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[Work Session on January 22, 2026.]
CALL TO ORDER THE JANUARY 22ND, 2026 CHEVROLET TOWN WORK SESSION.AND THE FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS IS THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL CALL.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND CALL THE ROLE.
UH, I AM MAYOR MICAH WATSON, AND I AM PRESENT, I BELIEVE TOWN ADMINISTRATOR SLAINE GALLOWAY IS ONLINE, THE TOWN CLERK IS PRESENT.
UH, AND I WILL CALL THE COUNCIL MEMBER ROLE.
THE COUNCIL MEMBER FROM WARD ONE IS ONLINE.
ARE YOU THERE MR. WARD? CAN YOU HEAR ME? PRESENT? PRESENT.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? HELLO? YOU CANNOT HEAR.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, I CAN HEAR YOU.
WE'RE GONNA RECORD MR. WADE AS BEING PRESENT.
COUNCIL MEMBER, LEG PRESENT, WARD THREE.
I BELIEVE HE'S COMING IN PERSON.
SHE'S ALSO GONNA BE A FEW MINUTES LATE.
THERE ARE FIVE ELECTED OFFICIALS PRESENT CONSTITUTING A QUORUM TO CONDUCT BUSINESS COUNSEL.
THE FIRST, THE NEXT AGENDA, ITEM NUMBER THREE IS THE APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
ARE THERE ANY SUGGESTIONS TO THE AGENDA AS PRINTED? MAYOR, CAN YOU HEAR ME? REMINDER TO THE AUDIENCE THAT THIS IS A WORK SESSION, SO THERE WILL BE PUBLIC INPUT ON ANY ITEM ON THE AGENDA BETWEEN ITEM FOUR AND ITEM 11 THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD LIKE TO MAKE ANY.
WELL, COUNSEL, LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT A TWO MINUTE INTERVENTIONS THIS EVENING VERSUS THREE, MA'AM? UM, THIS IS A, A VERY FULL AGENDA AND I KNOW WE HAVE, UH, A LOT OF FOLKS HERE WHO ARE HERE FOR A NUMBER OF ITEMS. SO I THINK TWO MINUTES WOULD BE PERFECTLY APPROPRIATE.
ANYONE HATE THAT IDEA OR PEOPLE TO SPEAK ON THE, ON ANY GIVEN TOPIC? RIGHT.
I CAN'T HEAR HIM, BUT I'M GONNA TURN ON THE MIC AND MY OKAY.
I'LL TURN MY MIC OFF JUST IN CASE.
HEY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? YEAH, NOW WE CAN.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UM, AS FAR AS ITEM NUMBER SIX, THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR 5 7 0 1 LANDOVER ROAD, WE ASK THAT WE TABLE THIS DISCUSSION UNTIL FEBRUARY'S WORK SESSION.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ADJUSTMENTS TO THE AGENDA? I, COUNCIL MEMBER WADE, PLEASE MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN IF YOU HAVE ANY, EITHER IN THE CHAT OR HEARING NONE.
IS THERE A MOTION FROM THE COUNCIL TO AMEND AND APPROVE THE AGENDA? MAYOR.
MOTION TO AMEND THE AGENDA TO TABLE ITEM NUMBER SIX, IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR 57 0 1 LANDOVER ROAD AND TO ALLOW FOR TWO MINUTES OF RESIDENT INPUT, UH, FOR THIS AGENDA.
OTHERWISE, TO GO ON AS IT IS WRITTEN.
THE MOTION WAS MADE BY VICE MAYOR BRENER AND SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER LALO HECK, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL? YES, SIR.
ALTHOUGH WE REMOVED THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN OF 57 0 1, WE NEED TO ADD KELLER UPDATE.
MAYOR, CAN I AMEND MY MOTION? YES, MA'AM.
UH, GISELLE, CAN YOU, UM, MOTION TO, UH, AMEND THE AGENDA BY TABLING ITEM NUMBER
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SIX AND ADDING A KELLER UPDATE AFTER, UH, ITEM NUMBER 10, THE COMPOST PROGRAM.ARE YOU OKAY WITH THAT? THAT'S FINE.
COUNSEL, ANY DISCUSSION THAT THAT MOTION HAS BEEN MADE AND SECONDED? IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION FROM THE COUNCIL FOR THE AGENDA? AGAIN, IT IS TABLING ITEM SIX AND ADDING A 10.5 TO BE THE KELLER CONSTRUCTION UPDATE COMMENT? YES, SIR.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE CLEAR, WE'RE TABLING THE, UH, 57 0 1 BECAUSE OF WHAT, WHAT'S THE REASON? I'M SORRY.
I WAS COMING HERE WHEN I WAS ON, ON, ON THE PHONE.
MR. GALLOWAY, DO YOU WANT TO SAY A WORD ABOUT WHY IT'S, UH, WE'RE MOVING IT TO FEBRUARY 26TH? YEAH, THE PERSON THAT WAS, UH, THAT REQUESTED, THIS WILL NOT BE HERE THIS EVENING.
HEARING NO FURTHER DISCUSSION OF THE MOTION, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? I THINK IT'S FOR NOTHING.
DID I MISS SOMEONE? GARCES AND FRIAR ARE STILL NOT ON.
THE MOTION PASSES FOR NOTHING.
THE AMEND THE AGENDA IS ADOPTED AS AMENDED.
ITEM FOUR BOARD OF ELECTIONS UPDATE.
PLEASE APPROACH THE PODIUM AND THANK YOU FOR COMING.
AND PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES FOR THE RECORD WHEN YOU BEGIN.
HI, I'M CHRISTINA BROCK, ALSO A SUPERVISOR IN THE GENERAL ELECTIONS.
ALRIGHT, WE WANTED TO GIVE IT A UPDATE TONIGHT.
UM, CURRENTLY THIS OUR BOARD OF PRODUCTION SUPERVISORS.
WE ARE AT FULL CAPACITY SINCE CHRISTINA JOINED THIS.
UM, SO SINCE THE END OF SUMMER, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS APPROVAL IMPROVEMENTS PROCESSES AND WE STARTED TO PRIORITIZE A RECOMMENDATION WANNA MAKE TO COUNCIL.
SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITH A RECOMMENDATION.
UM, SO WHAT WE BRING BEFORE THE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION, UH, IS TO ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVE, WHICH IS TO ENSURE THAT CANDIDATES CAN ONLY RUN FOR ONE OFFICE IN AN ELECTION.
AND JUST FOR SOME CONTEXT, THIS APPLIES IN THE YEARS IN WHICH THERE ARE BOTH A MAYORAL RACE AS WELL AS COUNCIL MEMBER RACES.
UM, AND SO WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS GIVE X AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLAIN A SITUATION THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE LAST ELECTION.
SO LAST YEAR WE HAD A PERSON RUNNING FOR CANDIDATE FOR A COUNCIL WARD POSITION.
AND THEN, UM, THEY GOT CERTIFIED.
AND THEN WITHIN THE FOUR TO FIVE DAYS WE GOT A REQUEST FOR A CERTIFICATION FOR A WRITING CANDIDATE.
UM, AND IN THE CODE OR CHARTER, THERE'S NO, NO LANGUAGE THAT, THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE.
THERE'S LANGUAGE AROUND YOU CANNOT RUN FOR TWO OFFICES AS A CANDIDATE.
SO NOT MAYOR AND, UM, UH, WORD COUNCIL MEMBER, BUT NOT A CANDIDATE AND A WRITE IN.
WE, ROBIN KAY SPOKE WITH, UH, THE ATTORNEY AND THERE WAS NOTHING THAT PROHIBITED THIS PERSON FROM DOING IT.
WE THEN ASKED THE PERSON, WOULD YOU MIND, UM, WHAT'S THE WORD WE'RE SENDING NOW? YES.
SENDING ONE OF THOSE, UM, POSITION ONLY RESCINDED AS, UH, A COUNCIL CANDIDATE THAT WAS ONLY A RIGHT IN MAYOR, BUT IF THEY HAD
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SAID NO, THAT WOULD'VE BEEN IT.SO WE WOULD LIKE TO BASICALLY EX YEAH.
SO BASICALLY WHAT I'LL SHOW YOU TO ILLUSTRATE THE ISSUE IS, UM, THE ACTUAL TOWN CODE.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE, OR IN THE CHARTER, YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS OFFICIAL LANGUAGE ON A CANDIDATE WHO WANTS TO FORMALLY ANNOUNCE THEIR, THEIR INTENTION TO RUN FOR AN OFFICE, NOT FEWER THAN 45 DAYS PREVIOUS TO THE DATE OF ELECTION.
OKAY? SO THAT'S THE OFFICIAL PROCESS.
THE PAPERWORK, YOU'LL SEE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE THAT THERE IS DISCUSSION OF WRITE-IN CANDIDATES AND CERTIFIED WRITE-INS.
UM, AND THAT IS TWO SEPARATE ISSUES THAT HAVE NOW UNFORTUNATELY, UH, ARISEN SUCH THAT A PERSON COULD GO AHEAD AND PUT IN THEIR FORMAL CANDIDACY FOR A POSITION AND THEN THEY COULD TURN AROUND AND ASK TO BE CERTIFIED RIGHT IN FOR A DIFFERENT ROLE.
SO WHILE THE HIGHLIGHTED LANGUAGE AT THE BOTTOM IN SECTION FIVE SAYS THAT IT PROVIDED FURTHER THAT NO PERSON MAY BE A CANDIDATE FOR MORE THAN ONE OFFICE AT ANY ONE ELECTION, THE LAWYER ACTUALLY READ THIS AND INTERPRETED IT TO MEAN THAT IT DIDN'T APPLY FOR THOSE WHO WERE, WHO WOULD APPLY TO BE A CERTIFIED WRITING CANDIDATE.
SO WHAT OUR RECOMMENDATION, UM, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLICATED TO EXPLAIN, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT COUNSEL CONSIDER DRAFTING AND ADOPTING AN AMENDMENT TO THE TOWN CHARTER, CLARIFYING THAT CANDIDATES CAN ONLY BE CERTIFIED TO RUN FOR ONE OFFICE PER ELECTION REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT IT'S AN OFFICIAL CANDIDATE OR A CERTIFIED WRITING CANDIDATE, UM, TO AVOID THIS ISSUE FROM TAKING PLACE AGAIN.
UM, AND SO IF WE GO BACK TO WHAT THE CODE LOOKS LIKE, UM, FOR EXAMPLE A SECTION B HERE THAT WOULD JUST VERY CLEARLY, UM, ARTICULATE THAT POINT, UM, AND AVOID ANY AMBIGUITY MOVING FORWARD.
AND THAT IS OUR PRESENTATION AND RECOMMENDATION FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
FIRST OF ALL, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU WORKING ON THIS.
WE WOULD BE LOVE TO SEE YOU AT ANY FUTURE MEETING THAT YOU'D LIKE TO COME BACK AND RECOMMEND ANY LANGUAGE.
UH, AND, UM, I'LL STOP THERE AND KICK IT OVER TO COUNSEL IF THEY HAVE ANY BRIEF COMMENTS.
UM, VICE MAYOR, UM, JUST SO I'M CLEAR, THIS IS ONE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATION, BUT THIS IS NOT THE ENTIRETY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU PLAN TO MAKE BASED ON THE PREVIOUS ELECTION.
'CAUSE I KNOW THERE WERE OTHER THINGS THAT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT WITH ROBIN THAT HAVEN'T BEEN SORT OF FORMALLY INTRODUCED YET.
I THINK THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE THAT NEEDS CHANGE IN A CODE OR CHARTER.
COUNSEL, ANYTHING ADDITIONAL IS MR. DE OH, SORRY, GO AHEAD.
SO HAVE YOU RUN THIS PAST THE TOWN ATTORNEY? HAS HE HE SEEN THIS OR HE HAS NOT SEEN THE RECOMMENDATION, BUT IT WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO KNOW THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING IT BECAUSE BASED ON HIS INTERPRETATION OF THE CHARTER, IT DOES NOT PRECLUDE THE SITUATION FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.
SO, BUT HE READ THIS AND THAT'S WHERE THE INTERPRETATION CAME FROM? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO DURING THE ACTUAL ELECTION WHEN THIS AROSE, THE BOARD OF ELECTION SUPERVISORS BROUGHT IT TO THE TOWN ATTORNEY WHO SAID THIS.
UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS A SITUATION THAT I COULD, THAT COULD BE DEFENSIBLE BASED ON THE WAY THE CHARTER IS WRITTEN.
YEAH, IT'S USEFUL TO REMEMBER THAT THE TOWN ATTORNEY IS ALSO THE BOARD OF ELECTION SUPERVISOR'S ATTORNEY, UH, FOR THEIR INDEPENDENT WORK, WHICH EVEN THOUGH THEIR WORK IS COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT OF THE TOWN ADMINISTRATION, THEY HAVE THE SAME ATTORNEY.
UM, IF THERE'S NO FURTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL, THEN I'D LIKE, UH, TO ASK THE TOWN ATTORNEY TO TAKE THIS BACK AND COME TO THE COUNSEL, UH, EITHER AT THE FEBRUARY WORK SESSION OR THE MARCH WORK SESSION WITH A PROPOSAL.
ANY OBJECTION TO THAT? IS THERE ANY MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC WHO WANTS TO SAY ANYTHING ON THIS
SO WE WILL FOLLOW UP, UH, THE NEXT FEW DAYS WITH MR. DELOACH.
AND, UH, I EXPECT THIS WILL BE ON THE AGENDA EITHER FOR FEBRUARY 26TH OR FOR THE MARCH, UH, WORK SESSION AS AN INITIAL FIRST STEP.
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FIVE ON THE AGENDAS, THE ANACOSTIA TRAILS HERITAGE AREA.UH, MR. GALLOWAY, ANYTHING TO ADD HERE OR SHALL WE GO DIRECTLY TO THE REPRESENTATIVE? WE CAN GO DIRECTLY TO THE REPRESENTATIVE.
UH, SO PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND, UM, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ANACOSTIA TRAILS HERITAGE AREA.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR, UH, HAVING ME THIS EVENING.
UH, I'M HERE TO INTRODUCE AND REINTRODUCE SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE DO AS A REGIONAL NONPROFIT.
UM, WE WERE FOUNDED PURPOSELY FOUNDED BY SEVERAL COMMUNITIES IN THE ROUTE ONE CORRIDOR TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE THEN NEW MARYLAND HERITAGE AREAS PROGRAM.
WE WORK WITHIN A STATE FRAMEWORK CALLED THE MARYLAND HERITAGE AREAS PROGRAM, BUT WE ARE AN INDEPENDENT 5 0 1 C3 NONPROFIT.
AND, UH, FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS WE'VE HAD TWO, UM, UH, TEMPORARY FULL-TIME STAFF WITH US THROUGH THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF SERVICE AND CIVIC INNOVATION.
AND THIS YEAR WE HAPPEN TO HAVE A TOWN OF CH RESIDENT.
SO I WAS GONNA LET THEM INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AS WELL.
HI, MY NAME IS GRACE HARNESS AND I'VE LIVED IN CH ALL MY LIFE,
SO WE ARE REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE GRACE, UH, ON OUR TEAM.
AND THEY'VE BEEN, UH, ABSOLUTELY TREMEND ADDED TREMENDOUS CAPACITY, UM, AND, UH, WONDERFUL, UM, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE TOWN AND CERTAINLY OF OUR ORGANIZATION AS WELL.
SO THAT'S SPECIFICALLY WANTED TO BE HERE IN PERSON.
UM, AGAIN, WE WORK WITHIN A A STATE FRAMEWORK.
UH, THE CIRCLE THERE, YOU'LL SEE WE ARE THE ONLY OF 13 STATE HERITAGE AREAS THAT REPRESENT THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
TOWN OF CH WAS ADDED FROM OUR ORIGINAL BOUNDARY IN 2017 ISH.
JUST THIS PAST SUMMER, WE WENT THROUGH A RELATIVELY COMPLICATED COUNTY AND STATE PLANNING PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD REPRESENT PARTNER AND PROVIDE GRANTS ACROSS THE ENTIRE COUNTY.
UH, WE, SO WE APPRECIATE THE EXTRA CAPACITY THAT, UH, UH, GRACE IS, IS BRINGING TO OUR ORGANIZATION.
UH, AND THAT'S REALLY SOMETHING, UH, THAT'S PARTICULARLY SPECIAL, UM, FOR OUR WORK HERE IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY.
SO, UH, HERE'S A PHOTO OF US, UM, CELEBRATING THE EXPANSION.
SO WHAT DO WE DO? WE WORK IN SOMETHING CALLED COMMUNITY TOURISM, TO ME IS THE INTERSECTION OF ARTS, HISTORY, CULTURE, AND NATURE.
AND IT IS ALSO THE MOMENT WHICH A TOURIST BECOMES A, A PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND THE MOMENT THAT A PERSON FROM THE COMMUNITY BECOMES A TOURIST, IF YOU CAN DEFINE THAT, GOOD LUCK.
BUT IT IS WHEN WE TRAVEL TO PLACES NEAR AND FAR AND WE, WE, UH, EXPERIENCE A CULTURE, WE EXPERIENCE, UH, SOMETHING IN COMMUNITY.
UM, SO WHILE THERE MIGHT BE MORE TRADITIONAL TOURISM ACTIVITIES AND MAJOR DESTINATIONS, WHICH IS A WHOLE NOTHER TOPIC IN THE COUNTY, UH, WE REALLY FOCUS ON THE FINE GRAIN AND ANYTHING WE DO TO IMPROVE, UH, TOURISM, WE ALSO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IMPROVES, UM, LIFE AND, UM, PARKS, OPEN SPACE TRAILS ART FOR RESIDENTS AS WELL.
SO A COUPLE EXAMPLES OF THIS VERY BROAD NEBULOUS THING WE DO.
WE HAVE A CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL, WE HAVE A WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE, UH, ONLINE BIKE ROUTE.
WE, UH, FOR MANY YEARS HAVE INTERPRETED THE HISTORY OF WAR OF 1812, UM, INCLUDING, UH, SORT OF TRYING TO DIVERSIFY THAT NARRATIVE.
AND ACTUALLY, UM, EVEN THOUGH IT HAPPENED NOW, UM, UH, OVER 200 YEARS AGO, IT'S NOW JUST THE BATTLEFIELD ACTUALLY IS NOW LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES.
UM, HERE'S A, A LINK, AN EXAMPLE OF OUR WORK, UH, WITH THE PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY CIVIL RIGHTS TRAIL.
THERE ARE FIVE SIGNS IN THE GROUND IN A BILINGUAL WEBSITE.
WE ALSO WORK SPECIFICALLY ON TRAIL CONNECTIVITY.
