M-NCPPC presents: Newest Commander Takes Flight at the Oldest Operating Airport –
Meet Washington Commander Jonathan Jones

Join us in welcoming the newest Washington Commanders player—and licensed pilot—Jonathan Jones as he makes a dramatic entrance flying into the historic College Park Airport! Hear his inspiring journey from the football field to the skies.

🗓️ Tuesday, May 27
🕓 4:30 – 8:00 PM
📍 College Park Aviation Museum (1985 Corporal Frank Scott Drive)

👥 All ages welcome
💵 Free admission – No registration required
☔ Rain or shine
🚫 No alcohol permitted

Schedule of Events:
4:30 PM – Tailgate, food vendors, and games begin
5:45 PM – Museum doors open
6:15–6:20 PM – Jonathan Jones fly-in
6:30 PM – Program and Q&A with Jonathan Jones

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M-NCPPC presenta: El nuevo jugador de futobol americano de los Washington Commanders vuela el aeropuerto más antiguo en operaciones – Conocza a Jonathan Jones, el nuevo jugador de los Washington Commanders

¡Acompáñanos a dar la bienvenida al nuevo jugador de los Washington Commanders y piloto con licencia, Jonathan Jones, en su espectacular entrada al histórico Aeropuerto de College Park! Escucha su inspiradora experiencia desde el campo de fútbol hasta los cielos.

🗓️ Martes, 27 de mayo
🕓 4:30 – 8:00 pm
📍 Museo de Aviación de College Park (1985 Corporal Frank Scott Drive)

👥 Todas las edades son bienvenidas
💵 Entrada gratuita – No se requiere registro
☔ Llueva o truene
🚫 No se permite alcohol

Programa de eventos:
16:30 – Comienzan el tailgate, los puestos de comida y los juegos
17:45 – Apertura de puertas del museo
18:15–18:20 – Vuelo de Jonathan Jones
18:30 –Preguntas y respuestas con Jonathan Jones

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 May 13, 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 first ever Spring Street Fair on Sunday, May 18 from 1-4pm at Davis Hall on 51^st Ave. He said there will be road closures starting at 10am.  The event will include live entertainment, cooking demonstrations, and arts and crafts.

Councilmember Mackie asked whether the last cleanup of Spring will be held on May 17, 2025. Mr. Young confirmed the cleanup on May 17. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Mark Shroder, former District 1 councilmember 

Maxine Gross, former District 2 councilmember 

PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS

A. Kids to Parks Day

B. Bike to Workday

C. National Public Works Week

D. Building Safety Month

E. Teacher Appreciation Week

AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Councilmember Ranker made a motion to move agenda item 25-G-51 (Proposal to add ParkMobile as “Pay by Cell” service) from the Consent Agenda to the Action Agenda.

Council Whitney made a motion to approve the agenda as amended. Councilmember Hernandez seconded. 

CONSENT AGENDA

25-G-50 Reappointment of Arelis Pérez to the Housing Authority for a five-year term to expire on May 1, 2030.

25-G-52 Approval of a letter of support to the University of Maryland’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering for their Safe Streets and Roads for All planning grant application to the Department of Transportation – Rakhmel Rafi, Grants Coordinator

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda, seconded by Councilmember Mackie. The Consent Agenda was unanimously approved.

PRESENTATIONS:

A. Employee of the Year Award – Jorge Arturo Lopez – Garcia

B. Farewell to Erica Otte, Student Liaison and Anna-Kaye McDonald, Deputy Student Liaison 

PUBLIC HEARING AND POSSIBLE ACTION:

25-O-02 Ordinance 25-O-02 an Ordinance of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park, Amending Chapter 184, “Vehicles and Traffic”, by Enacting Article IX ‘Stop Sign Monitoring, Systems §184-46 Systems on Highways Located in a School Zone Maintained by a Local Jurisdiction and Systems on State Highways Located in a School Zone as authorized by §21-707.1- of the Transportation Article, Annotated Code of Maryland and schedule the Public Hearing for Tuesday, May 13, 2025 – Jatinder Khokhar, Director of Public Services and Stephanie Anderson, City Attorney

Mr. Khokhar said legislation for a stop sign monitoring system was discussed by Council on March 18 during a worksession and came back to the Council for public hearing today. He said the city is authorized by legislation to use stop sign monitoring systems on local streets in school zones. Several municipalities in Prince Georges County have passed legislation related to the use of stop sign monitoring. Mr. Khokhar referred to the language added to amend Chapter 184 of city code for consideration. 

Mark Shroder- resident and Chair of Bike Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) – The committee received the presentation from the vendor and were favorably impressed. They felt that stop sign monitoring would be a good safety mechanism. However, they are concerned about privacy issues since pedestrians, not just drivers, could be identified. He asked that we find a way to obscure the photos of individuals before adopting the system. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked if we have information from the vendor indicating that individuals’ images can be obscured. Ms. Anderson said she will follow up to find out what can be done. She said normally, cameras can be adjusted to view vehicles only. 

Mackie asked if footage captured by the cameras would be publicly available, and Kenny said it would not. 

Councilmember Rigg made the motion, seconded by Councilmember Esters. and it passed unanimously.

Councilmember Rigg said we have talked about it for a while and there is general acceptance. Tonight was the first time we have received a negative comment. We want to encourage pedestrian safety. He thinks it is proper and fitting for us to move forward tonight. 

 ACTION ITEMS: 

25-G-51 Proposal to Add ParkMobile as a “Pay by Cell” service provider to the City’s Parking portfolio – Jim Miller, Parking Enforcement Manager 

Mr. Miller – discussion of Park Mobile as a pay by cell system. Here to answer questions. 

Councilmember Ranker said we do not know how many people will use this service versus other options. He asked if all the revenue went through ParkMobile how that would impact the city. Mr. Miller said if all 2024 payments had gone through ParkMobile, it would have added $16,000.24 to the City’s costs. If all mobile app transactions for 2024 had been made via ParkMobile, rather than AIMS, it would have cost the City an additional $5,203.

Councilmember Ranker said he is opposed to something that costs the city more money and brings in less revenue.

