happen. They will talk to their leadership. The improvements that were made were directed and we will continue to see that work. As they look at the project, it will need to go through their process. To implement option one, there would be the need for additional funding and prioritizing. They could not speak clearly about the implementation of projects. The $2 Million would be enough for soft costs, but they will need to identify additional funding. The current climate as it related to budget is unknown. They look forward receiving that in writing.  They will provide community input as requested by the mayor. 

PUBLIC HEARING AND POSSIBLE ACTION:

25-O-10 An Ordinance of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park, Maryland, Amending Chapter § 62-17, Mayor and Council Compensation, to change the amount of compensation payable to the Mayor and Council – Teresa Way-Pezzuti, Director of Human Resources

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell made the motion, seconded by Councilmember Esters

Mayor Kabir said he did not expect another raise to come so soon.  In 2016, he voted against the raise. This is not like another 9-5 job. We try to work for the love of the community. He will not be able to vote but would not vote for the given amount. 

Councilmember Hew referenced feedback from some residents who were concerned about the council voting for their own salaries. We are not voting for us; we are voting for the future Council. The raise received 10 years ago went up to $7,000. There was no cost of living included. He was not expecting a 100% increase, but he knows the responsibilities of the position and approves of the increase.  

Councilmember Riggs said he estimates that the increase is pretty fair as he considers the breakdown of the increase. Speaking as someone who will not benefit, he thinks it is the right thing to do. 

Councilmember Mackie said such votes are difficult. She thinks she speaks for colleagues that none feel comfortable making this vote, but she said there is clear precedent of elected officials doing this. She said councilmembers do the work because they love their residents. 

The increase passed with a vote of 6-0-1, with Councilmember Ranker abstaining.

ACTION ITEMS:

25-G-98 Calvert Road: Provide direction to the City Manager and City 

Mr. Young said he needed direction on where Council wants him to go.  We really do not want more speed bumps. There are 175 speed bumps and only 2-3 that met criteria. The changes to the speed limit on Calvert Road are working well. Councilmember Rigg motioned for the city to maintain the current speed limit and conditions and was seconded by Ranker. The motion passed unanimously.

25-G-99 Approval of a contract of sale to purchase properties located at 8807 Rhode Island Avenue and 8811 Rhode Island Avenue, College Park, MD 20740, from Rhode Island LLC for a purchase price of $300,000 plus settlement cost – Kenneth Young, City Manager and Stephanie Anderson, City Attorney

Motion by Councilmember Esters, Seconded by Councilmember Whitney. It passed unanimously.

25-O-11 Introduction of an Ordinance, 25-O-11, An Ordinance of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park Authorizing the acquisition of certain real property located at 8807 Rhode Island and 8811 Rhode Island Avenue, College Park, MD 20740, from Rhode Island LLC for a purchase price of $300,000, plus settlement costs for a public purpose. – Kenneth A. Young, City Manager and Stephanie Anderson, City Attorney – Public Hearing: October 21, 2025

Councilmember Hew said the Community for a Better Environment (CBE) has supported this purchase.

Councilmember Whitney said the BDCA has been advocating for the purchase for decades.

Motion made by Councilmember Whitney, seconded by Councilmember Esters. 

25-G-101 Approval of an agreement with Monarch Consulting to perform a comprehensive assessment of the Code Enforcement Division of the Public Services Department – Jatinder Khokhar, Director of Public Services 

Mr. Khokhar said that feedback from internal and external customers coupled with challenges in retaining qualified staff has highlighted deficiencies within the Department of Public Services. He said the department is seeking authorization to have an outside consultant assess the Code Enforcement Division, including administrative specialists and code enforcement officers. The Director of Public Services, the Code Enforcement Manager, and Code Enforcement Supervisors have identified several areas that could benefit from an evaluation, including staff retention, performance and work ethic, and systems integration. 

Ceci Muela, Monarch Consulting said their work focuses on retention, training, and creation of a manual.  

Councilmember Hew asked if Council would be able to share what they expect of code enforcement.  There is pressure for more proactive enforcement. Councilmember Mackie said she saw that there would be a chance for input from council and staff.