WE DO NOT OWN, MANAGE, OR OPERATE ANY OF THE TRAILS THAT WE ALL LOVE, BUT WE DO SUPPORT THEM.
AND A LOT OF TIMES WE, UH, DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE ROUGH POINTS AND CREATE CONNECTIVITY FOR THOSE, OR CREATE THOSE SMALL LITTLE, UM, THOSE SMALL LITTLE CONNECTIONS THAT OTHERWISE SORT OF GET FORGOTTEN.
SO WE'RE DOING THAT, UM, AGAIN, IN DUELING CREEK AND COMAR MANOR.
WE ALSO SUPPORT PUBLIC ART MURAL SCULPTURES.
UH, WE WERE SUPPORTIVE OF THE WYNDHAM ROAD BARRIER PROJECT IN BRENTWOOD AND NORTH BRENTWOOD.
SOMETHING THAT WE'RE GETTING MORE INVOLVED IN IS HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND CAPITAL REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.
MY BACKGROUND IS IN HISTORIC PRESERVATION.
I'M PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN VERNACULAR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, SO I THINK I'M IN THE RIGHT
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COUNTY SOMETIMES.UM, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE REALLY, UM, PROUD OF OUR WORK IN DOING THAT AND BEING ABLE TO SEE A, A STRONG BRICKS AND MORTAR IMPACT.
SOMETHING WE'RE DOING IN ADDITION TO THE WORK THAT WE TYPICALLY DO ANY GIVEN YEAR IS THAT, UM, THIS YEAR IS THE SEMI QUINCENTENNIAL.
SO I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THAT FOR, FOR, FOR A WHILE NOW.
UH, YOU CAN ALSO SAY TWO 50TH.
SO IF YOU WATCH FOOTBALL, YOU'VE SEEN TWO FIFTIES ACTUALLY ON THE FOOTBALL.
NOW, UM, AGAIN, IF YOU WATCH FOOT, WHY AM I ALL FOOTBALL REFERENCES, LOTS OF COMMERCIALS FOR JEEP RAM.
I'M WAITING FOR THE BUDWEISER ONE TO COME OUT RELATED TO TWO 50.
UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY IS TRYING TO BE AS INCLUSIVE AS AS POSSIBLE WITH CURRENT RESIDENTS, POTENTIAL VISITORS, AND ALSO THE SPAN OF HISTORY.
SO WE'RE DOING THINGS, UH, RELATED TO GENEALOGY FOR FOLKS THAT CAME TO PRINCE GEORGE'S.
IN ALL DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES, WE'RE DOING BIKE RIDES AND BOAT RIDES.
AND THEN ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS WE'RE DOING IS PARTNERED WITH THE COUNTY ON A PASSPORT.
SO THAT'S, IF YOU GO TO ALL THE HISTORIC SITES THAT THE COUNTY OWNS AND OPERATES AND YOU SUBMIT YOUR PASSPORT, UH, WITH THOSE STAMPED, YOU'D BE ENTERED FOR A, UM, ALL EXPENSES PAID TRIP TO ANY NATIONAL TRUST FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION SITE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
SO WE THINK THAT'S A REALLY GREAT PRIZE.
AND THEN WE'RE ALSO PLANNING A BLOCK PARTY WITH ARTS MUSIC, UH, DANCING IN BUOY ON MAY 30TH.
I HAVE TWO, JUST TWO MORE SLIDES AND THEN I'M OPEN TO QUESTIONS.
AND, UM, SOMETHING THAT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT ABOUT, UH, THE WAY THE HERITAGE AREA WORKS IS THAT BEING PART OF A HERITAGE AREA OR WITHIN THE BOUNDARY MEANS THAT YOU CAN APPLY FOR VERY SPECIFIC FUNDING FOR CULTURAL TOURISM.
THAT'S CALLED THE MARYLAND HERITAGE AREAS PROGRAM.
THAT GRANT, GRANT PROGRAM IS ACTUALLY OPEN RIGHT NOW.
IT'S AN ANNUAL CYCLE, UM, APPLY FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS UP TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND, NON-CAPITAL UP TO 50,000.
AND ANY, UM, TOWN OR ENTITY, UH, ANY TOWN MUNICIPALITY, THE COUNTY ITSELF OR NONPROFIT EITHER IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY OR THEIR PROJECT IS IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, IS ELIGIBLE FOR THIS, UM, ANNUAL FUNDING OF $5.1 MILLION.
SO IT'S PARTICULARLY COMPETITIVE.
UM, BUT ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THAT WE EXIST IS TO, UM, PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN THAT GRANT WRITING AND DEVELOPING PROJECTS.
SO THAT'S OPEN NOW AND HIGHLY RECOMMEND, UM, UH, THE TOWN OF SEVERAL LOOKING INTO THAT AS A POTENTIAL GRANT.
AND THEN WE HAVE OUR MINI GRANT PROGRAM, WHICH IS FIF, WHICH IS $5,000 FOR REALLY GOOD SMALL IDEAS, WHETHER IT'S A FESTIVAL, A MURAL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
HOW WE WORK TOGETHER, UM, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, UM, WOULD BE ANY, UM, TOWN THAT'S A IS, UM, UH, CURRENT WITH ITS DUES TO OUR ORGANIZATION, WHICH IS CALCULATED, UH, BASED ON A QUARTER PER RESIDENT IS WELCOME TO JOIN OUR MUNICIPAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THAT'S A NON-VOTING COMMITTEE ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
AND THAT'S REALLY A GREAT WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE JUST COMMUNICATING, UH, MORE FREQUENTLY.
AND THEN ALSO YOU MAY OR MAY NOT GET A COUPLE MORE EMAILS FROM ME, BUT AGAIN, ABOUT GRANT OPPORTUNITIES OR PROGRAMS RELATED TO ARTS, HISTORY, CULTURE, AND NATURE.
SO I, I WELCOME AFTER THIS MEETING FOLLOWING UP ABOUT ANY PROJECTS THAT MAY COME TO MIND, UH, AND OR, UM, RESIDENTS OR TOWN COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO MIGHT LIKE TO JOIN, UM, UH, ON OUR COMMITTEE.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL, I'LL, UM, END MY PRESENTATION AND, UM, I'VE GOT SOME FLYERS AND, AND CALENDARS, UH, THAT WE PUT OUT THERE.
SO FEEL FREE TO TAKE THESE, UM, AND IF YOU HAVE ANY PROJECTS, WE'D BE HAPPY TO PARTNER WITH YOU ON THEM.
UH, JUST, UH, FOR THE RECORD, COUNCIL MEMBER GARZA ARRIVED AT 7 45.
I WROTE DOWN AND COUNCIL MEMBER FRY ARRIVED AT 7 53.
SO ALL SEVEN ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE PRESENT.
COUNSEL, ARE THERE QUESTIONS FOR THE ANACOSTIA TRAILS HERITAGE AREA VICE MAYOR.
UM, SO WE ARE IN A NEW BUILDING AND THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING OVER THERE IS, UH, DOES NOT HAVE MANY WINDOWS AND THERE HAS BEEN MUCH TALK AMONG RESIDENTS OF WANTING TO PUT SOME KIND OF A MURAL THERE.
IS THAT THE KIND OF PROJECT THAT YOU WOULD SUGGEST WORKING WITH YOU ON AND OR APPLYING FOR FUNDING FOR? YES, GREAT QUESTION.
UH, VICE MAYOR, GREAT TO SEE YOU.
USUALLY WE RUN INTO EACH OTHER.
I I'M USUALLY AT MARYLAND MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, SO IT'S GREAT.
I GET TO SEE ALL THE PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY TOWN.
SO I THINK WE USUALLY SEE EACH OTHER IN OCEAN CITY.
UM, YES, WE HAVE ACTUALLY SUPPORTED MURALS, UM, BOTH INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR AT, UH, OTHER TOWN HALLS.
AND I THINK IN PARTICULAR, UM, FOR THIS LARGE SPACE FROM JUST EXPERIENCING THE BUILDING, I THINK AN ARTIST WOULD LOVE IT.
UM, I WOULD SAY THAT THE, THE BEST COURSE WOULD BE OUR ROCKET GRANT AND THEN WE COULD ALSO ADVISE YOU ON OTHER GRANTS FROM THE MARYLAND STATE ARTS COUNCIL OR OTHER LO OTHER PLACES.
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OF THE PUBLIC LIKE WOULD LIKE TO OFFER A TWO MINUTE INTERVENTION ON THE WORK OF THE A THA? ANYONE ONLINE? MR. SMITH, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO YIELD THE MICROPHONE? AND MR. SMITH, I THINK WE ONLY HAVE ONE RIGHT NOW.YOUR NAME AND YOUR WORD NAME AND YOUR WORD THERE WAS OUR POWERS COMBINED ALL THE TIME.
HI, DAN SMITH, UM, CH WARD ONE.
UH, ANYWAY, THANKS FOR COMING AND I JUST WANTED TO, UM, UH, THANK AND APPRECIATE THE COUNTYWIDE PERSPECTIVE NOW THAT YOU HAVE, AND I JUST WANTED TO ELEVATE AND RAISE THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTY THAT ARE LOOKING AT LIKE HERITAGE TOURISM AND SOME OF THE PROGRAMS AND THINGS THAT YOU ALL HAVE EXPERIENCE IN AS A WAY TO HAVE ONE STRONG PILLAR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO BRING THAT TO THE TABLE.
AND THAT WE, THESE COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAMS THAT CONNECT WITH OUR HERITAGE AND OUR VALUES AND OUR RESOURCES ARE IMPORTANT TO BUILD UPON AND NURTURE.
AND THAT THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO INSTEAD OF GOING AFTER MEGA PROJECTS LIKE DATA CENTERS, THE HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS.
SO IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S PERCOLATING AROUND THE COUNTY AND I JUST WOULD LIKE TO ENCOURAGE US ALL TO KIND OF SEE HOW WE CAN DO MORE
ANY OTHER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER? WADE? MEGAN.
RIGHT? MEGAN, THANK YOU FOR COMING.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO COME AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS.
UM, THE PICTURE YOU HAD THERE WAS AT NORTH BRENTWOOD PROJECT THAT WAS, CAN YOU ELABORATE ON HOW THAT PROJECT, WHAT EXACTLY THAT PROJECT WAS AND THE, UH, I GUESS TIMELINE, HOW THAT WORKED WITH THAT MUNICIPALITY AND SO I CAN GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING THE LOGISTICS OF IT? GREAT QUESTION.
SO, UH, ONE OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT, UM, I INCLUDED WAS, UM, THE RECENT, UH, RIBBON CUTTING AND AND ANNOUNCEMENT OF ENTREPRENEURS PARK, WHICH IS A SMALL POCKET PARK, UM, IN NORTH BRENTWOOD RIGHT BY SISSY TAVERN.
SO, UH, AND ACTUALLY VERY CLOSE TO THE, UM, WYNDHAM ROAD BARRIER.
SO AGAIN, THE SORT OF THE, THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF BRENTWOOD IN NORTH BRENTWOOD REALLY PLAYS OUT IN THE ARCHITECTURE IN THE SPACE OF THAT.
SO WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING IS MY COLLEAGUE VALERIE WOODLE, UH, AND TOWN MANAGER, JACKIE GOODELL, WORKED TOGETHER ON A GRANT APPLICATION, I BELIEVE FROM THE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, AND WE ENDED AS A NONPROFIT, ENDED UP BEING THE FISCAL SPONSOR OF THAT PROJECT.
SO BASICALLY JUST WORKED HAND IN HAND WITH, UH, THE TOWN MANAGER THERE.
SO SORT OF PLAYED TO OUR STRENGTH SO WE COULD MANAGE THE GRANT.
THEY SORT OF MANAGED AND, AND MADE SURE THAT THE DESIGN WAS WHAT THE TOWN WANTED AND, AND THAT, SO THAT CAME TOGETHER, I WANNA SAY IN A, A YEAR, UM, AND WAS ABOUT $35,000 FROM THE REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY TO US.
AND THEN ALL WENT OUT TO PAY CONTRACTORS, ARTISTS, DESIGNERS, INSTALLERS.
SO THAT'S A SORT OF AN EXAMPLE OF A PROJECT WHERE YOU CAN PARTNER WITH US AS A NONPROFIT.
AND JUST A FOLLOW UP, IF YOU JUST YOUR SUGGESTION, JUST KNOWING IF, WHATEVER YOU KNOW OF CHEV YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD OF THINGS THAT, UH, IF YOU'VE DONE ANY RESEARCH IN OUR PARTICULAR AREA WHERE OPPORTUNITIES MIGHT PRESENT ITSELF FOR OUR PARTICULAR TOWN.
THERE WERE, SOMEBODY HAD REACHED OUT TO ME AND REGRETFULLY A COUPLE MONTHS AGO, IF NOT MORE ABOUT A TRAIL CONNECTIVITY OR A, A SLOPE OR A TRAIL.
SOMEBODY, UH, MENTIONED TO ME.
THEN I'LL ALSO ASK GRACE IF YOU'VE GOT ANY IDEAS AS A RESIDENT THAT YOU THINK WE COULD WORK ON OR PROPOSE.
UM, I THINK YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, FROM THE ARBORETUM TO 63RD AVENUE
UM, I THINK THAT'S A GREAT IDEA.
UM, I ALSO DON'T KNOW WHAT'S CURRENTLY HAPPENING WITH THE OLD JUDITH P WARRIOR BUILDING, SO THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD PLACE FOR HISTORIC, UM, REDEVELOPMENT.
GRACE, WHAT WORD DO YOU REPRESENT, IF YOU MIND ME ASKING, DO YOU ADDRESS? UM, I LIVE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF CH ALONG 63RD AVENUE, RIGHT NEAR, UM, SPELMAN.
SO I'M HAPPY TO DO A SITE VISIT, FOLLOW UP WITH, WITH GRACE.
WE LOVE DOING WALK AROUNDS, WALK AND TALKS, UM, GET A SENSE OR IF THERE'S DOCUMENTS AND PROJECTS YOU WANT US TO SORT OF BRAINSTORM ON SORT OF, UH,
[00:30:01]
WHAT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OR FUNDING, UH, IDEAS WE COME UP WITH.WE'RE PRETTY CREATIVE AND OPEN TO THAT.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? COUNCIL MEMBER FRY, I THINK YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO JUST YELL IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE AN INTERVENTION OR, UH, YOU COULD TRY PUTTING YOUR HAND UP.
I GUESS ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE ANY TWO MINUTE INPUT.
YOUR NAME AND YOUR WARD AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
IT'S, UM, WAY BACK UNDER MAYOR CALLAHAN WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT, UM, WE HAD A CONVERSATION AND IT WAS ABOUT WAY FINDING AT THAT TIME.
AND I THINK THAT THERE'S STILL POTENTIAL, UM, FOR CH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WAY FINDING, UM, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR COMMUNITY AND GRACE STEPPED OUT.
OUR COMMUNITY IS BI, BI AT LEAST BIFURCATED IN ONE WARD AND WE'RE SPLIT IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT THINGS THAT CREATE COHESION, UM, BY WAY FINDING, I THINK WOULD BE VERY VALUABLE AND VERY BENEFICIAL TO OUR COMMUNITY.
ANOTHER THING THAT COMES TO MIND IS THAT THERE'S BEEN, THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT TRYING TO, UM, OR DOING A BETTER JOB OF TELLING SOME OF THE STORIES OF THE RESIDENTS, UM, OF THE OLD FOURTH WARD.
AND, UM, THERE IS A, THERE IS A TRAIL, UM, IN BOYD PARK AND TRYING TO DO THINGS WHERE WE'RE, WE'RE FEATURING, UM, RESIDENTS IDEALLY BEFORE THEY PASS, BUT RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ALSO PASSED, UM, ALONG THAT TRAIL AND WHY THEY ARE SIGNIFICANT TO OUR COMMUNITY, THE ROLES IN WHICH THEY'VE PLAYED, ROLES THAT THEY'VE PLAYED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER GREAT OPPORTUNITY THAT THAT ALSO ADDS TO AND ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO WALK THROUGH THAT SPACE.
SO THERE ARE A NUMBER OF THOSE THINGS.
THERE'S ALSO CHEVROLET NATURE PARK, SO JUST REALLY PUTTING THIS OUT THERE, CHEVROLET NATURE PARK TO BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IN THE PARK TO HAVE MORE OF A STANDING OR MORE OF A PRESENCE IN THE PARK.
AND IF, IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A MURAL HERE, UM, REALLY, YOU KNOW, THERE'LL BE A WHOLE DECISION MAKING ON THAT, BUT TRYING TO KEEP TO SOMETHING THAT REALLY DEFINES NATURE IN THIS SPACE BECAUSE WE'VE LOST SO MUCH WHEN WE'VE PUT UP A BIG STEEL BUILDING AND SOMETHING THAT BRINGS BACK THE GREEN THIS.
REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR THIS THIS EVENING.
THANK YOU FOR COMING AND I'M SURE WE'LL BE IN TOUCH ABOUT WAYS WE CAN COLLABORATE IN THE FUTURE.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE NEW BUILDING AS I GUESS THE FIRST, FIRST MEETING HERE.
UH, COUNSEL, WE'RE GONNA TAKE A TWO MINUTE BREAK WHILE THE TEAM TRIES OUT AN AUDIO SOLUTION, UM, WAS ASKED TO, UM, EXPLORE THE EXISTING POLICY AND POTENTIALLY DRAFT NEW POLICY AROUND COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, USING TOWN RESOURCES FOR EVENTS.
UM, AND YOU CAN SEE IN YOUR PACKET THAT WE DO NOT HAVE SUGGESTED LANGUAGE FOR A POLICY AROUND THAT.
PART OF THAT IS JUST BECAUSE WITH EVERYONE'S SCHEDULES, WE HAVE NOT HAD A CHANCE TO CHAT DIRECTLY WITH TOWN ATTORNEY DELOACH ABOUT IT.
BUT IN A LARGER SENSE, UH, THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TOPICS THAT WE REALIZED CAN OPEN UP A LOT MORE ISSUES THE MORE WE EXPLORED IT.
UM, THERE ARE NO CURRENT POLICIES SPECIFYING THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN USE TOWN RESOURCES FOR EVENTS, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, USING TOWN FACILITIES, UH, HAVING TOWN STAFF DO THINGS, BORROWING CHAIRS AND TABLES, THAT KIND OF THING.
THERE'S NO POLICIES RIGHT NOW THAT ADDRESS THAT SPECIFICALLY.
UM, THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY OTHER EVENTS THAT THE TOWN ITSELF PUTS ON RANGING IN SIZE FROM LIKE A LAST MINUTE FOOD DRIVE TO ADDRESS A NEED TO PUBLIC SAFETY NIGHT.