Councilmember Hew asked if we already had Park Mobile. Mr. Miller said no, we used to have Mobile Now.  He said when COVID hit, Mobile Now shut down within hours. AIMs parking, our current vendor, offered their mobile app during COVID for the same charge as Mobile Now. The university uses ParkMobile, and they are highly engaged in the area. We have people who attempt to use their ParkMobile numbers in AIMS zone. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said this is not intended to bring in more revenue, it is to help make things more convenient.

Councilmember Whitney said as long as we maintain the other options for payment, we are just increasing the choice and options for residents. 

Councilmember Whitney made a motion to approve, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell. 

Gabe Newbow, UMD student – Uses both apps. He said there are issues with Aims, including the fact you can only use the app once per day. He said ParkMobile will be easier and will provide better alerts.  

Vote – 7:1 (Ranker opposed) 

WORKSESSION DISCUSSIONS

B. Lakeland Neighborhood Plan – Carlos Nunes, Senior Planner 

Mr. Nunes introduced the discussion and said the Lakeland Plan was an initiative designed to restore history and identity while helping to move the community forward. The plan was developed over the course of 18 months with College Park, activists, and community members. He mentioned the connection between the Lakeland Plan and 15-minute neighborhood report heard last week. Mr. Nunes mentioned tangible aspects of the plan, including Pierce Park. 

Ms. Bader said there will be reengagement with the Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS) program regarding the Pierce Park. She mentioned recent engagement with a landscape architect who does trauma-informed design. The class starts in the fall and the idea is to design a meditation garden and a garden that would serve the community. Public Works will also set up picnic tables on the property. Dr. Naomi Sach’s class will focus on therapeutic landscaping. Ten graduate students will take the course, and each student will design their own solution for creating a therapeutic garden. The concepts would then be brought to the Restorative Justice Commission (RJC). In addition, there could be a Unity Farm, a garden grown in the community and offered back to the community. The Community Center could offer gardening classes, and all ages would be involved.

Mr. Nunes said the key recommendations in the plan include affordable mixed-use housing, flood mitigation, green space reuse, and multi-modal transportation uses. Recommendations related to zoning and land use focus on creating better transition, upzoning to allow for commercial zoning, down zoning to decrease density as development approaches single family homes. Another recommendation is the creation of a cultural heritage district that will have new zoning to honor Black cultural heritage and encourage memorialization and adaptive use. 

Mr. Nunes said the next steps for the plan would be City Council adoption. 

Councilmember Esters thanked Mr. Nunes and Ms. Bader for their work with the community and said the plan has been a long time coming. She mentioned the concerns of the community as they see more and more development. She said once adopted the plan will provide insight into how the community seeks to move forward. 

Councilmember Whitney thanked Mr. Nunes for his work and said we have attended many meetings where the community have talked about their needs. She said there have been difficult discussions and planning for what the community can be moving forward. This plan represents their goals.  She asked where the flood prone area is in Lakeland that is not currently open space. Ms. Bader said she would get back to us.

Councilmember Hew said he appreciated the plans but asked about a goldfish pond given their history in the community. Ms. Bader said goldfish have been considered. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell talked about feeling emotional. She said Council has talked about this for so long it warms her heart to see the actual plan. She said she was thinking about those who have lived there for so long and said timing is everything. She said we are moving forward with something that was inclusive of everyone. 

Councilmember Rigg said when he read the report he was surprised to see the recommendation for downzoning. It was a good though to give more structure. He asked about the economics of downzoning given the assumption the owners of the land would be opposed. Ms. Bader said the plan is visionary and provides guidance to the process as we do not have zoning authority. 

Ms. Bader mentioned Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in College Park homes. She said the Age-Friendly College Park Workgroup will share ideas for homeowners to rent to students which could provide affordable housing for students and income and support for the homeowners. She said there is legislation at the state level that require us to come up with a plan for ADUs. 

Councilmember Rigg said he would like to see Old Town and Lakeland considered for any plans related to the ADUs. He thanked staff and the community for their work on this. He said he is excited by the work, which is fundamentally hopeful. He said we did not know what to do, but this is something that has formed a vision imagining Lakeland as it will be in the future. 

Councilmember Hernandez mentioned property recently acquired in Lakeland and hoping to see plans for that property. Ms. Bader informed him that it is Pierce Ave, which is where the park discussed early is being considered. 

Councilmember Esters asked for the rules to be suspended to allow community members who were present an opportunity to talk about the plan. 

Ms. Maxine Gross thanked the Council and the community for going through this tedious process. She said once this is accepted it will help set the course for the community moving forward. She thanked the individuals at the University of Maryland for the PALs program. She said the students were able to imagine things that we did not consider. She said the question did arise about how this plan connects with the Restorative Justice Commission (RJC). The project involves making plans, generating ideas, and dreaming. 

Mr. Robert Thurston said he wanted to reiterate what had been said. He thanked Council and staff for their work and the hours given up for the Lakeland plan. He said Mr. Valentine was instrumental in this process and Mr. Nunes brought it to fruition. Hopefully, this can be a benchmark for the rest of the city. They are happy there is now a front-facing document that can be used as developers come along. 

Nick Aspiro, student – asked about the age-friendly task force for more affordable housing. 

Mr. Young said the Lakeland Plan will be added to the consent agenda for adoption next week. 

A. 25-O-04 – Ordinance of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park, Maryland to adopt the Fiscal Year 2026 General Fund, ARPA Allocation Fund, Debt Service Fund, and Capital Projects Fund budgets for the City of College Park – Gary Fields, Finance Director

Mr. Fields said staff were looking for Council to come to consensus about what to put forward for adoption next week. 

Mr. Young said Council should concentrate on the preferences of what to include in the budget and allow staff to balance the numbers. 

Mr. Fields said residents have asked about the 25% reserve amount. He said it is the minimum amount that is required for a good bond rating. Having something above the bond rating requirement is preferable. 

Councilmember Rigg suggested we think about each proposal as a package to understand rationale. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked us to consider those items for which there is no consensus instead of going line by line. 

Councilmember Hernandez said he tried to thread the needle between those who do not want to spend the fund balance and meeting the needs of our residents. He asked for funding to support initiatives to engage Spanish-speaking residents. Hollywood asked for funding to fill a funding gap for their tutoring program. He also pitched the use for resourcing money allotted to Meals on Wheels that would not be used. He sought to increase funding for sidewalks and fund two different economic development programs that would be underfunded. In terms of public safety, he said residents feel that public safety is in question. 