Mr. Khokhar said when he started in his position, he found good people but found difficulty in seeing people who are inspired, the inspiration has been missing.

Councilmember Esters asked Ms. Muela if their company had done similar evaluations in surrounding jurisdiction.  She said they had not been done in the surrounding jurisdictions but have conducted training through international organizations as well as performed this kind of work for municipalities in California.

WORKSESSION DISCUSSIONS:

A. Presentation of and discussion on the 2025 Permit Fees Analysis conducted by the Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS)– Jatinder Khokhar, Director of Public Services–  Council voted to move this item to a future meeting. Mr. Young suggested it would return on October 21.

B. 2026 Legislative Priorities – Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager

Mr. Lucchi said he was glad to hear from Council about legislative issues.  Last year the state had a huge structural deficit and took a hit.  He said wow is a good time to put the legislative agenda. 

Councilmember Ranker mentioned giving municipalities land use authority.

Councilmember Whitney mentioned funding for a Lakeland Land Trust.

Councilmember Mackie mentioned stream restoration issues, federal government, healthcare costs.

Building on Mackie’s comments, Whitney asked about the loss of a federal waiver that is causing residents’ Medicare Advantage plans to be cancelled.

Mr. Lucchi said the state’s application for waivers is still waiting, but hospitals do not want it to be approved.  There are a lot of things in flux, but he will keep an eye on it.  

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell mentioned helping with mortgage protection from scams, veterans tax credit that includes spouses, and senior tax credit.

Councilmember Kabir mentioned the two-year pilot on noise cameras and said communities want them. 

Councilmember Ranker mentioned regulations on construction of a certain size.

Councilmember Hew mentioned federal government cutting grants for emergency preparedness. Mr. Young said the Council of Governments (COG) was notified that the federal funding will end.  We now have to see if cities are willing to come up with their share. 

REQUESTS FOR / STATUS OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Student Liaison Nick DiSpirito expressed difficulty in for students obtaining internships. He said they are preparing a proposal that would allow for discussion at the end of the year.  Mr. Young said the city has allowed for more interns or directed them to other municipalities. In the budget, the city needs to hire an intern to help with videography. Different departments have been able to cover costs.  

Councilmember Ranker said he was thankful to the city for working to provide internships.  

COMMENTS FROM THE AUDIENCE

Courtney, resident – concerned about safety issues in Crystal Springs and feels that there is no attention to these issues. She would like to see sidewalks and calming measures.  

COMMENTS FROM THE MAYOR, COUNCIL, STUDENT LIAISON OR CITY MANAGER

Councilmember Rigg said we saw a few presentations that were busy and have a lot of things in them.  He suggests the new council take a step back and consider what it would like to prioritize. This should be featured in the new strategic plan and the council advance. The city is In danger of taking on too much. 

Councilmember Mackie said she recently attended the Chesapeake Bay Environment Committee Meeting. She said the price of water is increasing. We may need to train people on mindful water usage. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said she recently attended a press conference for COG on Artificial Intelligence (AI).  

Mayor Kabir said there are three upcoming candidate forums. He said he will be attending Maryland Municipal League (MML) conference to accept a Sustainability award for the city.  

Councilmember Whitney said University of Maryland (UMD) has a program in AI certification that is self-paced and free. She asked that we consider changing our meeting format to hold public hearings prior to presentations.  

Councilmember Hew said he will attend the UMD Institutional bio safety committee which works to make sure proper safety protocols are in place to protect the community.  He mentioned real-time monitoring cameras to understand what is happening at a given time and the potential for businesses to have such cameras. He said there are 21 Good Neighbor Day projects, and more volunteers are needed. He encouraged residents to sign up.  

MEETING ADJOURNED

Click here to see the full agenda for the City of College Park Mayor & Council Hybrid Meeting on October 21, once it is available. 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:

Approval of contract for Curbside Food Scrap Collections

Public Hearing:

Ordinance authorizing the acquisition of certain real property located at 8807 Rhode Island Ave. 

Ordinance authorizing the acquisition of certain real property located at 8811 Rhode Island Ave. 