UM, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING HERE.
UM, IN THE ABSENCE OF A POLICY ABOUT PRIVILEGES THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO GRANTED TO ELECTED OFFICIALS, UM, WE FELT LIKE THE ASSUMPTION WOULD BE THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE THE SAME PRIVILEGE AS ANY RESIDENT HAS.
UM, AND SO ARE THERE POLICIES THAT ALLOW FOR ANY RESIDENT TO USE TOWN RESOURCES FOR AN EVENT THAT THEY'RE PUTTING ON? UM, NO.
THE FACILITIES USAGE POLICY OUTLINES DIFFERENT, UH, POLICIES AND PROCESSES FOR
[00:35:01]
TOWN, UM, GROUPS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, ADVISORY COMMITTEES TO USE TOWN RESOURCES FOR EVENTS, BUT NOT INDIVIDUALS BEYOND, SAY IF I WERE HAVING A BIRTHDAY PARTY AND WANTED TO RENT A PAVILION.UM, BUT EVEN THEN THERE'S A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
UM, WE FELT LIKE THE ASSUMPTION SHOULD ALSO BE, UH, THAT INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD PROBABLY AVOID, UM, USING TOWN RESOURCES, UH, IN WAYS THAT COULD COST THE TOWN MONEY OR IN WAYS THAT WOULD BURDEN TOWN STAFF IN SOME WAY.
UM, WE COULD CERTAINLY CREATE A POLICY GIVING COUNCIL MEMBERS THE ABILITY TO USE TOWN RESOURCES FOR EVENTS.
THE MORE WE TALKED ABOUT IT, BECAUSE THAT WAS OUR ORIGINAL INTENTION, UM, IT WOULD REQUIRE CRAFTING A VERY, VERY SPECIFIC POLICY AROUND WHAT KINDS OF EVENTS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR TOWN ASSISTANCE, WHAT MAKES AN EVENT A COMMUNITY EVENT AND NOT A CAMPAIGN EVENT.
THOSE THINGS ARE VERY FUZZY, UM, AND HOW EVENTS CAN BE MARKETED.
UH, SO FOR EXAMPLE, WE COULD WRITE A POLICY ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBERS USING TOWN FACILITIES OR TOWN RESOURCES, BUT THEN CAN THE FLYER INCLUDE AN IMAGE OF THAT COUNCIL MEMBER OR NOT? UM, I'M MORE THAN HAPPY TO JUMP INTO DRAFTING THOSE POLICIES.
UM, ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS WHAT INSTITUTING THAT KIND OF POLICY WILL DO FOR STAFF.
UH, IT BY ITS VERY NATURE, WILL REQUIRE STAFF TO MAKE CERTAIN KINDS OF JUDGMENT CALLS ABOUT THE NATURE OF AN EVENT.
SO IF MR. GALLOWAY OR ANY TOWN ADMINISTRATOR WE'RE FACED WITH HAVING TO DECIDE THIS PERSON WANTS TO DO AN EVENT, IS THIS A CAMPAIGN EVENT OR IS THIS A COMMUNITY EVENT? UM, THAT'S A JUDGMENT CALL THAT IS REALLY HARD TO MAKE.
IT'S PARTICULARLY HARD FOR TOWN STAFF WHEN THEY ARE PUT IN A POSITION TO POTENTIALLY HAVE TO SAY NO TO ELECTED OFFICIALS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, ELECTED OFFICIALS IN SOME WAYS ARE THE BOSS AND THERE'S A POWER DYNAMIC THAT LEADS US TO THINK THAT IT IS REALLY HARD FOR TOWN STAFF TO SAY NO TO SOMEONE WHO IS MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT THEIR SALARY OR THEIR EMPLOYMENT.
UM, AT THE SAME TIME, ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE SERVING THE TOWN.
AND SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE BOUNDARIES IN PLACE SO THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS CAN'T SORT OF MAKE USE OF THAT OR LEVERAGE THAT IN SOME WAY BECAUSE THERE IS THAT POWER DYNAMIC.
UM, IT, IT MAY BE THAT WE CAN DRAFT VERY PRECISE LANGUAGE THAT WALKS THIS LINE, UH, MINIMIZES THE JUDGMENT CALLS THAT STAFF HAVE TO MAKE.
WE CAN PUT IN LANGUAGE ABOUT WHETHER AN IMAGE OF A CANDIDATE CAN BE USED IN THE MARKETING OR SIGNAGE OF AN EVENT.
WHAT EMAILS AND WEBSITES ARE OKAY TO LIST ON THE WEBSITE, WHAT VERSUS WHAT IS NOT.
DOES MY PERSONAL WEBSITE, UH, ASK FOR DONATIONS? IF SO, WE CAN'T LINK TO THAT IN THE FLYER.
UM, WE CAN SAY THAT EVENTS CAN'T TAKE PLACE WITHIN 60 OR 90 DAYS OF AN ELECTION OR WITHIN A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD OF FILING FOR CANDIDACY, FOR REELECTION.
UH, WE CAN PUT IN LANGUAGE ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT STAFF HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY NO.
UM, IF THAT IS WHAT SORT OF IS REQUIRED, UH, WHAT LEVEL OF SUPPORT THE TOWN CAN PROVIDE, HOW MUCH SORT OF WORK THEY CAN DO FOR AN EVENT, WHETHER A COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD NEED TO REIMBURSE THE TOWN FOR COSTS INCURRED, IF THERE'S OVERTIME.
IS THAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY OF THE COUNCIL MEMBER OR IS IT JUST SOMETHING THE TOWN EATS? UM, WE CAN SAY THAT THEY HAVE TO FILE A SPECIAL EVENTS PERMIT 90 DAYS IN ADVANCE IN THE WAY THAT A TOWN ORGANIZATION HAS TO, AND IN FACT, TOWN ORGANIZATIONS IN SOME CASES ARE REQUIRED TO REIMBURSE THE TOWN FOR THINGS LIKE OVERTIME.
UM, IT'S A LOT, IT'S A LOT THAT WE SORT OF UNPACKED AS WE WERE TALKING THROUGH IT AS WE WERE LOOKING AT SIMILAR POLICIES THAT EXIST, UM, AT OTHER LEVELS LOCALLY OR IN OTHER SIMILARLY SIZED MUNICIPALITIES AROUND THE COUNTRY.
UM, IT FEELS LIKE IT'S A LOT TO GET INTO.
UM, AND I THINK THE QUESTION THAT WE'RE PUTTING TO COUNCIL IS DO WE WANT TO JUMP INTO ALL OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS, UM, AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO WORD THIS VERY PRECISELY SO THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE NOT
[00:40:01]
PUTTING STAFF IN A, IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE PLACE OR CREATING A SITUATION WHERE FUTURE COUNCIL MEMBERS, 'CAUSE WE KNOW NOBODY AT THIS TABLE WOULD, WOULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS KIND OF AN OPPORTUNITY.UM, OR WE CAN DECIDE THAT AS WITH MOST THINGS IN THIS TOWN, UM, ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE RESIDENTS, WE'RE RESIDENTS OF THE TOWN, AND WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO MORE TOWN RESOURCES THAN ANY OTHER RESIDENT OUTSIDE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO TO DO OUR JOBS CORRECTLY.
UM, I WELCOME ANY OTHER INPUT FROM MY FELLOW SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS, COUNCIL MEMBER FRY, COUNCIL MEMBER GARIS, OR IF THE TOWN ADMINISTRATOR OR TOWN ATTORNEY DELO HAS ANYTHING TO SAY.
BUT OTHERWISE I THINK THAT'S THE DISCUSSION ON THE TABLE.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS, SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS, ANY, ANY ADDITIONAL INPUT? ALRIGHT, COUNCIL MEMBERS, ANY UH, INTEREST IN DISCUSSING THE TOPIC? YEAH, UM, QUITE FRANKLY, I, I'M SHOCKED AT THE FACT THAT WE WAITED THIS, WE HAD A PERIOD OF AT LEAST ABOUT SIX MONTHS IN ORDER FOR THE, THE POLICY, THE, UH, COMMITTEE TO COME WITH SOME TYPE OF DRAFT.
UM, SO NOT, NOT JUST FOR THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HERE TIME, BUT ALSO OUR RESIDENTS TIME THAT THERE'S NOTHING IN WRITING THAT IS PUT DOWN.
UM, IT WAS MENTIONED THE FACT THAT, UH, WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GET WITH THE, UH, THE TOWN ATTORNEY.
THE TOWN ATTORNEY HAS COVERED SEVERAL ISSUES, UM, THROUGHOUT THE LAST SIX MONTHS AND THAT'S WHAT WE PAID THEM FOR.
UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS DISTURBING, UH, FOR THIS TO BE A HOT TOPIC BE QUITE FRANKLY, UM, PARTICULARLY WITH, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS USING TOWN RESOURCES.
AND QUITE FRANKLY, I BELIEVE THAT WE ARE NOT LIKE THE REST OF THE, UH, RESIDENTS BECAUSE WE ARE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PART OF BEING ELECTED OFFICIAL IS, UH, HOSTING EVENTS TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, SO WE CAN PROVIDE RESOURCES.
IE WE HAVE ANOTHER PART, POSSIBLE PARTNERSHIP AND TO PROVIDE A MORE INTIMATE SETTING.
UM, SAY THAT IF A ISSUE IN YOUR PARTICULAR WARD WERE, UM, ANACOSTIA, THEY CAN COME IN AND TALK DIRECTLY THROUGH, UM, THAT, AND THAT'S WHAT OUR JOB IS.
PART OF OUR JOB IS TO MEET THE RESIDENTS WHERE THEY ARE ON A WARD, ON A WARD BASIS REGARDING THAT.
UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND DISCUSS, AND THIS IS A PROCESS THAT CAN TAKE TIME, BUT WE CAN, WE JUST LIKE EVERY SINGLE THING, UM, THAT WE DISCUSS ISSUES THAT WE, WE COVER, THIS IS ONE THING THAT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FINALIZE, PUT THEME IN PLACE.
I ALSO ALSO, UM, ASK MR. GALLOWAY FROM A STANDPOINT OF, 'CAUSE A LOT OF TIMES SOME OF THE EVENTS PROBABLY BE ON, ON THE WEEKENDS, DO WE HAVE CURRENT COVERAGE OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE ALLOTTED TO, UH, COVER THE WEEKENDS AND WHETHER IT BE A FINANCIAL, UM, HARDSHIP OR, UH, EXTRA OVERTIME AS MENTIONED BY THE VICE MAYOR IF A EVENT IS DONE.
AND HOW WOULD THAT BE PUT IN PLACE? JUST GE GENERALLY SPEAKING? MR. GALLOWAY, IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
UH, DO WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE CURRENTLY ALLOWED TO WORK, UH, ON THE WEEKENDS NOW? AND CAN YOU HEAR ME? GO AHEAD.
CAN YOU HEAR ME HEAR ME? YES, SIR.
SO WE DO HAVE STAFF THAT WORK ON THE WEEKENDS IN THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, HOWEVER, UM, THEY DO HAVE A, A SCHEDULE THAT THEY HAVE TO, UM, ABIDE BY AS FAR AS BRINGING IN ANY ADDITIONAL STAFF.
THEN YES, WE WOULD HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, COORDINATE WITH STAFF, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WELL IN ADVANCE IN ORDER FOR THESE TO BE, UH, SUCCESSFUL EVENTS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE ALL RESOURCES THERE THAT HAVE BEEN REQUESTED.
THERE WILL BE OVERTIME COSTS, UM, ATTRIBUTED TO THAT.
BUT WE DO HAVE ON THE WEEKENDS STAFF THAT ARE PRIMARILY FOR PARKS, UM, THAT ARE ON THE WEEKEND SCHEDULED AND
[00:45:01]
THE COUNCIL AS A WHOLE, THE COMMITTEE ITSELF BRINGS SOMETHING TO THE TABLE THAT IS WRITTEN DOWN FOR US TO FURTHER DISCUSS VERSUS A GENERIC STATEMENT WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF SOMETHING WHERE WE CAN FOR THE REST OF THE COUNCIL TO LOOK AT.YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE REST OF THE COUNCIL TO HAVE THEIR INPUT, UM, IN REGARDING IT TO MAKE SURE THAT, BECAUSE IT'S REALLY ABOUT, IF YOU'RE ELECTED OFFICIALS, IT'S ABOUT THE ASPECT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UH, WE DO HAVE PARTNERS THROUGHOUT PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY WHERE THEIR, THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS DO EVENTS, UM, THAT IMPACT AND THAT THAT ALLOWS RESIDENTS TO HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING.
SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE A SETTING LIKE THIS.
THEY MIGHT WANT A MORE INTIMATE SETTING, UM, TO BRING IN, UH, EXTERNAL PARTNERS, UH, TO COME IN TO LIKE THAT.
IT SHOULD NOT BE A POLITICAL EVENT.
UM, THERE DEFINITELY SHOULD NOT BE THAT CASE, BUT I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO EXPAND.
UM, OUR REACH MAYBE HAS NOT BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S DONE IN THE PAST.
UM, BUT JUST LIKE THINGS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DONE IN THE PAST, WE REALLY HAVE TO MEET INDIVIDUALS WHERE THERE ARE AND THAT'S A, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DO THAT.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT THE, UM, COMMITTEE GO BACK AND WRITE DOWN, UH, THEIR OPINION ON PAPER, MEET WITH THE ATTORNEY TO MAKE SURE THAT HAPPENS.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LELO, UH, I WAS JUST GOING TO SORT OF SPEAK MORE GENERALLY.
I THINK THAT FOR THIS POLICY, IF IT'S GOING TO SORT OF SHAPE THE WORK THAT WE DO AS COUNCIL MEMBERS, I THINK IT SHOULD BE DONE IN FRONT OF ALL OF US AND NOT, YOU KNOW, DONE BY JUST A SUBSECTION OF THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, POLICY COMMITTEE.
I MEAN, AS A COUNCIL, THE, WE SHOULD BE OUR OWN POLICY COMMITTEE.
WE SHOULD SET OUR OWN POLICIES FOR ALL OF US AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD ALL BE ON OUR OWN ALL IN THE POLICY COMMITTEE.
AND, YOU KNOW, FOR THIS POLICY, HOWEVER IT GETS WRITTEN, SHOULD BE WRITTEN IN SUCH A WAY THAT ALL OF US HAVE INPUT TO IT AND NOT DONE BY ANY SORT, ANY SORT OF SUBSECTION OF ALL OF US VICE MAYOR.
YEAH, JUST TO CLARIFY WHAT THE POLICY, UH, SUBCOMMITTEE DOES, BECAUSE THE POLICY SUBCOMMITTEE DOES NOT SET THE POLICY.
UM, IT'S A SMALLER SUBGROUP BECAUSE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRAFT LANGUAGE WITH SEVEN PEOPLE.
AND SO THE IDEA OF THE POLICY SUBCOMMITTEE WAS JUST THAT THERE'S A SMALLER SUBGROUP THAT CAN START THE LANGUAGE AND PRESENT THE LANGUAGE THAT THEN EVERYBODY WORKS ON TOGETHER, BUT HAVING A STARTING POINT JUST MAKES THINGS A LITTLE EASIER.
UM, AND SO USUALLY, UH, WITH THE POLICY SUBCOMMITTEE THERE'S A SENSE OF WE WANT TO DO X OR WE DON'T WANNA DO X.
WHAT IS THE LANGUAGE THAT WE CAN USE? WHEN WE SAT DOWN FOR THIS, IT WAS A LITTLE LESS CLEAR.
UM, IT WAS JUST POLICY ABOUT COUNCIL MEMBERS USING TOWN RESOURCES BUT NOT POLICY OUTLINING, YES, COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN USE TOWN RESOURCES OR POLICY TALKING ABOUT NO.
SO I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE HOPING TO HAVE CLARITY ON FROM THE REST OF COUNCIL SO THAT WE HAVE A DIRECTION TO START FROM TO CREATE LANGUAGE THAT THEN COMES BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE FOR THEIR INPUT AS WELL.
THERE IS NEVER A SITUATION WHERE THE POLICY COMMITTEE DECIDES ANYTHING.
UM, YEAH, AND THANK, THANK YOU TO THE SUBCOMMITTEE FOR, UH, FOR CHURNING OVER THESE ISSUES.
UH, THE LAST MONTH OR THREE, MR. TANZI.
UM, I WANT TO FIRST SAY I APPRECIATE ALL THE POINTS YOU RAISED VICE MAYOR.
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED, BUT JUST TO HELP MAYBE PROVIDE A WAY FORWARD.
UH, I DON'T WANT TO DISCOURAGE COMMUNITY EVENTS AND I'M UH, IN A QUAGMIRE A BIT MYSELF BECAUSE I'M HELPING THE WARD FOR CIVIC ASSOCIATION RUN AN EVENT.
AND SO I STARTED WRITING NOTES TO MYSELF.
AM I RUNNING IT? ARE THEY RUNNING IT? LIKE IT ALL BECOMES FUZZY AND I FEEL A LITTLE BIT LIKE I'M A FACILITATOR SAYING, UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS AVAILABLE, WHAT CAN WE GET? AND SOME OF THAT IS ME DISCOVERING THAT.
SO, UM, SO I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE POINT THAT IF IT COMES AT A COST TO THE TOWN, WELL THEN IT HAS TO HAVE A BUDGET, RIGHT? AND WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE A BUDGET FOR SUCH THINGS.
UM, BUT I THINK WE CAN START BY SAYING
[00:50:01]
WE WANT TO MAKE IT EASY TO HAVE COMMUNITY EVENTS.SO WHAT IS LOW COST TO THE TOWN THAT DOES NOT HAVE HIGH EXTERNALITY? SO, UH, TOWN ADMINISTRATOR GALLOWAY SAID, YOU KNOW, FOR THINGS TO BE A SUCCESSFUL EVENT, RIGHT? WE MIGHT NEED TO INVOLVE THE POLICE.
WELL IS THERE A SCALE WHERE THAT'S NOT TRUE? YOU KNOW, I WENT TO UH, WARD ONE, WARD TWO JOINT THING AND THERE WAS A, A POLICE PRESENCE.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE WAS PAID FOR THAT OR IF THEY JUST, YOU KNOW, HUNG OUT ON THAT CORNER THAT TIME.
BUT UH, BUT THAT WAS I THINK A GOOD EVENT AND ALLOWED TENTS TO BE UP FOR DIFFERENT GROUPS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO DISCOURAGE THAT BY DISCOURAGING THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND SO I DO THINK WE SHOULD BE LOOKING IN SORT OF POLITICAL TERMS 'CAUSE I THINK THOSE ARE REAL, THAT YOU COULD BE USING SOMETHING TO YOUR POLITICAL ADVANTAGE, BUT ALSO IN COST TERMS AS ITS OWN VEIN TO SAY, ARE THERE THINGS WE CAN DO THAT ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY EVENTS WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS AS FACILITATORS OF THOSE THAT DON'T COST THE TOWN MUCH OR ANYTHING OTHER THAN LOGISTICS.
