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
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
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The College Park District 2 Digest 