Action:

Introduction of an Early Lease Ordinance to establish the timeframe for property owners must communicate an offer for a successive lease or notice of non-renewal to a current resident.

Introduction of an Ordinance to allow for amendments of penalties of the Code of the City of College Park for the purpose of increasing the maximum amount of a fine for a municipal infraction. 

Worksession:

Review and Discussion of the Public Services fee schedule

Date: Thursday, Oct. 23

Time: 7:30 – 8:45 p.m.

Place: City Council Chambers, City Hall

Moderator: Shawn Anderson of WTOP radio

The event will be held in person (information regarding meeting link will be forthcoming)

The forum will consist of topical questions from the moderator, plus questions submitted in advance by members of the public (for the candidates or for the mayor). The moderator will determine which questions to ask after reviewing all of the submissions. No questions will be taken from the audience during the event. Questions will not be shared with the candidates in advance.

You are encouraged to submit written questions to sharon@streetcarsuburbs.news no later than Friday, Oct. 17.

Sharing from Senator Chris Van Hollen’s Office:

Join Our Telephone Town Hall Monday, October 6th at 5:00 pm, Senator Angela Alsobrooks and I are hosting a Telephone Town Hall to answer your questions and provide an update on our efforts to end the Republican shutdown, support federal employees and contractors, stop Trump’s illegal withholding of funds, and prevent a huge spike in health care costs. Senator Alsobrooks and I will be joined by special guest Rob Shriver, of Democracy Forward, who is leading the charge in our courts against the lawlessness of this Administration. To join our call, you can sign up to be dialed in here. By signing up, you will receive a phone call to join our Telephone Town Hall at approximately 5:00 pm on Monday evening. The deadline to sign up to receive this call is Monday at noon. If you’d like to listen in but not join the call via phone—or if you miss the sign-up deadline—you can also join our livestream of the town hall on my website here. For additional resources regarding the federal government shutdown, you can visit my website here. We hope you can tune in Monday evening as we take your questions and provide answers on how we’re fighting back during this unprecedented and challenging time. Chris Van Hollen Please click here to unsubscribe.

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During his October 1st Government Shutdown Webinar, Congressman Ivey and his guests, Ottis Johnson Jr. of AFGE and Rob Shriver of Democracy Forward shared information and resources for those impacted by the goverment shutdown.

Click here to view the recording of Congressman Glenn Ivey’s 10/1 Government Shutdown Webinar.

The Moore-Miller Administration has announced today a series of actions to protect Marylanders impacted by this federal government shutdown. In addition to those announcement details – outlined and linked below – they are also providing you with additional resources to help you understand and manage the vast impacts of a shutdown on our state’s constituents, families, friends, and neighbors.

1. GOVERNOR MOORE’S OCTOBER 1 ANNOUNCEMENT: 

According to data from 2023, there are approximately 269,000 federal employees residing in Maryland and 225,000 contractors working in Maryland. In addition, thousands of Marylanders rely on federal programs. In order to support impacted Marylanders, Governor Moore has announced additional actions to protect Marylanders during this difficult time. These actions build upon previous steps Governor Moore announced in February of this year to support Maryland’s federal workers impacted by federal workforce layoffs, firings, and changes to federal funding. 

These announcements, further outlined in this document, include:

·  Web Page Launch: Maryland Workers Impacted by Recent Federal Actions

·  Overview of letter sent to the Judiciary highlighting eviction and foreclosure protections

·  Overview of letter sent to utility companies highlighting new protections

·  Highlighted resources available through Maryland Credit Unions

·  Highlighted resources available through Maryland Chartered Banks

·  Unemployment Insurance (UI) guidance

·  Launch of the Federal Shutdown Loan Program

·  Overview of accessibility to key federal programs administered via Maryland’s Departments of Human Services, Health, Housing and Community Development, and Education.

This morning at 9:00 AM, the Governor, members of the Congressional Delegation, and General Assembly leaders held a press conference in response to the federal government shutdown. You can view the livestream of this press conference via the Governor’s YouTube channel, linked HERE.