Councilmember Ranker – Overall, he thought there were great suggestions made by Councilmember Hernandez, but he wanted to have more emergency funding available. He would also like to eliminate the proposed Deputy City Manager to reduce costs. 

Councilmember Whitney said she is under the impression that there are those who are conversative in their spending and tried to strike a balance. She said perhaps we can understand what the fiscal situation is after the special session. She said she is not in favor of starting new programs as part of the budget session, saying doing so in the past has been confusing for residents. She said we can help everyone with increasing the emergency assistance funds. 

Councilmember Esters thanked her colleagues for their proposals but said she would like to move forward with the proposed budget put forth by the City Manager. She said we have heard over several months that things would be tight for this budget and she does not think it is in our best interest to spend more than the proposed budget given uncertainties at the federal and state level. She mentioned we will not know our situation until after the state’s special budget session. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said if it comes down to making a decision, she must be very conservative. At the county level it is not a pretty sight. She is still listening but must be conservative.

Councilmember Hew said he was more on the conservative side as mentioned by Councilmembers Esters and Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell. He said there is much uncertainty. 

Councilmember Mackie said she tends to be fiscally conservative and thinks that our spending should be put on hold. For her, cutting and then spending is not the best way. She thinks we should cut and wait. 

Ms. Anderson reminded Council action was not to be taken, Council just needed to gain consensus.

Councilmember Rigg asked whether the $400,000 from MOW could be used in FY26?  Mr. Fields said when funds are not used it goes back to fund balance. Mr. Young said they can be used and said the use of the money would be replacing the revenue with an expense. Mr. Fields said Council planned to spend it in FY25. 

Councilmember Hernandez asked how much the fund balance was in FY25?  What percentage were we at last year? Mr. Fields said we were at 39.7% in FY25. If we use only the $731,000.00, we will be at 36% at the end of this fiscal year. He said what is being proposed by the City Manager is no use of fund balance. 

Councilmember Hernandez said there are two programs regarding economic development and asked if there is a preferred program. Mr. Young said the business façade serves a lot more businesses while business retention may only serve a few. 

Councilmember Whitney said there is anticipation of restaurants going out of business due to what is happening at the federal level. We may lose some of those in this climate. 

Mr. Young said our situation in College Park is a bit different than other areas because they rely on 8 months of revenue.

Further discussion among Council led to a consensus to Course of Action (COA) 6 as proposed by Councilmember Whitney. 

Mr. Fields confirmed that Council would be looking at COA6 as is but may consider amendments at the next meeting, where Council must pass a budget. 

Mr. Young said we do have a contingency fund if we do decide to fund any of the programs. Mr. Fields confirmed we do have contingency dollars.

25-G-49: Discussion of Legislative Action Request to the Maryland Municipal League –Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager

Mr. Gardiner led the discussion on Legislative Action Requests. Each year, MML asks members to propose legislation that it may approve as MML priority. 

During the discussion, Mr. Gardiner mentioned the following for consideration: 

• HB178 (as introduced in 2025) would have prohibited blocking bike lanes. The Washington Area Bicyclist Association intends to advocate for it in 2026.
• Gaithersburg is considering a request that the state provide exemption for local governments that provide equal or greater benefits to those benefits required by FMLA. Without exemption, municipalities and employees could end up paying into two systems and employees could access both benefits at different times. 
• Gaithersburg is also considering a request to allow municipalities to appeal an assessment by SDAT if property sales or income reports show an increase in values of more than 20% above the current assessed value. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said she was interested in the LAR regarding an appeal of assessments by SDAT. She asked if that would also include notification to municipalities about assessment changes. She said we should expound upon that. She said she believes notification should be part of the mandate. 

Councilmember Whitney asked if this would just be for commercial property or both commercial and residential apartments. She said she was all for not blocking bike lanes and said we needed to specify that delivery vehicles should not be excluded because they are a big part of the problem.

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked if right of first refusal for vacant and blighted has been discussed. 

Councilmember Mackie asked to confirm that there had been outreach to the 21st Delegation about priorities. Mr. Gardiner said there has been outreach but the city has yet to hear about firm priorities. 

Councilmember Hew suggested modified mufflers be additional legislation. 

Councilmember Whitney asked if staff knew the three locations in the county that received the noise cameras.

Mr. Gardiner said for LARs to be sent to MML we can recommend the bike lanes and the request for property tax appeals if a sale demonstrates a property is undervalued.

Councilmember Ranker asked if there is something that Municipalities advocate for related to higher standards for bike lanes. Mr. Young said Route 1 is a right-of-way, but land acquisition is huge. We do not have the width without impacting business. The primary issue was less about state standards and more to do with related expenses. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell – MML is only going to deal with LARs that will benefit all state municipalities. Which is why we have lobbyists to deal with our own issues. A letter will be on Consent agenda next week. 

 REQUESTS FOR / STATUS OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Councilmember Whitney said originally there was the introduction of an ordinance prohibiting stopping or standing in a bike lane at tonight’s meeting. She would like to make sure it will be on the agenda for next week. Ms. Allen said it will be on the agenda for next week. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said she will put forth request for an audit process for organizations that receive money from the City.

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

Councilmember Mackie said she attended the kickoff for senior activities at the College Park Woods Clubhouse. She gave a shoutout to the members of the Seniors Committee for their work. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell thanked the city and Councilmember Mackie for bringing Care Solace to the Council. She had the opportunity to talk to Care Solace about their benefits. She reminded residents that this is resource that is free and about keeping them whole. She said they should reach out and make the call if they need assistance. 

Councilmember Hew said he attended the Berwyn Ballet. He said it was inspiring to see children learn about performing arts and culture. He said it was a great asset to our city and hopes for more opportunities to participate. 

Councilmember Hernandez thanked staff for their work on making Friday Night Live a success. He also congratulated Taqueria Habanero on the re-opening of their restaurant. 

Mayor Pro Tem made the motion to adjourn, seconded by Councilmember Hew. 

MEETING ADJOURNED

Click here to see the full agenda for the City of College Park Mayor & Council Hybrid Meeting on May 20, 2025. Tune in, show up or share your thoughts/concerns about the following anticipated Consent Agenda and Action Items, and Workshop 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 

• Adoption of the Lakeland Neighborhood Plan 

Presentations

• Recognition of Outstanding Essayists in the “If I Were Mayor, I Would” essay contest.
• Age-Friendly College Park 

Action 

• Adoption of Budget for Fiscal Year 2026

Worksession

• Ordinance to Amend Chapter 184 to prohibit parking or standing in a bike lane.