UM, AND THEN MAYBE WE ADDRESS FURTHER, YOU KNOW, IS THERE AN APPETITE FOR ACTUALLY HAVING A BUDGET FOR THESE THINGS? BUT I THINK THAT'S A FAIRLY EASY THING TO, TO AT LEAST DISCUSS BECAUSE WE CAN, I SUSPECT, HAVE A PRETTY STRONG OPINION PRETTY QUICKLY OF IS THERE MONEY FOR THIS OR ISN'T THERE? UM, SO I JUST THINK BY SPLITTING UP IT UP A BIT, WE CAN BE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD ON SOME SUBSET OF IT.
YEAH, I WOULD JUST ADD, I THINK, UM, AND THEN WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC INPUT.
I THINK, UH, OH WELL I'LL ADD IT AND THEN WE'LL GO BACK TO YOU.
I THINK, UM, YEAH, I MEAN I THINK A LOT OF THE WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE.
I REALLY LIKED A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT THE VICE MAYOR BRIEFED ON.
I THINK, UM, I COME DOWN SLIGHTLY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISSUE.
UM, AND SO I WOULD PUT MY THUMBS SLIGHTLY TOWARDS WRITING A POLICY THAT CAN SORT THESE THINGS OUT.
I THINK A LOT OF THE SORTING HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, UH, AND, AND WAS OUR, AND WAS AT LEAST AT A HIGH LEVEL ARTICULATED COUNCIL MEMBER FRY.
SO I THINK MAYBE IT COULD BE HELPFUL THAT, 'CAUSE IN OUR CONVERSATION IT WAS A LOT OF QUESTIONS GOING BACK AND FORTH AND JUST KIND OF BEING PROS AND CONS TO, OR KIND OF ARGUMENTS FOR OR AGAINST WHATEVER THE QUESTION WAS.
I WONDER IF MAYBE WE CAN CREATE A FORM OF SOME KIND THAT WE CAN DISSEMINATE AMONGST US INDIVIDUALLY FOR, UM, TO KIND OF GET A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY TOO AS TO UM, HOW TO DEFINE A COMMUNITY EVENT.
HOW MANY WOULD EACH COUNCILMAN WOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE EVERY YEAR? UM, DOES THAT CHANGE IF YOU KNOW, TWO, TWO WARDS ARE DOING IT TOGETHER, DOES THAT MEAN THAT'S THEIRS OR CAN THEY ALSO DO THEIR OWN? AND WHAT IF IT'S THREE WARDS AND YOU KNOW, LIKE AND HOW MANY DOES THAT ADD UP TO? UH, WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, I DO THINK WE NEED, I GUESS YOU'D SAY LIKE A FISCAL NOTE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT KIND OF COST.
YEAH, BECAUSE A BLOCK PARTY IS SOMETHING THAT ANYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY CAN DO, RIGHT? WE COULD ALL FILL OUT THAT BLOCK PARTY FORM, THEY GIVE US SOME BARRIERS, SOME TRASH CANS AND RECYCLING BINS AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT YOU CALL IT A DAY.
LIKE THERE'S NOT TOO MUCH MORE OF TOWN RESOURCES THAT GO INTO IT.
I MEAN YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE THINGS.
WHOEVER SIGNS OFF ON THAT, UM, VERSUS SOMETHING MORE LIKE A CH DAY.
UM, AND THEN WHEN DOES SOMETHING BECOME A TOWN EVENT VERSUS, UM, LIKE AN ELECTED EVENT, LIKE A COUNCIL MEMBER'S EVENT, RIGHT? LIKE I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT TOO WAS AWARD WALK.
UH, THE UH, CHIEF AND UH, DEPUTY CHIEF HAD MADE IT CLEAR THAT THEY WANT TO AND BE IN THE COMMUNITY AND DO THESE THINGS AND SO OFTEN THEY'LL MEET UP WITH A COUNCIL MEMBER, THEY'LL GO TO A SPECIFIC BLOCK AND THEY'LL WALK THAT.
IS THAT AN ELECTED EVENT? BECAUSE YOU'RE USING TOWN RESOURCES AFTER HOURS MOST OF THE TIME BECAUSE TECHNICALLY THEY GET OFF AT FOUR OR FIVE, BUT THEY KNOW THE COMMUNITY CAN'T MEET TILL SIX OR SIX 30.
SO OF THEIR OWN VOLITION THEY DECIDE TO STAY LATER.
AND THEN WHEN WE BRING PUBLIC WORKS, YOU KNOW, SO LIKE THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT VARIATIONS TO ALL OF THAT.
UM, MAYBE WE CAN TRY TO GET SOME QUESTIONS JUST TO START THE CONVERSATION IN A WAY TO PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLARITY AS TO WHAT'S HAZY AND WHAT'S NOT, UM, AND PRESENT THAT AND THEN DISCUSS THAT AND THEN TRY TO PARSE THAT OUT.
DID YOU WANNA COME BACK? AND JUST TO CLARIFY, UM, I HAVE PAGES AND PAGES OF NOTES AND A LOT OF POTENTIAL SUGGESTED LANGUAGE.
SO IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE NOT COMING WITH LANGUAGE, IT'S THAT WE HAVE TOO MUCH LANGUAGE, UM, IS THE PROBLEM.
UM, AND I WANTED TO CLARIFY FOR UH, RESIDENTS AND FOLKS WHO ARE LISTENING, UM, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF LOGISTICS INVOLVED IN THIS BECAUSE OF THE OPEN MEETINGS ACT, WE CAN'T
[00:55:01]
MEET AS A BODY ALL OF US UNLESS IT IS AN OPEN MEETING THAT IS ADVERTISED AND EVERYTHING.SO THERE'S A SMALLER GROUP JUST TO SORT OF TALK THROUGH AND, AND, AND FIGURE OUT THE WORDING OF THINGS.
BUT IN ORDER FOR US ALL TO HAVE A DISCUSSION, THAT'S A MUCH BIGGER UNDERTAKING THAN JUST SORT OF GETTING SOME PIZZAS AND CHATTING ABOUT IT.
SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE LIKE, COULD WE DO A FORM? 'CAUSE WE CAN'T ALL MEET TOGETHER.
IS THERE ANY, UH, PUBLIC INPUT ON THE DISCUSSION? YOUR NAME, YOUR WARD AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES WE CUT.
EXCUSE ME, WHEN DID WE CUT FROM THREE MINUTES TO TWO MINUTES? I'M JUST CURIOUS, HOW HAS THAT CHANGED? OH, WE, WE MADE THE CHANGE FOR THIS SPECIFICALLY FOR TONIGHT.
I MEAN WE GENERALLY RESERVE THE RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING TO TRIM THE TIME IF THE AGENDA LOOKS LONG.
IT JUST MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY'RE PLANNING THEIR COMMENTS.
SO, UM, SO LEILA ZI, WARD ONE, UM, FIRST AND UM, THIS EVENING IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THERE HAVE BEEN ANY NAMES OTHER THAN COUNCIL MEMBER BRINER ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SUBCOMMITTEE.
IT HAS BEEN A MYSTERY SUBCOMMITTEE AND I'M SAYING THAT QUITE OPENLY, SO I HAVE NO IDEA UNTIL THIS EVENING WHO WAS ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
I'M STILL NOT SURE WHAT STAFF MEMBERS ARE ON THIS SUBCOMMITTEE.
THERE IS NO RECORD OF THEIR MEETING, THERE ARE NO NOTES FROM THEIR MEETINGS.
AND I UNDERSTAND AND I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN IN SITUATIONS WHERE INPUT THAT I'VE GIVEN TO APPARENTLY THE SUBCOMMITTEE, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED AN ANSWER, UM, TO INPUT GIVEN.
AND IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE AS A RESIDENT THAT THE SUBCOMMITTEE IS LISTENING TO THE INPUT OF RESIDENTS ON POLICIES.
SO I'M GONNA LEAVE THAT THERE JUST BECAUSE OF THE TWO MINUTE LIMIT.
BUT WITH THIS CONVERSATION, THIS CONVERSATION NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND INCLUDE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS AND IT NEEDS TO INCLUDE COMMUNITY.
AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT I'M SUPPORTING ONE DIRECTION OR ANOTHER, BUT I'LL TELL YOU THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING CONCERN.
UM, AND IT IS LESS ABOUT THE EVENT THAN IT IS ABOUT WHO HOLDS THE EVENT, HOW THEY PUBLICIZE THE EVENT, THE SELFIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVENT, UM, WHETHER OR NOT SOMEBODY IS POPULAR AND THEY GET TO HOLD AN EVENT VERSUS SOMEBODY NOT BEING POPULAR AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY GET TO HOLD AN EVENT.
AND THAT'S A SHAME BECAUSE ALL OF YOU ARE OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS OR OUR MAYOR AND THAT JUST CREATES DISCORD IN COMMUNITY AND IT BECOMES LESS ABOUT WHAT'S BEING OFFERED AND MORE ABOUT WHO WANTS TO CLAIM CREDIT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT BECOMES MORE OF A BUDDY SYSTEM RATHER THAN REACHING OUT AND INVITING COMMUNITY IN.
AND THAT IS ACTUALLY WHAT AFFECTS STAFF, I THINK, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE BECAUSE IT IS A POPULARITY ISSUE OF YOU'LL SUPPORT STAFF WILL SUPPORT ONE, BUT IT'S NOT THE OTHER.
AND THAT BECOMES, THAT BECOMES ONCE AGAIN ANOTHER CONCERN, ANOTHER PROBLEM.
SO THE BEST WAY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE FOR THIS TO BE HANDLED IS HAVE A SPECIAL MEETING ON IT, HAVE THREE, HAVE FIVE, I DON'T CARE, BUT WORK THROUGH THIS.
SOME OF THE, UM, SUGGESTIONS FROM COUNCIL MEMBER FRY I THINK ARE APPROPRIATE.
UM, AND I DON'T WANNA RUN OVER TIME, BUT THERE, THERE MAY BE WAYS TO PARSE THIS, BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING IT'S TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND REALIZE, UM, THAT COMMUNITY EVENTS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE SELF-PROMOTING EVENTS, COMMUNITY EVENTS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN SERVICE OF COMMUNITY.
IS THERE ANY OTHER PUBLIC INPUT ON THIS ITEM? NOT SEEING, OH, GO AHEAD.
WELL, ANYONE CAN HEAR ME NOW? OKAY, STARTING AGAIN.
I AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS PERSON WHO SPOKE ON
[01:00:01]
THE SUBJECT AND I SAY TO COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, UH, MS. BREYER, I AGREE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.CAN YOU PUT IT IN WRITING, GIVE MAYBE THREE OR FOUR MEETINGS, PUBLIC MEETINGS, DISCUSS THE ISSUE AND THEN WRITE OUT WHAT WILL BE VOTED UPON AND THEN PASS THE LAW OR YAY OR NAY.
AND I, WELL, SINCE I HAVE MY TIME, WHY DON'T YOU PUT SOME COUNCIL MEMBER, UH, THIS TOWN'S MONEY TO PAY DOWN YOUR OUTSTANDING PRINCIPAL DEBT SO THAT YOUR LONG-TERM INTEREST IS LOWER.
SO YOU HAVE MORE FOR AS THIS TOWN HAS MORE SPENDING MONEY ON NON-RESTRICTED FUNDS, I THINK.
AND UNLESS THERE'S ANY MORE SURPRISES, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TURNING OFF AND WHATEVER.
SO I THINK, UM, TO MOVE ON FROM THIS ITEM, LET US PUT THE SPECIFIC AGENDA TOPIC.
UH, IT'S SOMETHING LIKE TOWN SUPPORT FOR COUNCIL MEMBER ELECTED OFFICIAL EVENTS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ON AN UPCOMING WORK SESSION AGENDA.
I'M HAPPY TO PUT IT ON FEBRUARY UNLESS MR. GALLOWAY TELLS ME, UH, OR, OR ONE OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS SAYS IT NEEDS TO BE MARCH, BUT I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT BEFORE THE WEATHER GETS WARM BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN MORE EVENTS WILL BE COMING UP.
SO WE CAN PUT A PIN IN IT NOW AT THIS POINT FOR FEBRUARY OR MARCH.
BUT LET US DO IT ONE, HAVE THE FIRST DISCUSSION WITH SOME TEXT TO DISCUSS AT ONE OF THOSE WORK SESSIONS.
LET US MOVE ON NOW TO ITEM EIGHT, THE STRATEGIC PLAN UPDATE.
UH, MR. GALLOWAY, DID YOU WANT TO KICK THIS ONE OFF OR DID YOU WANT ME TO NO, I'LL, I'LL KICK IT OVER TO YOU NOW.
SO, UH, THE TOWN, WE DO HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN.
IT IS ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF OR TWO OLD NOW.
UH, AND, UH, WE ARE IN NEED OF UPDATING IT.
UH, I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT THIS MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND THE PREVIOUS MAYOR AND COUNCIL ACCOMPLISHED QUITE A LOT OF THE ITEMS IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
WE CAN, UH, ELIMINATE SOME OF THOSE BECAUSE THEY WERE ACCOMPLISHED, UH, AND PUT THEM IN THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS SECTION.
UM, I THINK THERE ARE ADDITIONAL ITEMS THAT WOULD NEED TO BE ADDED THAT HAVE COME TO LIGHT OR BEEN BROUGHT TO LIGHT BY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE COMMUNITY, UH, SINCE THAT PLAN WAS WRITTEN, I THINK IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO NOW.
UH, SO, UH, WE NEED SOME SORT OF PROCESS TO CONSIDER THESE ITEMS AND TO DECIDE ON WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO INCLUDE THEM, UH, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO INCLUDE, AND THEN TO INCLUDE THEM AND THEN TO THEN PUT THAT OUT FOR THE TOWN TO VIEW AND DISCUSS TRANSPARENTLY.
UH, SO, UM, I KNOW THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS SHARED WITH MR. GALLOWAY AND I THINK WITH EACH OTHER SOME PRIORITIES, UH, THAT THEY HAD FOR THEM FOR THE TOWN AND FOR THEIR WARD, I THINK ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO NOW.
UM, I'M OPEN TO IDEAS ABOUT WHAT YOU ALL WOULD LIKE TO DO WITH THOSE MOVING FORWARD.
UM, DO WE NEED A SEPARATE, YOU KNOW, SATURDAY MORNING SESSION TO GO OVER THESE OR CAN WE CONSIDER THEM IN WRITING AND TRY TO GET AN UPDATE DONE IN THE SPRING? QUESTION MARK.
THOUGHTS? MR. GALLOWAY? UM, JUMP IN IF YOU, BECAUSE YOU'RE THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL THAT I CAN'T SEE.
SO MY QUESTION IS, WOULD YOU LIKE FOR ME TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE PERSON THAT CREATED THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND HAVE HER COME IN AND DO ANOTHER, UH, COORDINATION WITH THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AND THE COMMUNITY JUST TO KIND OF GIVE IT AN UPDATE, NATIONAL STRATEGIC PLANNER TO SIT DOWN WITH THE COUNCIL FOR A FEW HOURS, UH, AND WORK ON THESE ITEMS. AND AT WHAT POINT, IF YOU DO, AT WHAT POINT DOES IT MAKE SENSE TO DO THAT? UM, COUNCIL, ANY VICE MAYOR YOU WANNA TAKE THE FIRST CRACK ALSO? MAYOR, CAN I, BEFORE SHE DOES, CAN YOU HEAR ME? OH, HERE WE GO.
WENDY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? YEAH.
UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE INSTRUCTIVE TO SEE THE LISTS OF PRIORITIES FOR EACH COUNCIL MEMBER BECAUSE I SUSPECT, UM, THERE IS SOME
[01:05:01]
OVERLAP MM-HMMAND I THINK IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT EASILY RISE TO THE TOP THAT BECOME CLEAR THAT ARE SORT OF SHARED PRIORITIES, THEN MAYBE WE DON'T NEED TO ENGAGE A CONSULTANT OR MAYBE WE DON'T, DON'T NEED TO ENGAGE A CONSULTANT FOR AS LONG IF WE HAVE SOME AGREEMENT OVER WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE.
I WOULD, I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT THE VICE MAYOR SAID AND I, I THINK THERE MIGHT BE A WAY TO DO THIS WITH VERY LIMITED OR NO SORT OF OUTSIDE PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE COUNCIL MEMBER FRY AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER LALO.
UM, I THINK IT'D BE HELPFUL FIRST FOR US TO REVISIT THE STRATEGIC PLAN BECAUSE I THINK THE OVERARCHING GOALS, MISSION VALUES THAT THE COMMUNITY CAME UP WITH WHEN WE FIRST STARTED THE STRATEGIC PLAN WAS STILL KIND OF THE OVERALL MISSION.
I THINK SOME OF THE PRIORITIES AND THAT'S KIND OF MORE PROJECTS THAT WE ARE, WE ARE ALL TRYING TO FINISH AND TRY TO GET ACCOMPLISHED.
I THINK SOME OF THOSE HAVE BEEN STARTED OR WELL UNDERWAY ARE ALMOST DONE.
AND SO IN THAT SENSE, I THINK THE NEW PRIORITIES THAT HAVE COME THROUGH, WE HAVE NEW MEMBERS AND UM, AS OLD PRIORITIES COME OFF THE LIST, I THINK THAT COULD THEN BE KIND OF ADDED TO SEE.
SO LIKE, LET'S, LET'S TAKE A LOOK, SEE WHAT WE'VE DONE, THAT CAN ACTUALLY COME OFF.
UM, BUT KEEPING IN MIND THE WHOLE VALUE.
'CAUSE I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO GO THROUGH A WHOLE OTHER, LIKE WHAT ARE OUR MISSION, OUR VALUE, OUR CORE MM-HMM
YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE THOSE ARE I THINK, OVERARCHING, UM, AND THE COMMUNITY TOOK A LOT OF TIME TO, TO PUT THAT INPUT IN THERE.
BUT I DO THINK REVISITING WHAT OUR PRIORITIES IN THE SENSE OF PROJECTS, UM, AND THINGS THAT FOR THE TOWN, I THINK THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING WE SHOULD REVISIT OR LOOK AT AS WE'RE LOOKING AT THE STRATEGIC PLAN BEFORE WE ENGAGE ANYBODY.
LET'S US GO TO, OKAY, LET'S GO TO MR. GALLOWAY FIRST AND THEN COUNCIL MEMBER LELO.
HI MAYOR AND COUNSEL, CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, SIR.