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 May 6, 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 introduced the new assistant city clerk, Melissa Flores. He said the first event for this season’s Friday Night Live series event to be held on Friday, May 9 from 6:30pm – 8:30pm featuring an ACDC cover band.  Mr. Young announced the re-opening of Taco Habanero on Friday, May 9.  He said Bike to Work Day will be held early morning on May 15, so far 150 residents have registered, and we are looking for more. Everyone registered will receive a shirt. The last Spring Cleanup Day for this season will be held on May 17.  The Spring Festival will be held on Sunday, May 18 and will include a variety of activities. Residents will be informed of street closures for the event.   

Councilmember Hernandez asked if there would be communication regarding Teacher and Public Servant appreciation. Mr. Young said there will be a proclamation next week for Teacher Appreciation. 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Mark Shroder, former District 1 Councilmember

PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS

A. National Foster Child Care Month 

B. Jewish American Heritage Month

AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Councilmember Whitney moved to remove the closed session from the agenda, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell. Mitchell moved to pass the agenda as amended and was seconded by Councilmember Rigg. It was unanimously approved.

PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS

Carol Nezzo, resident – Her cell phone does not connect with any of the city services, she has met with Gio in the city’s IT department and her phone service provider to no avail.  She said whenever she calls, she is unable to get through.  She said she can get through to the cell phone number of a staff member named Paula Green.  She said she wonders if her phone could be hooked up to the satellite and asked for help to address the issue.  

Mayor Kabir said he hopes that Gio will be able to assist with the issue.

 CONSENT AGENDA

25-G-44 Authorization to allow free parking on weeknights after 5:00 p.m., and free all-day Saturday parking in the City’s downtown parking garage from May 24 to August 23, 2025 – Jim Miller, Parking Enforcement Manager 

25-G-46 Approval of the purchase and installation of 167 orange and white waterfilled safety barriers along ethe frontage of Duvall Field Renovation Project on Rhode Island Avenue from Power Pack in the amount of $53,598.00 funded from CIP #991013 – Robert Marsili, Director of Public Works

25-G-47 Ratify the submission of a grant application to the FY26 “PetFocused” Grant Program administered by the Maryland Department of Agriculture – Rakhmel Rafi, Grants Coordinator 25-G-48 Authorization of the appointment of a new Parking Violation Review Officer as part of the City’s process for resolution review –Parking Enforcement Manager 

Councilmember Hernandez made a motion to approve the Consent Agenda, seconded by Councilmember Esters. Unanimously approved.

 PRESENTATIONS:

Lakeland Stars – Kiaisha Barber, Youth, Family and Senior Services Director 

Dr. Ashley Ogwo, Coordinator for Lakeland Stars introduced the presentation, and it is a tutoring program for Paint Branch Elementary students grades 1-5.  She said the program has been in existence for over 20 years.  The students meet with a mentor to talk about schoolwork and other things. Current mentors discussed their participation in the program, their specific roles, and their takeaways.  

Dr. Ogwo mentioned a few highlights of the program including name tags for tutors (made by the students), and a “no-excuse” binder to ensure students are working on developing skills even if they have no homework assignments.  She said the current number of students currently participating in the program is the most they have had in Stars history; thirty-one students participate on Mondays and thirty-two participate on Tuesdays.

Councilmember Esters acknowledged the importance of the work that was being done and asked how many students have gone through the program. Ms. Barber estimated there have been at least three hundred students who have gone through the program.  

Councilmember Hernandez acknowledged the work and asked mentors to share what they have learned from the students. Mentors said the program reminded them that they were kids and to have fun and all students have different learning styles.

Avery, Hope, and Taylor are all current mentors who are graduating this year.  

PALS Class 15 Minute City Presentation – UMD Students 

Dr. ElZoghbi, thanked the Planning department and the civic associations for their assistance with the project.

Students defined the 15-minute neighborhood project and described their work. A 15-minute neighborhood is one where people can access needs and amenities within 15 minutes. The vision of the 15-minute neighborhood is to create a walkable neighborhood. The class created an interactive mapping tool. Members of the class outlined opportunities for Hollywood, Lakeland, Old Town, and Calvert Hills to achieve 15-minute neighborhoods.  

Councilmember Esters asked for clarity regarding the mention of a research repository to limit burden on Lakeland residents. The student explained that Lakeland is a heavily research community.  So, they suggest a repository that would include all research that could be made accessible to the community members and others.  

Councilmember Whitney asked if there was any one vision that came up for all four neighborhoods. Healthcare and Aging-in-place were mentioned. 

Councilmember Hernandez acknowledged the presentation and said he agreed with the economic development vision for the northern portion of college park and Hollywood Shopping Center. He asked about the Maryland Department of Labor building and the suggestion for maker space. A student mentioned interest in using the whole building to provide services to the community and a portion of it being a maker space for hobbyists and small businesses.  She said if you have a maker space, you should have a café, and it will become an instant meeting space. She also suggested the inclusion of small micro-offices and said they were inspired by Proteus Bikes.  

Councilmember Hew said he appreciated the recommendation of the use of the Maryland state building and agrees with all that was presented.  

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said she is in western part of the city and would like to see something similar in that area. She told the class they had given the city the opportunity to think out of the box. She said she was excited by the Public Health majors in the course because she was also a Public Health major. 

Mayor Kabir recognized the Planning Department, Ms. Bader, and Mr. Nunes.  Mayor Kabir asked if the study would provide some goals for the strategic plan. Ms. Bader said the final report will be done in June and she will make it available to Council.  

C. Maryland General Assembly Legislative Session wrap-up – Leonard Lucchi, Esquire, O’Malley, Miles, Nylen & Gilmore, P.A.

Mr. Gardiner introduced Mr. Lucchi, who has been our lobbyist since 2015. Mr. Lucchi said the state is experiencing a $3 billion shortfall which is to be addressed with $2 billion in cuts and $1 billion in increased revenue. He said cities fared better than counties. Maryland Municipal League (MML) implemented a team approach during session this year. Although the legislation did not pass, College Park led the way for municipal land use. This year 10 mayors showed up to advocate; it made progress, but there was some uncertainty about county leadership.  There could be more progress moving forward once county leadership is confirmed.  

Mr. Lucchi discussed key legislation that passed:

• Municipalities allowed to lease election equipment from the state.
• Increase of infractions from $1,000 – $5000.  It was not a priority for MML, but they played a role in making this happen. This was an initiative of College Park.
• Certified technicians allowed to certify speed violation based upon recorded images.
• Requirement for the Prescription Drug Affordability Board to establish a process for setting upper payment limits for purchases and payor reimbursements for prescription drug products. 

Mr. Lucchi discussed state funding received by College Park (he mentioned that no other city in the state has both the chair and vice chair of the appropriations committees as residents): 

• College Park Airport – received funds to benefit MNCPPC property surrounding the airport and the Discovery District. 
• Funding for Attick Towers
• Funding for University of Maryland
• Funding for Route 1 improvements (North of MD-193) – starts in 2027.  Legislation gave additional funding for design and planning. 

Despite the challenging budget year, the city did well.  

Councilmember Hernandez asked if we need to talk about legislative priorities. Mr. Young said there will be discussion among Council and with Delegation. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell – MML is asking for priorities early given the new county leadership. She asked about the nuances of HB389 Child Care home tax credit.  Mr. Lucchi said it would be up to the city.  Mayor Pro Tem said she has heard rumblings about a special budget session and asked if the session could impact municipalities. Mr. Lucchi confirmed the state will have a special session. He said once Congress completes its budget, there will be a better sense of what is happening with the state budget, but Medicaid will shift from Congress to the states which will leave a hole in the budget. He said everything is up for consideration. Mayor Pro Tem asked for any information that will allow us to be proactive. 

Councilmember Ranker asked for clarity about childcare bill and asked for the definition of large family childcare homes.  Mr.  Lucchi said he would send clarifying information to the Council.  

Mayor Kabir asked about the land use legislation and what we could do to plan to move forward. Mr. Lucchi suggested there be a meeting with the incoming County Executive and other mayors to discuss the issue.   

PUBLIC HEARING AND POSSIBLE ACTION:

25-O-05 Ordinance of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park to amend City Code, Chapter, 179-5 Tree and Landscape Board –Robert Marsili, Director of Public Works 

Mr. Marsili introduced this ordinance to amend city code Chapter 179-5A – Membership and Operation of the Tree and Landscape Board (TLB) to reflect the proposed increase to nine members and remove the requirement for the Committee for a Better Environment (CBE) Chair or designee to attend all TLB meetings.  

Councilmember Whitney made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Esters. It passed unanimously.

25-O-04 Ordinance of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park, Maryland to adopt the Fiscal Year 2026 General Fund, ARPA Allocation Fund, Debt Service Fund, and Capital Projects Fund budgets for the City of College Park – Gary Fields, Finance Director

Mr. Fields said the FY 26 proposed budget is $26 million and would be roughly the same amount as the FY 25 budget.  He said the bulk of revenue funding would come from taxes (75%), and there would not be an increase in property taxes.  He said that 86% of expenditures were departmental and that the fund balance for the proposed budget would be 36%. According to Mr. Fields, fund balance is a subjective number that can vary between governments. The funds can provide for contingencies in times of disaster, and they can provide for capital projects. When we have had significant percentage (2018 and 2022) we have made transfers to contingencies and CIP. 

Mark Shroder, resident and Chairman of the Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC). On March 14, the BPAC sent a message about the CIP budget. They would like to thank the city for its Complete Street projects. The council asked them to share feedback on priorities. He said the BPAC put forth the following priorities:

• Postpone the Bowdoin Avenue project to prioritize Duke Street. He said there is not a lot of traffic on Bowdoin Avenue. They believe the priorities would be Duke Street and St. Andrews.  
• City should create a bike lane on Edgewood Road 
• Prioritize and implement sidewalk installation around Branchville Avenue, Locust Spring Road and the corresponding block of Rhode Island 
•  For the Rhode Island Avenue corridor, additional bike lane barriers and intersection improvements to enhance safety and accessibility along the corridor

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked for the record to be left open for comment until Friday, May 9.  

ACTION ITEMS: 

25-G-45 Approval of comments on the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Budget – Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager 

Mr. Gardiner introduced the Council’s annual review and comments on MNCPPC Budget.  He highlighted the following as it pertains to the budget:

• North College Park Community Center – $1.5 million is the city’s contribution to the center. MNCPPC has already approved $26 million for the facility which they believe will be completed in FY29.
• City Park Airport – $500,000 for tree trimming that is done every five years as required by aviation regulations.  
• No money for the pedestrian bridge over the Northeast Branch of the Anacostia near the Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC), but the feasibility study will be completed near the end of 2025
• Ice Rink – $2 million dollars toward $30 million renovation.

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said she had no issue with the letter but asked that the at-large County councilmembers should be added as recipients. 

Councilmember Hew reference issue regarding previous tree trimming effort and said he thinks that the Tree & Landscape Board and the Airport Board should have more coordinated efforts as it relates to tree trimming.  

Councilmember Rigg said the Calvert Community Park has equipment that is 20 years old and a basketball court that needs to be resurfaced.  

Councilmember Hew mentioned the needs of Cherry Hill Park. He said there are storm mitigation issues, and the park has been overlooked.  

Councilmember Esters said she recognized the concerns expressed but asked for clarity on the objective of this letter.  She asked given everything going on right now, if it is our objective to provide a comprehensive list of all requests or a list of priorities.  

Councilmember Hernandez said that there are many MNCPPC parks within the city, but they may not know the priorities.  

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said we do need to be mindful of competing municipal requests.  

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

Councilmember Mackie said she attended a recent Maryland Hotel Association meeting where the city shined.  She thanked the resident who spoke about the importance of mental health during the meeting and thanked colleagues for making videos helping to promote Care Solace.  She asked colleagues to put Good Neighbor Day on their calendars for October 25, 2025. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said she attended a recent WMATA meeting on Better Bus Design.  

Mayor Kabir said he participated in the Bike with a Cop event and recently attended a disability expo at the Riggs Alumni Center and the Lakeland Rededication Ceremony.