SO I THOUGHT THAT WOW, ONE OF THE REASONS OF HAVING THIS DISCUSSION WAS TO KIND OF GET PRIORITIES FOR THIS UPCOMING CALENDAR YEAR AND PRIORITIES THAT I CAN TAKE DOWN TO ANNAPOLIS, UM, TO MAKE SPECIAL REQUESTS OR SPECIALIZED DURING THIS UM, SESSION OF, UH, THE, THE, THE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.
SO, YOU KNOW, I, I KIND OF THOUGHT THAT WE WERE TRYING TO GET PRIORITIES FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR AND FOR, YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES COULD OF, WOULD POTENTIALLY BE OKAY.
UH, THAT IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE STRATEGIC PLAN, OR IT'S BROADER OR, BUT ALSO DIFFERENT THAN THAT, JOHN.
UM, SO YES, I, PICKING UP ON THAT COMMENT, I WOULD SAY THAT MY INTERPRETATION OF A STRATEGIC PLAN IS MORE OF A 10,000 FOOT VIEW OF WHAT YOU'RE HOPING TO ACCOMPLISH.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T WANT TO GET BOGGED DOWN INTO THE SPECIFICS OF WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH X, Y, AND Z.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO JUST LOOK AT WHAT IS IT WE'RE HOPING TO LOOK, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, THAT KIND OF THING.
AND SO TO NOT GET INTO THE WEEDS AND WE WANT TO JUST STAND AT THE TOP OF THE TREES, THAT IS MY GOAL OF WHAT A STRATEGIC PLAN SHOULD LOOK LIKE FOR THE TOWN.
AND, AND I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY ALL IN AGREEMENT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER FRY THAT WHAT WE HAVE, THE STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE'VE ALREADY ADOPTED IS PROBABLY STILL 75%.
RIGHT? AND SO IT IS A MATTER OF TWEAKING SOME OF THOSE ITEMS. UM, WE CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT, AND I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO DO THAT IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR.
THAT DOES NOT SOLVE THE ANNAPOLIS RIDDLE THOUGH.
UM, AND, UH, FOR THE ANYONE THAT COULDN'T HEAR MR. GALLOWAY WAS SIMPLY SAYING THAT HE IS HOPING VERY QUICKLY FOR THIS COUNCIL AND MAYOR TO CLARIFY WHAT OUR MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY PRIORITIES ARE AND COUNTY PRIORITIES IF THEY'RE RELEVANT FOR THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR.
COUNSEL, ANY FURTHER INPUT AT THIS POINT? MAYOR, MR. TANZI? UM, WELL, I THINK, UH, WE COULD TRY TO GO OVER THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND TALK ABOUT LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
[01:10:01]
AS A STEP ONE THAT ALLOWS US TO DO THE 30,000 FOOT VIEW, BUT ALSO SEE IF ANY OF THOSE OBVIOUSLY TRANSLATE INTO LEGISLATIVE REQUESTS, UM, QUICKLY.AND, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT'S A SPECIAL SESSION OR WHAT, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT, UH, IT DOES SEEM LIKE WE DON'T WANT TO JUST KICK THAT TO THE NEXT MEETING.
'CAUSE TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE FOR THIS.
AND THEN HOPEFULLY THAT DISCRETION LEADS TO A SENSE OF HOW MUCH WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE, HOW MUCH OF THE 30,000 FOOT VIEW IS ALREADY DONE, AND HOW MUCH IS, UH, ITEM SIZEABLE AND, UM, NEEDS TO BE UPDATED SINCE WE HAVE SOME PRETTY BIG THINGS LIKE THE INTENTION TO ANNEX THE CHEVROLET HILL DEVELOPMENT.
LIKE THAT KIND OF STUFF NEEDS TO BE ROLLED IN.
UM, AND I DO THINK WE PROBABLY WANT TO COME UP WITH SOME LANGUAGE TO SAY WHAT OUR, WHAT OUR GOAL IS AND THAT, AND WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, FOR THAT, UH, ANNEXATION, ET CETERA.
ALSO, JUST TO COMMENT, WOULD IT NOT BE THE, UH, PRIOR PRIORITIES THAT WE INDIVIDUALLY SUBMITTED TO, UH, MR. GALLOWAY? WOULD THAT NOT THEN ENCOMPASS, UH, WHAT HE SHOULD PROBABLY LOOK AT GOING TO ANNAPOLIS, UM, TO GO FORTH? I DON'T KNOW IF WE PUT THAT ALL THOSE IN ONE DOCUMENT.
I DON'T HAVE IT IN FRONT OF ME RIGHT NOW, UNFORTUNATELY.
BUT DIDN'T WE DO THAT, UH, LATE LAST YEAR AS A WHOLE? MAYBE WE CAN TAKE THAT DOCUMENT, REVISIT THAT AS A WHOLE PLACE, AND SOME OF THAT STUFF.
PROBABLY IT WILL BE PART OF THE, THE BIGGER PICTURE AS WELL, I WOULD THINK.
I THINK, UH, WE CAN PROBABLY CONSOLIDATE THOSE EMAILS AND THOSE LISTS IN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE DAYS.
WE MAY HAVE SOME FREE TIME THIS WEEKEND, UH, WHERE WE'RE TRAPPED INSIDE, THOSE ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE TRAPPED INSIDE ANYWAY.
UM, UH, WE CAN PROBABLY DO THAT PRETTY QUICKLY AND THEN MAYBE WE CAN, UH, IDENTIFY A COUPLE AREAS, UH, YOU KNOW, THROUGH INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS, UM, RATHER THAN, AS MR. TANZI SAID, NOT WAITING, OR RATHER THAN WAITING UNTIL FEBRUARY 12TH WHEN OUR NEXT MEETING IS, UM, MS. VICE MAYOR.
UM, I WANNA JUST HEAD THIS OFF AT THE PASS AND SAY THAT WE SHOULD PROBABLY ALSO CONSIDER, UM, WHERE COMMUNITY HAS INPUT AND WHETHER OUR CONSTITUENTS HAVE, UH, A SAY IN WHAT WE'RE SAYING ARE OUR PRIORITIES, UM, BOTH LEGISLATIVELY AND WITHIN TOWN.
UH, YES, WE ARE UNDER THE TIME CRUNCH FOR ANNAPOLIS, BUT CERTAINLY MORE BROADLY, YES.
UM, MR. GALLOWAY, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT PLAN? I THINK IT INVOLVES A LOT OF, UM, WORK BEHIND THE SCENES, WHICH I'M HA HAPPY TO HELP YOU WITH AND A LOT OF, UH, CONVERSATIONS BY TELEPHONE IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS.
UH, JUST PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NEXT FEW DAYS WILL BE CHAOTIC WITH THE, UM, THING.
WITH NOTHING REALLY CONCRETE, UH, IN FRONT OF US.
IS THERE ANY, UH, RESIDENT INPUT, COMMUNITY INPUT ON TOWN PRIORITIES BROADLY? I GUESS YOU MIGHT SAY NAME WARD, AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
UM, I, I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'VE GATHERED PRIORITIES AT THE END OF THE YEAR, UM, AND TO PUT THOSE FORWARD.
AND, UM, I ALSO APPRECIATE VICE MAYOR, UM, TALKING ABOUT SHARING THOSE WITH COMMUNITY.
MY BROADER, UM, POINT IS I UNDERSTAND THAT THOSE AT THE DIOCESE MIGHT FEEL THAT THE STRATEGIC PLAN IS UNDERSTOOD, AND THE BROAD OVERVIEW IS UNDERSTOOD.
I WILL REMIND EVERYONE THAT THAT STRATEGIC PLAN HAD ACTUALLY VERY LIMITED RESIDENT INVOLVEMENT.
UM, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS HAD LIMITED INVOLVEMENT IN THAT, AND IT OCCURRED DURING THE PANDEMIC.
AND THERE'S BEEN, THERE'S BEEN A LOT THAT HAS HAPPENED SINCE THEN.
AND IF YOU'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING FOR A STRONG, UM, STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS, YOU NEED TO, YOU NEED TO NOT ASSUME THAT, UM, THAT EVERYTHING IS KNOWN AND YOU JUST NEED TO GO ON WITH YOUR PLANNING DETAILS.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY THOUGHT.
[01:15:02]
I THINK WE'VE EXPERIENCED A LOT OVER THAT TIME,AND I DO THINK WE, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING ELSE WE, I I DO THINK WE NEED TO GO BACK TO GO BACK TO THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND LOOK AT IT AT AN UPCOMING WORK SESSION AS TO WHAT WE ARE ADOPTING AS PRIORITIES, UH, VERSUS NOT, NOT ALL PRIORITIES GO INTO THE STRATEGIC PLAN, BUT, UM, I EXPECT THAT THIS WILL APPEAR ON AN UPCOMING WORK SESSION AGAIN.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COUNSEL OR COMMUNITY? OKAY.
I THINK THIS TAKES US TO THE, UM, GENERAL ASSEMBLY DISCUSSION.
SO, UM, MY, SO FIRST BEFORE WE START, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT COUNCIL MEMBERS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO RI TO BRING TO THE TABLE ANY OTHER BILLS THAT THEY MIGHT BE CONSIDERING.
AND AS I HAD, UH, I'LL, YOU KNOW, I'LL TELL EVERYONE I HAD ASKED COUNCIL, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BRING A BILL TO THE TABLE, SO TO SPEAK, TO HAVE THE COUNCIL CONSIDER THE TOWN PUBLICLY SUPPORTING.
PLEASE BRING A COPY OF THE BILL, BRING THE FISCAL NOTE, BRING WHATEVER YOU HAVE, AND WE CAN DISCUSS IT NOW.
SO I KNOW THAT THE BOTTLE BILL IS ONE OF THOSE.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER THAT ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO DISCUSS TONIGHT? VICE MAYOR, I HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION, WHICH IS, UM, IS IT, UM, OH, NOT OKAY, OKAY.
BUT, UM, WOULD IT BE PRUDENT FOR THE TOWN TO ADVOCATE FOR A BILL IF THAT BILL IS NOT BEING ADVOCATED FOR OR BEING OPPOSED BY MML? BECAUSE I KNOW THAT MML HAS A STRONG FEELING THAT P-G-C-M-A SHOULD NOT, UH, SUPPORT OR OPPOSE BILLS THAT ARE NOT SUPPORTED OR OPPOSED BY MML.
DOES THAT HOLD FOR MUNICIPALITIES AS WELL? OR CAN WE SORT OF, UH, GO ROGUE ON THAT? YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK CLEARLY THE ANSWER IS WE CAN DO WHATEVER WE WANT.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT, WE'VE NEVER AGREED TO SEED ANY OF OUR, UM, MORAL OR LEGAL AUTHORITY TO MML.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH P-G-C-M-A IS, IS AS A CHAPTER.
UH, WE ARE NOT A CHAPTER OF MML, WE'RE A, A DUES PAYING MEMBER.
UM, AND SO I THINK IT'S GREAT.
I THINK, I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD SUPPORT OR OPPOSE A BILL WITHOUT CHECKING TO KNOW IF, IF MML, UH, OR IF MML HAS TAKEN A POSITION ON IT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, UH, THAT'S, I THINK THAT'S JUST KIND OF INFORMATIONAL.
UM, AND, AND IT WOULD MATTER TO ME AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL TO KNOW THAT, BUT IT WOULD NOT DECIDE THE QUESTION FOR ME, MR. LALO.
UH, I AM SURE THAT THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION WILL BE REVEALED FORTHWITH.
UM, BUT SO WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT I WAS APPROACHED BY FORMER COUNCIL MEMBER COOLEN TO, UH, BRING THIS BOTTLE BILL TO THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL, JUST AGAIN FOR AN INFORMATIONAL DISCUSSION, SO THAT WE COULD COLLECTIVELY AS MAYOR AND COUNCIL COME UP WITH A, WHETHER OR NOT WE WANTED TO TAKE A POSITION ON THAT.
AND SO, WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO, I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE MARTHA AINSWORTH, WHO CAN COME TO THE PODIUM AND GIVE US A BRIEF COUPLE OF MINUTE DISCUSSION ON THE BOTTLE BILL, WHICH IS CURRENTLY MAKING ITS WAY IN THE MARYLAND LEGISLATURE.
STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
HI, I'M MARTHA AINSWORTH, AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE MARYLAND.
THE, IS, IS THE GREEN LIGHT ON? NO, IT'S BETTER NOW.
I'M MARTHA AINSWORTH AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE MARYLAND SIERRA CLUB ZERO WASTE TEAM.
AND, UH, PROUD TO BE LEADING A COALITION OF ABOUT TWO DOZEN ENVIRONMENTAL, ENVIRONMENTAL
UM, SO I'M HERE TO ASK THE CITY FOR SUPPORT, UM, FOR THIS MAR IT'S CALLED THE MARYLAND BEVERAGE CONTAINER RECYCLING REFUND AND LITTER REDUCTION PROGRAM.
UM, IT'S ALSO KNOWN AS THE MARYLAND BOTTLE BILL.
WE JUST GOT THE NUMBER AND WE JUST LEARNED THAT OUR HEARING IS FEBRUARY 11TH, WEDNESDAY, RIGHT,
UM, SO TOMORROW WE'RE GONNA START DISCUSSING, DISCUSSING THAT HEARING.
SO I'M HERE TO, UM, SOLICIT, UH, YOUR SUPPORT, UH, FOR THE BILL.
AND I DO HAVE A LIST OF MUNICIPALITIES THAT HAVE SUPPORTED IT IN THE PAST, AND WE EXPECT BOTH.
AND THE MML AND THE PRINCE GEORGE'S ASSOCIATION HAVE ALL SUPPORTED THIS.
[01:20:01]
UM, THE OBJECTIVE OF THE MARYLAND, UM, BOTTLE BILL IS TO REDUCE LITTERED BEVERAGE CONTAINERS AND PLASTIC POLLUTION.UM, THERE ARE ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF BILLION BEVERAGE CONTAINERS SOLD IN MARYLAND EVERY YEAR, AND ONLY ABOUT A QUARTER OF THEM ARE GETTING CAPTURED FOR RECYCLING.
SO EVERY YEAR, A LITTLE MORE THAN, AND IT'S GROWING OVER TIME.
OF COURSE, MORE THAN 4 BILLION CONTAINERS ARE BEING LEFT IN THE ENVIRONMENT, EITHER IN THE LANDFILL, INCINERATORS, OR AS LITTER.
AND WE KNOW THAT IN THE ENVIRONMENT, ESPECIALLY THE LITTERED PLASTIC BECOMES MICROPLASTICS.
AND WE'VE HAD SOME PRETTY ALARMING NEWS ABOUT MICROPLASTICS AND NANOPLASTICS IN OUR OWN BODIES THIS LAST YEAR.
A LOT OF RESEARCH COMING OUT IS ALL WE'VE KNOWN IS BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT FOR A LONG TIME.
UM, AND, AND ALL THAT WASTED MATERIAL, ALL THE WASTED RESOURCES COULD HAVE BECOME NEW, NEW PRODUCTS.
SO THE PROGRAM THAT WE'RE PROPOSING WILL REDUCE BEVERAGE CONTAINER LITTER AND PLASTIC POLLUTION BY CAPTURING AT LEAST 90% OF SINGLE USE BEVERAGE CONTAINERS SOLD ANNUALLY, ANNUALLY IN THE STATE.
AND THEY'LL EITHER BE REUSED OR RECYCLED.
AND SO, HOW DOES THIS WORK? I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU COLLECTED BOTTLES WHEN YOUR WERE KIDS OKAY.
IT'S THE SAME THING, BUT AT THAT TIME, IT WAS THE BEVERAGE COMPANIES WHO TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT.
'CAUSE THEY NEEDED THE BOTTLES BACK TO WASH AND REUSE THEM.
BUT WE NOW, WE HAVE SINGLE, SINGLE USE BOTTLES, AND THIS HAS CREATED A HUGE LITTER AND, AND, UH, DISPOSAL PROBLEM, UH, FOR, FOR TAXPAYERS.
SO THE, A SMALL REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT BE PLACED ON THE SALE OF GLASS, PLASTIC AND ALL, AND ME AND METAL BEVERAGE CONTAINERS.
AND THE DEPOSITS REFUNDED, UH, WHEN, WHEN THEIR CONTAINERS ARE RETURNED TO A CONVENIENT RETAILER OR REDEMPTION FACILITY FOR RECYCLING.
IN THIS CASE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT REVERSE VENDING MACHINES OR BACKDROP, AND YOU ALL CAN ASK QUESTIONS AT THE END IF YOU WANT, ABOUT THE DEFINITIONS OF THAT.
BUT THINK OF THIS AS BUYING THE BEVERAGE AND BORROWING THE CONTAINER.
UM, THE PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED AND FINANCED BY BEVERAGE PRODUCERS THROUGH A NONPROFIT STEWARDSHIP ORGANIZATION WITH STRONG OVERSIGHT FROM THE MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR IMPLEMENTING OR ENFORCING THE PROGRAM AND WILL REALIZE COST SAVINGS IN ADDITION TO LESS LITTER.
AND I KNOW NEXT TO THE ANACOSTIA RIVER, YOU UNDERSTAND THIS PROBLEM, RIGHT? I'M PICKING UP A LOT OF TRASH FROM THERE.
SO, THE DEPOSIT PROGRAMS LIKE THIS ARE THE GOLD STANDARD FOR REDUCING LITTER.
WHEN YOU SIGN A VALUE TO A USED CONTAINER, PEOPLE DON'T TOSS THEM IN THE TRASH, AND THEY DON'T TOSS THEM OUT THE WINDOW, AND OTHER PEOPLE PICK THEM UP AND EARN MONEY.
THEY'VE BEEN OPERATING IN 10 US STATES FOR DECADES, AND THEY'RE SPREADING ACROSS THE GLOBE AS THE MAJOR INTERVENTION TO PREVENT PLASTIC POLLUTION FROM THE WATER BOTTLES.
SO IF PASSED IN 2026, THIS BILL WOULD GO, THE PROGRAM WOULD GO INTO EFFECT IN 2029.
IT WOULD DIVERT AN ADDITIONAL 3.6 BILLION BEVERAGE CONTAINERS FROM THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUALLY.
2.3 BILLION OF THEM ARE PLASTIC BOTTLES.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WILL REALIZE COST SAVINGS FROM LESS MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE, UM, AS PEOPLE STOP TRASHING USED CONTAINERS AND REDEEM THEM FOR THE REFUND.
AND THE STEWARDSHIP ORGANIZATION OF PRODUCERS WILL COLLECT TRANSPORT AND PROCESS THE REDEEM CONTAINERS.
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS WILL ALSO HAVE LESS SLITTER TO PICK UP.