Councilmember Whitney said she attended the Lakeland Rededication Ceremony and was excited to speak at the event. She said it was great to leadership from other cities attend, in addition to current Lakelanders and those from the diaspora. She said it was good to see the word had gotten out and that people know about Lakeland.

Councilmember Hew attended Berwyn Heights Day and recently attended a screening at the Greenbelt Theatre. He said the Co-op has taken over the Greenbelt Theatre. He said he will be attending the Sherriff’s Academy over the next 10 weeks. He said that Good Neighbor Day has been successful because of projects initiated by the community.  

Councilmember Hernandez said he presented to students at Hollywood Elementary for Career Day.  

Mayor Kabir said the cities of New Carrolton and Cheverly have elected new mayors and councilmembers. He thanks all for their public service.

Mr. Young said there will be a video of the Lakeland Rededication that will become part of the Lakeland historical record. He also said next week will be the last week for our current SGA Student Liaisons.  

MEETING ADJOURNED

Click here to see the full agenda for the City of College Park Mayor & Council Hybrid Meeting on May 13, 2025. Tune in, show up or share your thoughts/concerns about the following anticipated Consent Agenda and Action Items, and Workshop 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:

• Reappointment of Arelis Pérez to the Housing Authority for a five-year term to expire on May 1, 2030.
• Approval of letter of support to the University of Maryland’s Safe Streets and Roads for All planning grant application to the Department of Transportation 

Presentation:

• Farewell to Erica Otte, Student Liaison and Anna-Kaye McDonald, Deputy Student Liaison

Public Hearing:

• Ordinance to amend code chapter 184, “Vehicles and Traffic”, by Enacting Article IX ‘Stop Sign Monitoring, Systems §184-46 Systems on Highways Located in a School Zone 

Worksessions

• Ordinance to adopt the Fiscal Year 2026 General Fund, ARPA Allocation Fund, Debt Service Fund, and Capital Projects Fund budgets for the City of College Park 
• Lakeland Neighborhood Plan

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 April 15, 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 next spring cleanup Saturday will be held on Saturday, April 26 at public works from 7:30am – 12pm.  He said the last cleanup will be on May 17, and the city is looking forward to more participation.   

Councilmember Whitney asked if paint would be accepted, and Mr. Young said it would not be accepted until a fall event.  

Councilmember Esters asked if the last clean up day will be shared with and promoted to students who may be leaving the area at the end of the semester.  Mr. Young said yes it would be promoted to students and that is why it is held on the date.  He said it is right before students begin finals and will allow them to take advantage of getting rid of bulk items and not be charged by code enforcement.  The cleanup day has been successful in helping with student move out in most neighborhoods.  

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked if there is any update about the SGA elections.  Ms. Otte, SGA Liaison, mentioned a current controversy that will need to go before a board to determine if there will be disqualification in the election. 

PROCLAMATIONS AND AWARDS

1. Arbor Day (April 25) 

2. Children’s Mental Health Week (May 5 – 11) 

3. Asian American Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 

4. Mental Health Awareness Month 

AMENDMENTS TO AND APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell made a motion to approve the agenda, seconded by Councilmember Esters. 

PUBLIC COMMENT ON CONSENT AGENDA AND NON-AGENDA ITEMS

Parizi Fida  – resident, student and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Council (BPAC) member – wants to urge Council to allocate more funding toward infrastructure that will increase safety for pedestrians and road users who are not in cars.  BPAC has made a lot of recommendations for development and measures to make the city more hospitable. Some are not expensive, an others, like bike lanes, are.  She is President of Terps for Bikes Lanes and is an intern for the Rails and Trails Conservatory, and she understands the need for funding. Advancing recommendations would make College Park a leader in the state and nationwide.  

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell asked that the resident submit her testimony to the clerk and the Council.

CONSENT AGENDA

25-G-41 Approval of Pay Stations Contract – Jim Miller, Parking Enforcement Manager and Todd Brown, Contract and Procurement Specialist

Councilmember Rigg made a motion to accept the Consent Agenda, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell. It was unanimously approved.

ACTION ITEMS: 

25-O-04 Introduction of Ordinance 25-O-04, an Ordinance of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park, Maryland to adopt the Fiscal Year 2026 General Fund, ARPA Allocation Fund, Debt Service Fund, and Capital Projects Fund budgets for the City of College Park – Gary Fields, Finance Director Public Hearing Date: May 6, 2025, at 7:30 p.m.

Mr. Fields introduced the budget. He said the residential and commercial tax rates are to remain the same in the proposed budget.  A public hearing for the budget will be on May 6 and the Council work session will be on May 13.   

Motion made by Councilmember Esters, seconded by Councilmember Hew.  

25-O-05 Introduction of Ordinance 25-O-05, an ordinance of the Mayor and Council of the City of College Park to amend the City Code Chapter 179 “Tree and Landscape Maintenance”, Sections 179-5 A. Board Membership and Operation (2); to increase the voting members to nine (9) residents and remove the requirement for a CBE Chair or designee position. – Robert Marsili, Director of Public Services

Mr. Marsili introduced the amended ordinance of the Tree and Landscape Board to increase the membership and remove the requirement for the chair of the Committee for a Better Environment (CBE) or designee to attend every meeting of the Tree and Landscape Board (TLB). 

He said there are currently 5 members of the board who meet monthly to discuss ways to encourage residents to plan for tree and shrub planting. They write monthly news articles featured in the municipal scene and participate in events like Trolley Trail Day. Adding more members will help facilitate participation. It is difficult for five members to participate in the events they would like to attend. 

The CBE is requesting to remove the requirements that the CBE Chair attends the TLB meetings since and the shared information does not always require collaboration. The CBE would be available upon request for any meetings where collaboratin is needed. 

Councilmember Hew inquired about removing the required attendance for a CBE rep.  He said there is overlap between CBE, TLB and the Bee City Committee. He asked how competing and overlapping interests will be conveyed. Mr. Marsili said the chairs of the groups and city staff can communicate any relevant information that is shared. They can also be brought together to meet on occasion. Mayor Kabir said the groups also share minutes. Councilmember Hew acknowledged that the secretary is the same for each committee, which is helpful.  

Motion made by Councilmember Ranker, seconded by Councilmember Whitney and approved unanimously.

25-G-42 ZMA-2024-002, The Mark rezoning from RTO-L-E to RTO-PD for the re-development of a student housing facilities (involving the razing of College Park Towers and the construction of new student housing) located at 4330 Harwick Road and 4313 Knox Road. Planning Board Hearing tentatively scheduled for April 24, 2025- Miriam Bader, Director of Planning and Community Development and Carlos Nunes, Senior Planner.

Mr. Nunes said a month ago there was an extensive presentation about the proposed development. The plan is to replace the current property with two dense apartment buildings.  Final architecture will be presented during the discussion of the detailed site plan. 

Staff is recommending that 200 of the beds be offered at an affordable rate.  After the presentation to Council where councilmembers expressed an interest in affordable housing options, the developer provided two options; option one is tied to the market, while option two is based upon state data. City staff recommend option two, saying. option one will defeat the purpose as it will price students out eventually.  

Councilmember Ranker asked if Average Medium Income (AMI) is based upon per unit or per bed.  What would be the cost of the beds or units? Mr. Nunes said we do not have data from the Mark about cost.  Ms. Bader said if the development were built today, the cost would be $1,713 per bed under Option 2.  Mr. Nunes said we need to have the developer provide information about cost. 

Councilmember Rigg said 80% AMI seems high for students and asked staff to remind the Council of criteria for the student housing subsidy pilot. Mr. Young said they used eligibility for Pell Grant to establish need. Councilmember Rigg said he remembered that AMI was set for Grad students. If 80% AMI is the correct threshold, he suggested that we include other eligibility. The rate is pretty high and would often be the rate for an apartment. Councilmember Rigg said we talked about comparing the cost to campus residences and asked if that conversation occurred with the applicant. Ms. Bader said staff recommended that eligibility be based upon Pell Eligibility and 60% AMI, but the developer sought to move forward with 80% AMI.

Councilmember Whitney asked when most students lease housing for the academic year.  She said the February 1 date in the proposal seems early.  SGA Liaison Otte said she believed that most students get housing in December. Otte asked that Pell eligibility be considered, but dependency should also be considered.

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said her questions were already asked, but she appreciated the applicant putting forth the effort.

Councilmember Hernandez asked what is the applicant preparing to do for parkland and recreation? Ms. Bader said this is not required at the time of zoning. Councilmember Hernandez would like the applicant to build on site versus the paying the county. Hernandez asked given the amount of traffic, why staff is accepting the stacking proposed by the applicant. He said students will drive, and accommodating the request will cause issues. Ms. Bader said to clarify, the request related to the entrance to the garage is acceptable to staff. Councilmember Hernandez said the new standard is allowing for six cars and wonders why staff approved of it. Ms. Bader said staff did not believe entrance to the garage necessitated the need to increase the apron to the entrance of the garage.

Mr. Chris Hatcher, attorney for the developer, said this is a rezoning application. The units and costs are not required at this point, but the definitive number of units will be provided. He said The Standard has been able to work successfully with the city for over 5 years and they appreciate the partnership. He said what was heard was a general comfort subject to details to the architecture, stormwater management, and the public park (the greenway). He said the landscape architect met with staff to discuss interests. He said what they also heard was that council sought a partner that would listen to their interests. They produced two scenarios for two hundred beds or 10%, whichever is less. He said he understood there are details that will be fleshed out and included in the Declaration of Covenants. Mr. Hatcher said they can reduce the density to 140 per acre, but he did not believe that was the purpose of the request. 

Landmark’s Mr. Hamilton said the city is pushing 80 % AMI, which is difficult given that this is rented by the bed. He said based on research a 2-bedroom unit is around $1500, and a 30% discount would be $1,050 per bed.  

Councilmember Rigg said he acknowledged the engagement.  He said he wanted to provide an equitable arrangement for our residents. He asked how 80% AMI will work (both eligibility and renter perspective)?  How would city staff be able to determine how staff would be able to determine a market rate?  Is there a reason they would not want to base it upon campus housing rate? 

Mr. Hamilton said 80% AMI is something they would need to work on in the details.  He said the rate is based upon the family income. Councilmember Rigg asked how the developer would be able to verify family income. Mr. Hamilton said they verify family income. Councilmember Rigg asked rents would be based on a building rate versus a market rate. Mr. Hamilton said it would be the building rate.

Mr. Hatcher said there are ways to avoid a bad actor developer from jacking up prices.  Mr. Hamilton said they are willing to consider other measurements. Councilmember Rigg said we do not have to facilitate all the details tonight, but we would need to do so before building permits are pulled.

Councilmember Ranker said the rezoning has to be done before the details are worked out and the process makes him uncomfortable. He asked Ms. Anderson for legal advice on how to move forward.  Ms. Anderson said the applicant has come to the city to get buy-in on the zoning and part of the request includes affordable housing.  At this point we need to come up with a framework that assists us in moving forward.  We want to come up with a win-win, if possible. Mr. Ranker said he agrees but his concern is that once we get beyond this stage it is out of our hands. He said his request would be to have the affordable bed/units to be in the 5-bed room units.  

Mayor Kabir said he appreciated the developer listening to Council.  

Mr. Hatcher said the preliminary site plan and detailed site plan will come before Council.  The leverage is not legally binding but occurs between the developer and the city. 

Councilmember Whitney asked if the developer would consider tagging the rents to the affordable graduate students housing at Leonardtown which is new housing, with a 3% increase in the base rent each year. Mr. Hamilton said he does not know the number but would be willing to consider it. Whitney said the cost was $1,300 per bed. Ms. Bader said the rezoning board hearing is May 1.  

Councilmember Esters said many of her questions were asked. She said she appreciated the developer listening to Council and providing options for affordable student housing.  She said she is interested in understanding how many units will be offered and at what price.  

Councilmember Hernandez said the Park and Planning date can change, so why rush and do it now?  When we have had preliminary site plans and detailed site plan, Council input is often considered to be recommendations. He said we already have fifteen student housing units in the city. This development will be a net loss on affordable units. He offered a counter request that 25% of units be set at 80% and 10% at 60% AMI. Mr. Hatcher said he appreciated the comment.  