THE PUBLIC HAS EXPRESSED OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR THIS BILL.
WE ACTUALLY COMMISSIONED, WE ACTUALLY COMMISSIONED A, UH, SURVEY, PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY LAST YEAR, 811, UM, TAXPAYER, NOT TAXPAYERS, REGISTERED VOTERS ACROSS THE STATE.
91% WOULD SUPPORT A MARYLAND BOTTLE BILL WITH A 10 CENT DEPOSIT.
I WASN'T EVEN EXPECTING IT TO BE THAT HIGH.
WE TOLD 'EM IT WOULD BE A 10 CENT DEPOSIT AND BE FINANCED BY BEVERAGE PRODUCERS, NOT TAXPAYERS.
SO IN 20 I, WE HAD MAJOR MOMENTUM IN 2025, I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU, THE BILL RECEIVED SUPPORT FROM THE MARYLAND MUNICIPAL LEAGUE.
DID A LOT OF CALCULATIONS OF OTHER SAVINGS,
OF COURSE, THERE'S WEAR AND TEAR ON YOUR MACHINERY AND THAT KIND OF THING TOO, THAT WE COULDN'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT.
UM, IT, AND, AND ALSO WITH THIS GREAT, UH, POLL, IT PASSED THE ENVIRONMENT AND TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE ON THE HOUSE SIDE ON A VOTE OF 17 TO SIX.
IT STOPPED THERE, WAS ASSIGNED TO TWO COMMITTEES.
IT STOPPED AT THE ECONOMIC MATTERS COMMITTEE.
UM, AND SO WE NEED TO GET PASSED THERE.
THEIR LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN COMPLETELY SWITCHED OUT FOR THIS COMING
SO, UM, IN, IN 2026, WE NEED TO GET IT THROUGH THE, UM, THROUGH THAT SECOND COMMITTEE AND THROUGH THE SENATE.
UM, SO WE'D REALLY BE GRATEFUL.
UM, LET ME JUST TELL YOU THE BOTTOM LINE HERE THAT WE HOPE WE CAN GET ACROSS TO, TO, TO THE LEGISLATORS.
WE HAVE A MAJOR LITTER IN PLASTIC POLLUTION PROBLEM, A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SOLUTION
[01:25:01]
THAT MAKES THE BEVERAGE PRODUCERS RESPONSIBLE FOR FIXING IT.THE PROGRAM'S BUDGET NEUTRAL AND HAS OVERWHELMING PUBLIC SUPPORT.
SO WHY ARE WE WAITING? THAT WAS THE MESSAGE I GAVE THEM AT THE LAST, LAST SESSION'S HEARING.
SO IF YOU COULD HELP US GET THE MARYLAND BOTTLE BILL ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, UH, WE'D BE REALLY GRATEFUL.
OUR MOTTO IS, EARN CASH FOR TRASH AND LOSE LITTER
AND WE HAVE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NOTICED, BUT I'M WEARING BOTTLE BILL EARRINGS TODAY.
UM, LET ME JUST SAY, THE MUNICIPALITIES HAVE SUPPORTED THE BILL INDIVIDUALLY.
IN ADDITION, YOU KNOW, TO MML, BOWIE, BRENTWOOD COLLEGE PARK, GREENBELT, HYATTSVILLE, RIVERDALE PARK, LAUREL, AND THEN OUTSIDE OF THIS COUNTY, FREDERICK GAITHERSBURG, FAIRMONT BRUNSWICK, CAMBRIDGE, POMO CITY, ANNAPOLIS, AND OF COURSE THE CITY OF BALTIMORE, WHICH IS KIND OF A CITY AND A COUNTY
SO, UM, I'D BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I THINK WHAT, IN THE SHORT RUN, WHAT WE WOULD REALLY LOVE TO SEE IS LIKE JUST A LETTER OF SUPPORT MM-HMM
THAT COULD BE SUBMITTED AS TESTIMONY FOR THE HEARING ON THE 11TH.
THE SENATE BILL DOESN'T HAVE, IS JUST FILED YESTERDAY.
IT DOESN'T HAVE A NUMBER YET, BUT WE'LL, SHORTLY, WE COULD DO THE SAME LETTER THERE.
AND WE DO HAVE EXAMPLES OF LETTERS FROM OTHER MUNICIPALITIES, IF THAT'S HELPFUL.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE SIERRA CLUB COUNCIL MEMBER FRY? I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
UM, I WAS FORTUNATE TO TAKE A RIDE WITH THE ANACOSTIA RIVER KEEPERS LAST FALL, I THINK, UM, WITH ONE OF THE PROGRAMS I WAS DOING WITH THE NEWLY AMERICAN ELECTED LEADERS.
UM, AND IT WAS ACTUALLY REALLY DISGUSTING TO GO THROUGH THE ANACOSTIA TO SEE, UM, ALL THE WAY FROM DC ALL THE WAY UP TO THE WATERFRONT, UM, THE BLADENSBURG WATERFRONT, JUST HOW MANY BOTTLES AND JUST, AND THIS WAS AFTER A RAIN TOO.
SO ONE DAY IT WAS KIND OF SPRINKLING, AND THE NEXT DAY WE, WE SAW ANOTHER PART OF THE RIVER.
AND, UM, HE WAS EXPLAINING JUST AFTER A WATER TOO, BECAUSE THINGS FLOW DOWN AND, BUT IT, IT IS JUST AN IMMENSE AMOUNT.
NOT ONLY THAT, I THINK FOLKS WHO'VE EVER CLEANED UP ALL ALONG 2 95 OR 50, YOU'VE SEEN HOW MANY BOTTLES MM-HMM
YOU END UP, YOU KNOW, PICKING UP AND IT'LL BE BAGS AND BAGS AND, AND BAGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, 50 BIG BLACK GARBAGE BAGS FULL OF.
AND THEN A COUPLE WEEKS LATER, THEY'RE STILL LITTERED ABOUT EVERYWHERE.
UM, AND SO JUST THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK ON THIS.
UM, I THINK THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE A REALLY, UM, INTENTIONAL AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORT FOR ALL OF US.
UH, AND THE MORE AWARENESS WE CAN SPREAD ABOUT IT, I THINK THE BETTER.
UH, IF THERE'S NOTHING FURTHER FROM THE COUNCIL RIGHT NOW, DID YOU HAVE SOMETHING? I JUST WASN'T SURE IF WE'RE GOING TO VOTE OR, OR WHAT THE MECHANISM WOULD BE? I THINK WE, I THINK WE WILL.
I DON'T SEE WHY WE WOULDN'T SUPPORT IT.
HERE, SEEING NOTHING ELSE RIGHT NOW, IS THERE ANY, UM, ANYONE ELSE WANT TO BRIEFLY, UM,
I LIVE IN THE GREAT WARD TWO, ALONG WITH OUR MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBER IC, WHO I WANNA THANK FOR, FOR BRINGING THIS FORWARD WITH ALL OF THE BAD NEWS THAT WE ARE SEEING EVERY DAY AND THE FEELING OF HELPLESSNESS.
THIS IS A WONDERFUL WAY THAT THE TOWN CAN WEIGH IN ON SOMETHING THAT TANGIBLY AFFECTS US.
IT AFFECTS OUR HEALTH AND INFECT OUR ENVIRONMENT.
IT HELPS WITH LITTER ISSUES, AND IT'S A REALLY MUCH BETTER WAY OF HANDLING THE BOTTLES THAT WE'RE USING.
THINK ABOUT ALSO, WHEN YOU GO OUT TO LUNCH OR YOU'RE OUT SHOPPING AND YOU HAVE A BOTTLE OF SOMETHING, WHETHER IT'S WATER OR SODA OR WHATEVER, AND YOU THINK THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO RECYCLE THE BOTTLE, WHERE DOES IT GO? LIKELY INTO, INTO TRASH, INTO LANDFILL, AND WE CAN PUT IT AWAY.
MARTHA HAS, UM, A CHART THAT TALKS ABOUT THE TIPPING FEE OF THE TOWN.
IF YOU DON'T MIND HER APPROACHING THE DEUS, I WOULD LOVE FOR HER TO SHOW YOU HOW MUCH THE TOWN CAN SAVE IF PEOPLE ARE DOING THIS AND RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THEY WOULD.
AND THE OTHER THING THAT I'D LIKE TO MENTION IS THAT, YES, THE HEARING IS ON FEBRUARY 11TH, THAT'S TWO WEEKS AWAY, BUT ON MARCH 23RD, WHATEVER ISN'T PASSED IS DEAD.
SO THE TOWN DOES HAVE TO REALLY RESPOND RATHER QUICKLY TO GET, UM, ANY KIND OF SAY IN.
AND LASTLY, OUR NEIGHBOR AND THE, AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF THE SENATE, MALCOLM
[01:30:01]
AUGUSTINE PROUDLY IS, HE'S THE SPON, IS HE SPONSORING SPONSOR? HE'S THE SPONSOR OF THE SENATE BILL.SO, UM, IT'S TIME FOR CHEVROLET TO JOIN EVERYBODY ELSE AND SUPPORT THIS BILL.
DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO USE YOUR WHOLE TIME, IF YOU'D LIKE TO JUST SAY DITTO.
YOUR NAME AND WORD FROM, UH, WORD WIDE.
AND JUST TO REITERATE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT SOME GREAT EFFORTS.
GABE LER FOR ONE, HAS LED CLEANUPS THAT HAVE BEEN OVER AND OVER THE ROUTE 50, UM, EXIT, UM, TO CH AND THE OTHER THING IS WE COULD SHOW YOU TONS OF PHOTOS JUST FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO A CABIN BRANCH RIGHT ABOVE BOYD PARK, THE LARGE TREES FALL IN AND THEY BECOME, THEY, THEY CREATED A, A CATCHMENT.
IF WE COULD GET DOWN TO IT, WE COULD PULL 'EM OUT.
THIS IS AN AWESOME OPPORTUNITY AS, UM, MS. COOLIN NOTED TO TAKE POSITIVE ACTION WITH OUR NEIGHBORS AND THE STATE TO GIVE US A, UM, A WIN.
I'M GONNA KEEP THIS REALLY SHORT.
UM, THERE'S AN ADDED, UM, OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TOWN.
THERE IS NO OBLIGATION FOR THE TOWN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE GATHERING OF THESE BOTTLES, BUT YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO SET UP YOUR OWN REDEMPTION, UM, CENTER AND RECEIVE A HANDLING FEE FOR RETURN CONTAINERS.
UM, AND IF BY SOME STRANGE SITUATION THAT YOU ARE ECONOMICALLY NEGATIVELY IMPACTED, UM, THERE IS FUNDING IN THE FIRST THREE YEARS TO PROVIDE COMPENSATION, UM, THROUGH THIS TRANSITION.
AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IN THE ETHIC OF CH YOU KNOW, WE OF, OF SUPPORTING PEOPLE COMING AND DOING RIGHT BY WITHIN COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO STEP FORWARD AND HAVE ANOTHER USE OF, UM, THE PUBLIC WORKS, UM, FACILITY AND SURROUNDING TO BE ABLE TO, UM, FACILITATE THAT.
SO I STRONGLY ASK, UM, THAT YOU STEP FORWARD, UM, IN SUPPORT OF THIS.
UM, I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO ALSO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE CHERISH BILL.
I, I KNOW THAT JAZZ LEWIS WAS GOING TO BE BRINGING THAT FORWARD, BUT SINCE HE HAS NOW STEPPED AWAY, UM, AND I'D LIKE TO SPEAK MORE ON THAT AT A, AT A FUTURE, FUTURE TIME.
AND THAT IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE BILL THAT WILL HAVE MDE, UM, DO MORE TO MAKE SURE THAT HIGH POLLUTERS, UM, AIR QUALITY IS, HAS PAID CLOSER ATTENTION TO, AND THAT WE, UM, HAVE THE HEARINGS AND THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT TO LOOK AT THE CUMULATIVE IMPACTS.
SO IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT BILL AS WELL.
AND I THINK, UM, I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO WANTS TO, UH, HAVE THE COUNSEL CONSIDER ANY OTHER BILL, ANY ADDITIONAL BILLS, UH, PLEASE WORK THROUGH YOUR COUNCIL MEMBER AND WE COULD CERTAINLY DISCUSS THEM ON FEBRUARY 12TH, RECOGNIZING THAT THE SAN THAT IN THE TIME IS SLIPPING THROUGH THE HOURGLASS IN ANNAPOLIS.
UM, CAN I JUST GET CLAR CLARITY ON WHAT, WHAT WE'RE DOING IN SUPPORT OF, SO ARE WE GONNA WRITE A LETTER? YEAH, SO I, UM, I THINK WHAT I WOULD DO IS ASK YOU TO MAKE A MOTION TO EMPOWER ME TO SIGN A LETTER, UH, IN S UH, AN URGING ADOPTION OF H HB 3, 3 1.
AND YOU PROBABLY SHOULD GIVE ME A DEADLINE BY WHICH TO SEND THAT, UH, TO, IT WOULD BE EVERYBODY, IT WOULD BE FROM US.
WE'RE NOT SIGNING ONTO A LETTER WITH A BUNCH OF LIST OF CORRECT.
IT WOULD BE FROM, IT WOULD BE THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF CHEVROLET, I THINK IS WHAT I WOULD ASK YOU FOR.
AND THEN I GUESS MY OTHER QUESTION WOULD BE, WOULD WE BE ABLE TO INCLUDE THIS LIKE IN OUR LETTER, JUST AS AN EXAMPLE OF LIKE HOW MUCH, UM, LIKE THERE'S THE FINANCIAL KIND OF BENEFITS OF THAT, JUST SO THAT, UM, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S GOOD EVIDENCE OR DATA.
OH, AND LASTLY, IF WE ARE GONNA SUPPORT THIS, I ALSO THINK IT'D BE GREAT TO REACH OUT TO THE BOY SCOUTS AND GIRL SCOUTS OUT HERE BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES THEIR PROJECTS INCLUDE THINGS, UM, ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND IF WE DO END UP WITH SOME SORT OF MACHINE ON SITE, I COULD SEE THAT BEING SOMETHING THAT THEY GO OUT AND WANNA DO.
UM, YEAH, SO THAT'S JUST A FUTURE THOUGHT.
[01:35:01]
ALRIGHT.UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LALO HECK, I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE THAT THE MAYOR IS EMPOWERED TO DRAFT A LETTER IN SUPPORT OF HB 3, 3, 1 WITH ANY SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AS PROVIDED BY THE SIERRA CLUB TO BE SIGNED AND SUBMITTED IN SUPPORT OF THIS BILL AHEAD OF THE FEBRUARY 11 HEARING, CORRECT? SECOND, IT'S BEEN, UH, MOTION BY, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER LELO HECK, IT'S BEEN SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER.
WADE, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION IN THE COUNCIL, COUNCIL MEMBER FRY? SORRY.
AND I JUST WANNA MAKE IT CLEAR WE ARE PUTTING THIS IN FOR COMMENT.
IF ONE OF US IS NOT GOING TO BE ACTUALLY READING THIS INCIDENT.
YES, IT'LL BE SUBMITTED FOR WRITTEN TESTIMONY.
AND THEN I THINK WE COULD COM WE COULD COORDINATE AMONG THE EIGHT OF US WHO, IF ANYONE IS ABLE TO ATTEND ON THE 11TH.
SO WE CAN DO THAT, UH, NEXT WEEK PROBABLY, BUT WE WILL GET THE LETTER INTO THE COMMITTEE CLERK, UM, YOU KNOW, SO THAT IT'S IN THE PACKET FOR THE 11TH FOR THE LAWMAKERS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM THE COUNCIL? HEARING NONE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE AYES HAVE IT.
UM, THAT IS, THIS IS GONNA BE AWESOME.
WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO ITEM 10, WHICH IS THE COMPOST PROGRAM.
AND I THINK THE LEAD FOR THIS GOES TO MR. BRAMAN AND MR. GALLOWAY.
MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AS YOU ALL KNOW, UM, WE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN A COMPOSTING PROGRAM FOR SOME TIME NOW.
I'M GOING TO KICK IT OVER TO DIRECTOR BRAMAN SO THAT HE CAN GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF THE BACKGROUND AND THEN HE WILL TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO MS. PROM FOR SOME OF THE MORE SPECIFICS.
UH, YOU ALL SHOULD HAVE A, UH, A DOCUMENT THAT KIND OF OUTLINES, UH, THE DIRECTION IN WHICH, UH, WE WILL BE ASKING THIS EVENING.
SO, UH, MR. BRAMAN, IF YOU WILL, THANK YOU MR. GALLOWAY.
UM, AND PARDON ME FOR THIS, BUT MS. PROM AND I ACTUALLY REVERSED THAT ORDER, UM, AND, AND PREPPING FOR THIS.
SO, UH, MS. PROM HAS, UH, PUT TOGETHER AND MANAGED THIS PROGRAM, UH, ALONG WITH WHAT IT ACTUALLY CAME OUT OF THE TOWN OF EDMONDSON.
BUT I'D LIKE TO GIVE HER A CHANCE TO JUST GIVE A QUICK OVERVIEW AGAIN, OF THE PROGRAM AND POINT TO SOME OF THE NUMBERS.
UM, AND THEN I'D LIKE TO GO OVER SOME OF THE BROADER NUMBERS THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT IN THE FUTURE.
AND THEN, UM, UH, SUMMARIZE WITH AI RECOMMENDATION TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE REST OF THE YEAR.
SO, MS. PROM WAS, I HEARD, I PUT RECORDER THERE.
I DON'T THINK THAT, UM, PATTY CAN HEAR YOU.
OH, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN JUST BARELY HEAR THAT.
DO YOU WANT TO USE, DO YOU WANT TO COME OVER HERE AND USE MINE? I CAN TRY TO
I'M GONNA GO OVER TO THE LECTERN.
I BELIEVE POSSIBLY, UM, MS. RICHARDS, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SHARE SOME OF THE CHARTS OF THE DOCUMENT WHEN WE, UH, WHEN WE'RE REVIEWING THOSE.
WELL, MS. MAYOR, CHECK ONE, TWO.
SO JUST TO RECAP, UM, THIS PROGRAM, WE WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN BEGINNING MAY, 2025.
UM, THIS PROGRAM WAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TOWN OF EDMONDSON AND THE PORT TOWNS COMPOST CREW AND ECO CITY FARMS FUNDED BY GRANT MONIES PROVIDED BY THE FEDERAL, UH, FDA CHEVROLET WAS ALLOTTED 62 RESIDENTIAL SITES AND THE PROGRAM, UM, AND IT WAS A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS.
THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS A LOCAL LOOP
[01:40:01]
COMPOSTING MODEL IN WHICH FOOD SCRAPS ARE COLLECTED FROM LOCAL HOUSEHOLDS AND COMPOSTED AT THE ECO CITY URBAN FARM INCUBATOR IN WATKINS PARK.THE FINISHED COMPOST IS USED LOCALLY AT THE FARM AND HAS THE ABILITY TO BE DELIVERED TO SOME HOUSEHOLDS THAT WAS NOT A PART OF THIS PROGRAM, BUT WE WILL DISCUSS IT FURTHER.
THE MINIMIZED TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS AND SUPPORTS LOCAL SOIL HEALTH.
AND THE TOWN HAS COVERED THE COST OF THE PROGRAM FOR JANUARY.
UM, AND WE ARE TOTALING THAT AT AROUND 33 48 BECAUSE WE WERE INITIALLY PLANNING TO COVER DECEMBER AND JANUARY.
HOWEVER, I DO THINK THAT, UM, THE TOWN OF EDMONTON WAS ABLE TO USE SOME OF THEIR REMAINING GRANT FUNDS TO COVER DECEMBER.
SO I'LL NEED TO GET THAT INFORMATION FROM THEM.
SO THAT WOULD BE AN EDIT TO THE SHEET THAT YOU ALL HAVE.
I JUST WANNA REVIEW THE DETAILS OF CONSIDERING CONDITION, THE CONDITIONS OF, UM, CONTINUING WITH THE PORT TOWN COOPERATIVE PROGRAM.
THE PROGRAM IS SET TO BE PRICED AT A RATE OF $27 PER COLLECTION SITE BILLED ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
IT SERVES APPROXIMATELY 150 HOUSEHOLDS RIGHT NOW, BUT FOR IT TO CONTINUE, THEY HAVE TOLD US THAT IT NEEDS TO SERVE ABOUT 220 HOUSEHOLDS MINIMUM.
UM, THAT WILL ALLOW US TO SUSTAIN THE LOCAL LOOP OPERATION COSTS.
AS OF NOW, THE OTHER PARTICIPATING TOWNS ARE PLANNING TO COVER THE FULL COST OF THE PROGRAM FOR THEIR RESIDENTS DUE TO STRONG LOCAL INTEREST.
BUT CHEV IS THE LARGEST CONTRIBUTOR IN BOTH, BOTH CAPACITY AND FINANCIALS RESPONSIBILITY.
WE CONTRIBUTE 40% OF THE TOTAL COST AT THIS TIME.
UM, COMPOST CREW PROVIDES A COST SHARING OPTION TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES SUCH AS GREENBELT, ALEXANDRIA, AND FALLS CHURCH, RANGING BETWEEN FIVE AND $10.
AND JUST, THERE'S SOME SURVEY DATA THAT WAS INCLUDED THAT DISCUSSES THAT THERE'S A 10% ATTRITION WITH A $5 MONTHLY RESIDENT FEE, AND THAT PERCENTAGE WOULD INCREASE AS THE COST WOULD INCREASE FOR PARTICIPATION.
THE BILLING WOULD BE PROCESSED BY COMPOST CREW AND IT WOULD NOT BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE PULL FOR THE TOWN AT ALL.
CONTINUATION IN THIS PROGRAM IS DEPENDENT ON CHEVROLET'S PARTICIPATION DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF CONTRIBUTION THAT WE HAVE.
UM, THEY HAVE ESTIMATED THAT WE WOULD NEED TO CONTINUE OUR 40% AND INCREASE TO 91 PARTICIPANTS COMPARED TO OUR CURRENT 62.
WE'RE CONFIDENT WE CAN REACH THIS MINIMUM BECAUSE WE DID KEEP THE SIGN UP OPEN WHEN WE INITIALLY STARTED THE PROGRAM.
SO WE'VE RECEIVED, AT THIS POINT 122 TOTAL RESIDENTS INTERESTED IN CONTINUING THE PROGRAM.
SUS I SUSPECT THAT THE NUMBERS COULD CHANGE DEPENDING ON WHICH DIRECTION WE DECIDE TO GO IN, BUT, UM, WE CAN DISCUSS THAT FURTHER LATER.
SO I JUST WANNA GET INTO THE PORT TOWN COOPERATIVE PRICING DETAILS.
SO THE MATH WAS DONE WITH THE 91 HOUSEHOLD PARTICIPATION RATE AS THE MINIMUM AT THE $27 PER MONTH, WHICH IS 24 57 PER MONTH FOR THE TOWN.
UM, WE HAVE TAKEN SOME DIFFERENT FEES TO DISCUSS SUBSIDY FOR IT TO SEE WHAT THE TOTAL COSTS WOULD BE FOR THE TOWN, AND YOU ALL CAN SEE WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE BASED ON THE INFORMATION IN THE PACKET AND INCLUDED ON THE, UM, ZOOM.
SO FOR THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TONIGHT, THE MONTHLY FEE WOULD RANGE FROM APPROXIMATELY 9,800 TO 5,000, DEPENDING ON HOW WE DECIDED TO SUBSIDIZE THE PROGRAM, OR IF WE DECIDED TO SUBSIDIZE THE PROGRAM SHOULD WE DECIDE TO CONTINUE WITH THE CO-OP.
DUE TO THE LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION THAT WE HAVE, COMPOST CREW WAS ABLE TO WORK OUT A DEAL WITH US WHERE ESSENTIALLY, AS LONG AS WE SUPPORT THE 91 HOUSEHOLDS OR THE 40% CONTRIBUTION THAT WE HAVE, THEY WILL ALLOW US TO DROP TO THE $25 PRICING, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD DISCUSS IF WE WERE TO GO INTO HAVING OUR OWN CONTRACT WITH THEM TO CONTINUE.
SO ONLY THE FIRST 91 HOUSEHOLDS WOULD BE MET AT THE $27 RATE, WHICH IS WHAT IT COSTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CO-OP PROGRAM.
AFTER THAT, ANY HOUSEHOLDS THAT SIGNED UP WOULD RECEIVE THE $25 RATE, WHICH IS WHAT IT WOULD COST FOR US TO EXIST OUTSIDE OF THE CO-OP PROGRAM.
THE WASTE THAT'S COLLECTED FROM THOSE SITES AFTER THE 91 WOULD GO TO THE PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, UM, ORGANIC WASTE COMPOSTING FACILITY, WHICH IS WHY THEY'RE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT LOWERED RATE.
AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO THIS OPTION, WE DID EXPLORE A DIRECT AGREEMENT WITH COMPOST CREW, AND THOSE RATES, AS DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY, WOULD BE $25 PER HOUSEHOLD IF WE WERE JUST TO ACCEPT THE
[01:45:01]
BASE PACKAGE, OR 26 50 IF WE WANTED TO INCLUDE MULCH.UM, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS DISCUSSION, THE DRAFTED PRICE WAS AT THE $25 PER MONTH.
SO TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS, IT WOULD RANGE BETWEEN NINETY ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE HUNDRED APPROXIMATELY FOR THE TOWN.
I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND TURN IT OVER TO MR. BRAMAN TO DISCUSS THE FUTURE COST SUMMARY CONSIDERATIONS.
MS. RICHARDS, IF YOU COULD GO TO THE FUTURE COST SUMMARY, MR. BRAMAN CONSIDERATIONS, THE NEXT CHART DOWN.
OH, SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE WANTED TO LOOK AT IS IN THE LONG TERM, UM, IF WE WERE TO OFFER THIS PROGRAM TO EVERYBODY, AND SO, UH, A THOUSAND HOUSEHOLDS IS APPROXIMATELY, UM, A LITTLE OVER 50% OF THE, UH, SINGLE FAMILY HOUSES THAT THE, UH, UH, CENSUS AND OTHER DATA WE COLLECTED.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANNA REMIND FOLKS THAT THE SUBSIDY IS THE, UH, RESIDENTS PAYING EITHER ZERO $5 OR $10, OR YOU'LL SEE A SPLIT YEAR.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE, UH, 1350, BUT 1375, BUT THE MATH IS AT 1350.
UM, AND THAT'S HOW IT CHANGES IT.
BUT IF WE WERE TO, IN THE LONG RUN, IF THE PROGRAM EXPANDED TO A THOUSAND HOUSEHOLDS, UM, AND THERE WAS NO, UH, PAYMENT BY THE, UH, UH, RESIDENCE, UM, THAT WOULD BE A, UH, ESTIMATED $390,000 LINE ITEM, UM, TO, TO OUR BUDGET.
UM, JUST TO GIVE, UH, UH, SOME, UH, UM, PERSPECTIVE.
THE ENTIRETY OF THE SANITATION BUDGET IS, UH, UH, NOT EXCLUDING OR EXCLUDING THE PERSONNEL IS $208,000.
UM, NOW FOOD DOES, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE LIKE THIS PROGRAM AND FOOD DOES DIVERT, UH, UM, UH, WASTE TO THE LANDFILL, BUT AT LEAST OUR INITIAL READ IS IT DOESN'T SUBSTAN, IT DOESN'T DIVERT SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNTS IN THIS, UH, INITIAL PERIOD FOR IT TO COMPLETELY OFFSET A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF, UH, TIPPING FEES.
UM, AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT IN THE, UH, STICKING WITH THE PORT TOWN PROGRAM, UM, IT RUNS A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.
UM, BUT IF WE WERE TO, WE SCALED IT UP, IF THE RESIDENTS DIDN'T PAY ANYTHING, WE ESTIMATED IT'S ALMOST $400,000 A YEAR AT $5, IT DROPS A LITTLE BIT TO 314,000 AT $10 TO 237,000.
AND IF WE WERE TO SPLIT THE COST, WE STILL HAVE ABOUT $140,000 LINE RATE.
UM, AND THEN IF WE WERE TO, UH, GO WITH THE DIRECT PROGRAM AT THE $25 A MONTH, IT'S A LITTLE, IT, UH, UM, WELL, IT VARIES A LITTLE BIT.
SOME OF THEM ARE AT, UH, UH, DIFFERENT, UH, LINE ITEMS, BUT THAT IS AT 1250.
BUT, UM, WE HAVE A, UH, UH, WE, WE WOULD HAVE, UH, ANYWHERE FROM 300 TO $150,000 LINE ITEM.
AND SO WHY WE WANTED TO, UM, ILLUSTRATE THIS IS BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF, UH, WE, WE'D WANNA BE ABLE TO OPEN THIS UP TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, UM, AND THESE NUMBERS CAN BE KINDA LARGE.
UM, SO, UM, SO WE WANTED TO GET THAT OUT THERE SO PEOPLE COULD UNDERSTAND WHAT, UH, UM, WHAT MAYBE THE LONG TERM, UH, LOOKS LIKE.
I THINK THERE'S ONE MORE TABLE AS WELL.
I KNOW THAT, I THINK YOU ALREADY SHOWED THAT.
UM, BUT IF I COULD GO BACK, BECAUSE I THINK WE NEED MORE TIME TO, UH, NO PUN INTENDED, BUT TO DIGEST THESE, UH, NUMBERS AND HOW WE WOULD APPROACH THIS.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 120 PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP.
UM, WE, WE CERTAINLY WOULD LIKE TO ROUND OUT THE YEAR WITH THE, UH, UH, PORT TOWNS PROGRAM, UM, IS INTERESTING THAT, UH, THEY REACHED OUT TO US.
BUT WE ARE THE, WE ARE THE LARGEST PARTICIPANT.
UM, AND SO WE'VE LOOKED AT, AT THE, UH, COST SUMMARY HERE.
UM, CURRENTLY WE'RE NOT CHARGING, OR THE RESIDENTS AREN'T PAYING ANYTHING, IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THAT FIRST CHART.
AND SO, UM, WE'VE ALREADY TO, TO GET THE, TO KEEP THE PROGRAM ROLLING AND TO, UH, BE ABLE TO BRING THIS TO THE MAYOR COUNCIL.
WE'VE ALREADY, UH, WORKED IN PAIN FOR BOTH JANUARY AND FEBRUARY.
SO, UM, AND, UH, IF YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST LINE ITEM, UM, UH, THE, UH, $0 RESIDENT MONTHLY FEE, UH, IT'S 24 57 PER MONTH FOR THE TOWN.
[01:50:01]
OR THROUGH JUNE, IT WOULD BE, UH, 9,828 MORE DOLLARS.SO WE'VE ALREADY SPENT JUST ALMOST 5,000, SO IT'D BE ABOUT 14,000 IN LOOKING AT OUR DISPOSAL FEES, I THINK WE CAN FIT THIS $14,000 INTO, UH, THE REMAINING YEAR, UH, FOR, UH, FY 26 THROUGH JUNE.
UH, CONTINUE THE PROGRAM, ACTUALLY EXPAND IT TO THE NINE TO ONE HOUSEHOLD.
SO WHAT WE WOULD DO IS, IS WE WOULD GO UP TO, UH, WE WOULD GO THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WAIT LIST FIRST, COME AND GO THROUGH THE, AND, AND THE FIRST 30 MORE THAT WE COULD ADD TO THE, UH, PROGRAM WE WOULD ADD.
BUT GIVEN, GIVEN THE COST, WE'D HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, CAP IT AT, UH, NINE TO ONE HOUSEHOLDS.
UM, AND THEN WE ARE GONNA HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, UH, CONTINUING THIS PROGRAM.
'CAUSE THIS IS A TREND TO DIVERSE, UH, UH, FOOD WASTE, UH, FROM THE, UH, LANDFILL.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, RECYCLING IT AND, AND DOESN'T MAKE GOOD MULCH.
IT PROBABLY MAKES MUCH BETTER MULCH THAN WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WE MAKE WITH THE LEAVES.
UH, BUT, UM, BUT THERE IS A COST FACTOR TO THAT.
AND SO WE WANTED TO GIVE YOU A FLAVOR OF WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING IF WE WERE TO SPLIT THE COSTS.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE'RE PROPOSING THE TOP LINE ITEM OF JUST CONTINUING IT AS IS THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE, UH, FISCAL YEAR.
UM, AND I THINK DURING THE BUDGET BUILD, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER HOW, UM, HOW WE MIGHT, UH, CONTINUE THIS PROGRAM.
UM, AND I BELIEVE, UH, UH, EITHER IN THE MEMO OR MS. PROM HAD COMMENTED THAT AT ABOUT, UH, YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE IS AN ATTRITION RATE, UM, AS THE PRICE GOES UP, WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, IS, IS, IS NOT, UH, UH, I MEAN, THAT'S PRETTY LOGICAL.
SO THE MORE YOU CHARGE A, UH, RESIDENT, THE LESS, UH, RESIDENT PARTICIPATION YOU MIGHT HAVE.
UM, BUT WITH THE PORT TOWNS GOING, UH, FULLY SUBSIDIZING THE OTHER SUBSIDIES, UH, OR CHARGES OR FEES, I GUESS HOW TO SAY, ARE FIVE AND $10, YOU KNOW, I, I THINK THERE'S A CHANCE THAT WE WOULD, WE WOULD NEED TO PLAN ON, YOU KNOW, UH, POSSIBLY SEVERAL HUNDRED IF NOT MORE HOUSEHOLDS, UH, WANTING TO JOIN.
UM, AND, AND THAT WOULD ALSO BE SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANT THEM TO DO.
BUT, UM, YOU CAN SEE THAT IF WE GET UP TO, UH, A THOUSAND HOUSEHOLDS, HOW, HOW THAT MAY, UH, WELL, IT SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASES A, UH, LINE ITEM IN THE BUDGET.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION, I'M SURE YOU HAVE SOME OTHER QUESTIONS.
I THINK WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DISCUSS THIS IN MORE DEPTH AS WE GET INTO THE, UH, UH, INTO THE, UH, BUDGET BUILD.
BUT IS JUST TO, YOU KNOW, AUTHORIZE THE, UH, UH, PUBLIC WORKS TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM WITH THE PORT TOWNS AT THE, UH, PRICE OF, YOU KNOW, 24 57 A MONTH, UM, LOOKING TO INCREASE IT TO 91 PARTICIPANTS AND, UH, UH, COVERING THE ADDITIONAL APPROXIMATELY $10,000 THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE YEAR, WHICH I BELIEVE WE CAN DO WITHIN THE CURRENT BUDGETED FUNDS IN THE SANITATION DEPARTMENT OR DIVISION.
SO, UM, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, COUNSEL? ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBER FRY.
UM, I KNOW THIS WAS, UH, SOMETHING THAT I VERY MUCH WANTED, UM, OVER A YEAR AGO.
AND WHEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO WORK WITH EDMUNDSTON CAME UP, UM, IT SEEMED LIKE ALL THE STARS ALIGNED FOR ME TO BE ABLE TO HAVE, UM, THIS WONDERFUL SERVICE.
I PULLED UP MY LITTLE DASHBOARD BECAUSE THEY, UM, ARE VERY GOOD ABOUT THEIR SERVICE, RIGHT? THEY'LL TELL YOU LIKE, HEY, WE'RE COMING TOMORROW.
DON'T FORGET TO PUT YOUR STUFF OUT AND THEN WHEN YOU PICK UP, YOU CAN SKIP.
YOU CAN DO ALL SORTS OF THINGS AND WE'VE SKIPPED WHEN WE NEEDED.
BUT MY LITTLE THING SAYS THAT WE'VE DIVERTED 308 POUNDS, UM, SINCE WHEN WE STARTED, WHICH I THINK WAS MAY OF 2025.
TWO, TWO SEEDLINGS PLANTED, 0.2 TONS OF WASTE RECYCLED INSTEAD OF LANDFILL.
IT'S 13 GALLONS OF GAS AND IT'S OFFSET 305 MILES.
AND THAT'S JUST MY HOUSE, RIGHT? SO, UM, AND I BLAME MY CHILDREN BECAUSE THEY ARE VERY WASTEFUL, BUT FOR ME IT'S A, IT'S A KIND OF A LIFE LESSON AS WELL FOR THEM TO SEE HOW MUCH WE WASTE BECAUSE WE HERE IN AMERICA DO WASTE QUITE A BIT.
UM, AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, IN KOREA THEY DO AS JUST A NORMAL PRACTICE.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE I WAS INSPIRED FROM.
BUT I WAS ALSO INSPIRED BY THE FACT THAT THE COG, THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS HAD RECOGNIZED THE TOWN, UH, THE CITY OF, CITY OF BOWIE, I'M SORRY, UM, FOR DIVERTING 5.4 BILLION TONS LIKE IN A YEAR.
AND THEY GOT SOME AWARD AND I WAS LIKE, WE COULD DO BETTER THAN BUOY.
UM, SO THAT WAS KIND OF LIKE A, A, OH, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT THEY DID IN THE COUNTY, UM, THAT SOMEHOW WE COULD TRY TO PARTICIPATE IN.