Councilmember Rigg asked if the proposal of cost is based upon 4 or 5-bedroom units.  He said he appreciated the consideration of Pell Grant Eligibility.  Mr. Hatcher said they would need time to consider what is proposed. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell referenced the planning board meeting on May 1 and asked what the process looks like. Mr. Hatcher said the city said it would be in the same position as the preliminary site plan; the county makes the decision, anything else would be considered recommendations. He said he believes the project would be brought back to Council by the end of the year.  

Ms. Anderson said we can only make recommendations that can be considered in the overall process for moving forward.  

Councilmember Hernandez asked what would happen if we did not approve it.  Ms. Anderson said it would not change the process but would be considered.  

Councilmember Rigg made a motion to lay aside, seconded by Hernandez.  

When Mayor and Council returned to the item, Councilmember Rigg made a motion to go with Option one (market rate-based) with the following changes:

1. 30% discount applied to comparably configured student apartments across College Park
2. Eligibility based upon Pell Grant or veteran status or other mutually agreed upon criteria. 

Roll Call Vote – unanimous. Councilmember Rigg said the motion will lay a foundation that gives staff guidance to allow them to move forward. 

25-G-43 Approval of two Business Retention Grant requests: Prime Time in the amount of $60,000 and Marathon Delicatessen in the amount of $30,000 – Michael Williams, Economic Development Manager

Mr. Williams said there were two requests for business retention. Marathon was established in 1972.  Economic Development is seeking $10,000 for Marathon to assist with interior space improvements and equipment purchases. Primetime had building costs over $1,000,000, and they made a five-year commitment to stay in the space. Economic Development is seeking $60,000 for Prime Time.  

Mr. Williams said there is a claw back feature of these grants; the Council and Economic Development determined that f in three years the recipient has not performed or closes, we can get the money back.  

Councilmember Hernandez asked what is left for 2025 and why we would give money to a big restaurant?

Mr. Williams said $80,000 is left in the grant fund for FY25. He said we are part of the Big 10 and want them to establish their brand here. It is bringing something first class to the community. Councilmember Hernandez asked if there was a discussion with Primetime during their recruitment about the existence of a grant. Mr. Williams said the city never negotiated with the company about what can be done for them. Mr. Hernandez asked what the $60,000 was for.  Mr. Williams said the funding was for furniture, training, payroll, and time spent on the entitlement process. 

Councilmember Esters said there is money and risk that people put into the process of opening and maintaining a business. We often talk about the money we give, but we do not often see the amount of money that business puts into the process. She asked if we have any current applications for grant funding as our fiscal year concludes at the end of June. Mr. Williams said there are a few applications for smaller businesses in District 1 for equipment needs. She asked if the applications would exceed the funding that is left. Mr. Williams said yes, but he wants to know the needs of the businesses.  

Councilmember Hernandez thanked Mr. Williams for working with the businesses and determining needs.

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell thanked Mr. Williams for his work. and asked about the long-term goals of the grants. Mr. Williams said his goal is to partner with businesses, saying the assistance offered is often not monetary. It’s assisting with the entitlement process.

Ms. Otte asked if no grant is given at this point, will they see profit. Mr. Williams said they will eventually make a profit. They probably won’t see profits for some time. Ms. Otte asked if that is typical for businesses here. Mr. Williams said all businesses have a ramp-up time. 

Richard Biffel, non-resident- said Happy Tax Day. He said let us remember it is taxpayer money being used. We should be careful using taxpayer money to private business. The subsidies can become a dangerous precedent. We do not have a shortage of restaurants in this town. He believes that taxpayer dollars are not needed by an established group.   

Councilmember Hernandez said businesses bring a certain vibe to the city. He said he thought we should speak to businesses about what we can provide them, and he acknowledged that Primetime provides a different alternative. He knows why we are doing this.  

Mr. Williams said as a resident and employee of College Park, there are several ways we can use our money. =We can use our money on acquisitions, and it does not always have to be restaurants.  

Councilmember Esters made a motion, seconded by Councilmember Whitney. The motion passed unanimously.

Councilmember Esters said this was an opportunity to support a long-standing restaurant like Marathon and a newer business like Primetime that we want to see in the city.

REQUESTS FOR / STATUS OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said she had yet to complete a request form, but since money is given to non -profits we should put forth a process for audits. She said she would complete the form to bring the item forward. 

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

Councilmember Mackie said thank you for the love and concern from colleagues and staff.  She appreciated the opportunity to join the meeting online. 

Mayor Pro Tem Mitchell said that she has received questions about the postal service not delivering mail on Saturday. She said that during the recent Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors meeting she and Mayor Kabir attended they learned that job losses at the Federal level are estimated to result in a total loss of $5 billion in lost revenue for local municipalities, to date.  She also learned that the estimate 44% of casual restaurants (in the District) are projecting they will close in 2025. All local entities should come together to deliver a message to the White House. 

Mayor Kabir said the COG Meeting provided alarming signs, and there will be much impact. There will be ongoing issues with workforce retention, and more people will be leaving the area. Federal workers make, on average, $127,000, which is double the salaries of other workers.  There will certainly be an impact on city income taxes. 

Councilmember Esters said she attended the COG FARM meeting (4/11) which focused on food insecurity and composting in Laurel and Arlington. She said she was proud of the city’s efforts related to composting/food waste. She said she attended a Restorative Practice Symposium on 4/15 and had the opportunity to meet Mrs. Dawn Collins, the mother of Lt. Richard Collins III who was tragically killed in College Park in 2017. She said Mrs. Collins invited her to a Restorative Justice event to be held at Bowie State University (BSU) on Friday, April 18. She said she would share the information with Council colleagues.  

Councilmember Hernandez mentioned the city’s tree program.  He wished everyone a Happy Easter and Happy Passover. 

MEETING ADJOURNED

Click here to see the full agenda for the City of College Park Mayor & Council Hybrid Meeting on May 6, 2025, when it is available. Tune in, show up or share your thoughts/concerns about the following anticipated Consent Agenda and Action Items, and Workshop 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:

Presentation:

Council of Governments 101 – Clark Mercer, Executive Director 

Maryland General Assembly Legislative Session wrap-up – Leonard Lucchi, Esquire, O’Malley, Miles, Nylen & Gilmore, P.A.

Public Hearing: 

25-O-04: FY2026 Proposed Budget & CIP – Gary Fields, Finance Director 

Action:

Comments of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Budget –Bill Gardiner, Assistant City Manager