SO THAT'S ALSO A LITTLE BIT OF, UM, WHERE I WAS INSPIRED TO WANNA TRY TO HAVE THIS, I KNOW THAT WE PROBABLY GET WAY MORE THAN 91.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO'VE SAID, WELL, IT WAS ALREADY FULL
[01:55:01]
SO I DIDN'T PUT MY NAME ON THE LIST.OBVIOUSLY THE COST IS SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
UM, AND I THINK I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO CONTINUE AT LEAST SO THAT WE CAN FULLY ANALYZE AND SEE WHAT THE OPTION IS FOR THIS UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR AND IF IT'S POSSIBLE FOR, UM, SUBSIDIES OR NOT.
AND THEN ALSO JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT THE FOLKS WHO ARE PARTICIPATING IN IT, 'CAUSE WE COULD SEND YOU HAVE OTHER INFORMATION, RIGHT? YES.
I WAS PROVIDED STATISTICS FROM COMPOST CREW FOR OUR PERIOD FROM OCTOBER, OR SORRY, MAY TO OCTOBER.
I DID SOME ROUGH MATH WITH THOSE NUMBERS.
AND IN TOTAL WE'VE DIVERTED ABOUT 6.6 TONS APPROXIMATELY.
SEE, YEAH, I LIKE THOSE, THOSE NUMBERS.
UM, BUT YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS TOO.
MAYBE WE COULD SEND A SURVEY OUT SAYING, HEY, IF YOU HAD TO PAY $5 A MONTH, WOULD YOU CONTINUE THE SERVICE? OR IF YOU WERE, IF YOU HAD TO PAY $10, LIKE AT WHAT POINT IN WHAT THRESHOLD? BECAUSE IT IS A, IT IS A COST, RIGHT? UM, I THINK THERE'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT AND SOMETIMES THAT DOESN'T TRANSLATE INTO THE NUMBERS.
UM, AND THEN WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES AS WELL.
BUT, UM, FOR ME, I WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE IT AT LEAST UNTIL JUNE, SEE ABOUT THE 91, AND THEN ALSO KNOW THAT THAT'S GONNA HELP EDMUNDSTON, UM, WHO WAS KIND ENOUGH TO INVITE US TO DO THIS PROGRAM SO THAT, UH, IF WE DECIDE NOT TO DO IT, UM, THEY STILL HAVE TIME TO FIGURE SOMETHING ELSE OUT.
UM, SO THAT WAS A LOT OF NUMBERS AND THE SOUND WAS REALLY WEIRD 'CAUSE OF THE SOUND.
UM, SO JUST TO MAKE SURE I HAVE IT RIGHT, IF I SAY WE COULD CONTINUE THIS FOR THE REST OF THE FISCAL YEAR AT A MUCH REDUCED RATE BECAUSE IT'S BEING SORT OF SPONSORED FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM, IT'S A LOT CHEAPER, BUT THEN IF WE WANT TO CONTINUE AFTER THAT, THAT'S WHEN THESE BIGGER NUMBERS ON THE NEXT PAGE KICK IN.
TO CLARIFY, UM, THESE NUMBERS WOULD KICK IN IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS WE MAKE A DECISION BECAUSE WE'LL GET BACK TO THE PILOT PROGRAM, UM, SPECIFICALLY TOWN ADMINISTRATOR, ROD BARNES AND LET THEM KNOW THAT WE'RE CHOOSING TO PARTICIPATE FOR THE DURATION OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
SO THE NUMBERS WOULD BE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, LIKE THE 300,000.
NO, THAT WOULD BE A FULL FISCAL YEAR.
I THINK THAT'S GONNA BE MORE OF A BUDGET DISCUSSION FOR BUDGET.
SO WE DON'T, WE DON'T NEED TO DECIDE ABOUT THE 300,000 RIGHT NOW WHAT WE'RE DECIDING ABOUT IS LIKE THE 30,000.
YES, ACTUALLY, SO THAT WOULD BE THE THIRD COLUMN.
WHERE WE ARE REVIEWING THE TOWN COST THROUGH THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, JUNE 30TH.
I JUST, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD WHAT I WAS MEANT TO BE THINKING ABOUT.
UM, BUT I, I DID WANNA SAY THAT THIS PROGRAM IS IMMENSELY POPULAR IN WARD THREE.
UM, I ASK, I ASK FOR PEOPLE TO WEIGH IN ON LOTS OF THINGS, AND THIS IS THE THING THAT EVERYONE HAS BEEN WEIGHING IN ON, IS HOW MUCH THEY LOVE THE COMPOST PROGRAM.
I'LL JUST ADD, UM, UH, I THINK WE SHOULD CONTINUE IT THROUGH THE REST OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
I DON'T SEE ANY VALUE IN LEAVING THE, UH, POOR TOWNS COOPERATIVE VER AND VERSUS GOING TO THE, A DIRECT AGREEMENT WITH COMPOST CREW.
I THINK THE PRICE DIFFERENCE THERE IS LIKE $200 A MONTH.
SO I, IF ALL, I WOULD RATHER JUST STAY WITH PORT TOWNS COOPERATIVE UNTIL JUNE 30TH AND THEN WE CAN HAVE A BUDGET DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AFTER THAT.
UM, AND I DON'T, YOU KNOW, UNLESS I'M MISSING SOMETHING, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY, I THINK IT WOULD BE A LITTLE BIT ACTUALLY CHAOTIC TO TRY TO START CHARGING RESIDENTS NOW.
I WOULD RATHER JUST KEEP IT AT ZERO UNTIL JUNE 30TH.
AND THEN IF WE'RE GONNA RELAUNCH A PROGRAM JULY 1ST, THEN THAT CAN BE PART OF THE RELAUNCH.
ANY ADDITIONAL? MR. GALLOWAY? BRAMAN? OH, MR. BRAMAN? UH, YEAH, MR. LET'S GO TO MR. BRAMAN AND THEN ANY OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS? WELL, MR. MAYOR, I THINK YOU SUMMED UP OUR RECOMMENDATION.
UM, WE DIDN'T WANNA UPSET THE APPLE CART, SO TO SPEAK, AND, UH, UH, CHANGE THINGS UP, UH, MIDSTREAM.
UM, AND WE'VE ALREADY PAID FOR THE 5,000, APPROXIMATELY $5,000 FOR, UM, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY TO ALLOW US TO HAVE TIME TO MAKE THIS DECISION.
BUT WE DO NEED TO GIVE THEM FEEDBACK.
WE DID PUT IT ON, UH, TONIGHT AS A VOTING UH, ITEM.
WE WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO, UH, UH, CONSIDER AND VOTE ON US CONTINUING WITH THE PROGRAM AS IS, UH, FULLY PAID FOR BY THE TOWN.
UM, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO INCREASE OUR, UH, OUR, OUR PARTICIPATION BY
[02:00:01]
APPROXIMATELY 30 MORE, UH, HOUSES.BUT THAT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL 98, 28, UH, $9,828.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN COVER THAT IN OUR CURRENT, UH, BUDGET.
UH, BEFORE WE GO TO A MOTION, IS THERE ANY PUBLIC INPUT ON THE COMPOSTING PROGRAM OR THE NEXT FIVE MONTHS? UH, NAME AND WORD AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES.
SEAN MCGUIRE, WARD TWO CROSS FROM YOUR MAYOR.
LET'S REMEMBER THAT MONEY IS LIKE ANY CREDIT CARD, YOU CAN BORROW IT, BUT YOU HAVE TO PAY IT BACK.
10 20, BUT THIS WILL GO 300,000.
AND I'M LOOKING AT THESE FIGURES.
ONE QUESTION, IS THIS BUILT INTO ASSUMPTION OF A 600 TO 8,000 THOUSAND DEFICIT? SO IT'S AN ADDED X HUNDRED, UH, A HUNDRED THOUSAND, 200,000.
IS IT GONNA BE MORE THAN THAT INTO PAST JAN? UH, JUNE 30TH.
YOU'RE JUST GONNA, YOU'RE SPENDING YOUR MONEY, YOU'RE ON BUDGET.
WHAT DID IT GO? YOU'RE 6.80 $25 IS JUST 300,000, 800,000 LESS EVERY YEAR.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC INPUT? ANYONE ONLINE? UH, COUNSEL IS THERE A MOTION? I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO, UH, CONTINUE THE COM COMPOST CREW PROGRAM WITH, UH, THE TOWN OF EDMUNDSTON THROUGH THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
SECOND, FULLY PAID BY THE TOWN WITH NO SUBSIDIES.
WITH NO SUBSIDIES, SO FULLY PAID BY THE TOWN.
UH, THAT MOTION WAS MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER FRY AND SECONDED BY THE VICE MAYOR.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION, COUNSEL, HEARING NO INTEREST IN DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTIONS SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE MOTION PASSES.
CONGRATULATIONS MS. PROM AND MR. BRAMAN, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND CONSIDERATION TONIGHT.
OKAY, THAT TAKES US TO THE PARKING PERMIT PROGRAM REVIEW.
OUR LAST NO MAJOR ITEM CORRECTION ON AGENDA THIS EVENING ON CORRECTION.
UH, CHIEF MORRIS, IS THIS YOU OR IS THIS CHIEF ON CORRECTION OR MR. GALLOWAY? NO, UH, I THINK KELLER WAS SUPPOSED TO BE NEXT BECAUSE IT WAS NOTED THAT KELLER WOULD BE AFTER NUMBER 10.
AND I EVEN WROTE IT IN THE AGENDA AND THEN LOOKED OVER IT.
SO THE, THERE ARE TWO MORE MAJOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
THE NEXT ONE IS KELLER CONSTRUCTION UPDATE.
IS THERE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM KELLER CONSTRUCTION COMPANY ONLINE AND AVAILABLE TO UPDATE US? YES SIR.
ALRIGHT, SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE OUR, OUR USE AND OCCUPANCY.
UM, THANKS TO THE HELP FROM MR. BRAMAN AND, AND A WHOLE LOT OF FOLKS, WE WERE ABLE TO DO OUR ELEVATOR INSPECTION ON THE NINTH.
UH, THE, THE STATE DID COME OUT AND DO THEIR INSPECTION.
UH, THEY DID END UP ADDING A FEW MORE ITEMS THAT WE WERE NOT PREPARED FOR THAT WERE, UH, NEW TO US.
UH, FROM THAT INSPECTION, WE HAD WORKED THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND SECURED A REINSPECTION ON THE 12TH AND THEN THE 13TH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUR, UH, OUR TEMPORARY USE AND OCCUPANCY.
SO WE'RE NOW ABLE TO USE THE BUILDING, UH, FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE.
UM, THE DPI UH, PAPERWORK WAS SUBMITTED, YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO THE USE AND OCCUPANCY.
AND SO MOVING FORWARD, UM, OUR GOAL OVER THE NEXT, UH, WEEKS AND MONTHS IS TO CONTINUE TO GO THROUGH THE BUILDING ADDRESS ANY ISSUES.
WE DO HAVE THE PUNCH LIST THAT WE'VE RECEIVED FROM THE TOWN.
WE'RE COMPILING THAT INTO OUR MASTER DOCUMENT FOR PLANNING AND TRACKING.
UH, AND WE'RE GONNA DEVELOP A SCHEDULE OVER THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS TO FINALIZE THAT AS WE WORK THROUGH ANY CORRECTIONS FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
UH, ONE OF THE OTHER, UH, POINTS THAT WERE, WERE RAISED IS THE SOCCER FIELD.
UM, WE ARE WORKING WITH ONE OF OUR DESIGN PARTNERS, OUR CIVIL ENGINEER, TO SET UP A SURVEY TO REVIEW THE ASBUILT CONDITIONS.
ONCE THAT'S COMPLETE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ANALYZE, UH, THE LOCATION OF THE BUILDING WITH THE SOCCER FIELDS TO, UH, DETERMINE WHAT WE NEED TO DO FROM THERE.
[02:05:01]
ARE ENGAGING OUR, OUR DESIGN PARTNER TO, UH, TO RESOLVE THAT ISSUE.AND THEN ONE OTHER, UH, ISSUE THAT WAS BROUGHT UP PREVIOUSLY WAS THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING.
UM, WE DID GO, I, I, I UNDERSTAND THE, THE LIGHT ABOVE THE WATER FOUNTAIN IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES.
UM, WE WERE ABLE TO COVER THAT.
IT'S, IT'S AN LED LIGHT, SO WE COULDN'T JUST TAKE A LIGHT BULB OUT AND IT IS TIED INTO THE ENTIRE EXTERIOR LIGHTING SYSTEM.
SO WE DID COVER THAT LIGHT SO IT WASN'T IMPACTING THE NEIGHBORS AS WE REVIEW, UM, SOME ALTERNATIVES WITH OUR DESIGN PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THAT, UH, ISSUE CORRECTED AS WELL.
MR. BRAMAN OR MR. GALLOWAY, ANYTHING TO ADD AT THIS TIME? UM, YES, MR. MAYOR, I WOULD, UM, I BELIEVE LAST WEEK WHEN WE HAD THE FIRST MEETING WITH P-G-C-M-A, UM, IN, IN THE BUILDING, UM, WE WERE LOOKING AT, I THINK I HAD, UH, MENTIONED THAT I THOUGHT A 30 TO 60, UH, DAY TIMEFRAME WAS PROBABLY THE, THE, THE LIKELY TURNAROUND FOR US TO, UM, YOU KNOW, BE COMPLETE.
I, I, I THINK WE'RE NOW IN, IN MORE DISCUSSION WITH, UH, KELLER.
MY ESTIMATE WOULD BE 90, MAYBE 90 PLUS SOME, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE MOVING FORWARD AS, AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT I, I DON'T WANT TO OVER PROMISE.
I DON'T THINK I'M NECESSARILY, UH, DELIBERATELY UNDER PROMISING THERE.
BUT, UM, I BELIEVE THE AV UH, EQUIPMENT IS, UH, SCHEDULED TO BE DELIVERED APPROXIMATELY MID-MARCH.
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. HAMILTON? CORRECT.
SO THAT RIGHT THERE TAKES US TO, YOU KNOW, 60 DAYS.
SO, UM, I JUST WANTED TO CORRECT, UH, MY, MY COMMENTS OF, UH, 30 TO 60 DAYS.
I, I THINK WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT 90 DAYS AND, AND ALTHOUGH, UM, OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE SOME AUDIO, VIDEO TECHNICAL THINGS TO WORK OUT WITH THE TEMPORARY EQUIPMENT, UM, IT IS OUR OBJECTIVE TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEETINGS.
AND I'D LIKE TO TRY TO LIMIT IT JUST TO THE MAYOR COUNCIL MEETINGS, UM, AND THE MAYOR COUNCIL CHAMBERS AS I'M GONNA CALL THAT ROOM, UM, UH, UH, THROUGHOUT THAT, UH, DURATION YOU GET UPSTAIRS.
SO MIGHT IT BE POSSIBLE, MR. BRAMAN, THOUGH, FOR YOUR TEAM TO EFFECTIVELY MOVE IN AND BEGIN NORMAL OPERATIONS DOWNSTAIRS ON, ON THE FIRST FLOOR IN LESS THAN 90 DAYS? IF, IF, IF THE LONG HOLE IN THE TENT IS THE AV EQUIPMENT? WELL, THERE'S, UM, THERE'S POTENTIALLY ANOTHER, UH, MAJOR PROJECT.
UM, AND WE, WE, WE HAVE, THERE'S A LARGE CONCRETE PAD FOR THAT.
WE WE'RE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH, UH, UH, KELLER ABOUT, UM, WE HAVE NOT FINALIZED THE, UH, RESOLUTION ON THAT, ALTHOUGH THAT WOULD REQUIRE SOME, UH, GOOD WEATHER.
UM, THAT LARGE CONCRETE PAD BASICALLY COVERS THE MAJORITY THERE BETWEEN THE PAR, UH, COVERED PARKING IN THE, IN THE, UH, BUILDING.
SO, UM, WITH THAT, I'M UNSURE AT THIS TIME, UM, BECAUSE, UH, UH, I DON'T SEE US STARTING OPERATIONS AND THEN HAVING ANOTHER POTENTIALLY LARGE PORE OF CONCRETE, UH, GO IN AND US HAVE TO DISRUPT THOSE, THOSE OPERATIONS.
UM, SO THAT IS SOMETHING THOUGH THAT WE'RE GONNA BE DISCUSSING.
UM, AGAIN THOUGH, I THINK WE'RE DOING PRETTY WELL.
I DON'T WANNA STAY IN THE TRAILER, BUT I THINK WE'RE DOING PRETTY WELL IN THE TRAILER.
I ACTUALLY WANT TO GET IT RIGHT INSTEAD OF MOVING IN AND THEN HAVING TO MOVE OUT OR DISRUPT OP OPERATIONS FOR ANY PERIOD OF TIME.
BUT, UM, THAT WILL BE SOMETHING THOUGH THAT WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON IN OUR BIWEEKLY MEETINGS.
IS THERE, UH, ARE THERE ANY COUNCIL QUESTIONS OR PUBLIC QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THE KELLER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT? VICE MAYOR? I JUST WANNA UNDERLINE FOR RESIDENTS THAT, UM, THIS AV EQUIPMENT IS TEMPORARY, UM, AND IS A STOP GAP.
AND SO I DON'T WANT ANYONE THINKING THAT OUR BRAND NEW EQUIPMENT ISN'T WORKING WELL.
STAFF IS DOING A GREAT JOB OF USING EQUIPMENT THAT ISN'T NECESSARILY BUILT TO BE IN HERE IN ORDER TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS.
UM, BUT EQUIPMENT IS COMING THAT WILL WORK AS INTENDED.
[02:10:01]
AND AGAIN, I'LL JUST SAY THIS WILL BE ON THE, ALSO ON THE FEBRUARY 12TH TOWN MEETING AGENDA NAME AND WARD PLEASE LEI WARD ONE WITH WHAT I DIDN'T HEAR IS WHETHER OR NOT THE LIGHTING, UM, OF THIS BUILDING IS DARK SKIES COMPLIANT AND WHAT'S COME OF LOOKING INTO WHETHER OR NOT THAT WAS A REQUIREMENT IN THE CONTRACT.UM, UM, AND JUST WHAT'S GOING TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT DARK SKY COMPLIANCE FOR THE LIGHTING? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
YEAH, THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT.
WE ARE GONNA CONTINUE TO WORK ON THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING, UH, WHICH IS NOT DIRECTLY ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION, BUT, UH, IT WILL BE AN ITERATIVE PROCESS GETTING THE, UH, EXTERIOR LIGHTING IMPROVED.
I KNOW THE, I AGREE THAT THE WATER FOUNTAIN WAS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST DEFENDER, UH, BUT IT WASN'T THE ONLY ISSUE.
AND SO I THINK WE'RE GONNA TAKE A COUPLE SWINGS AT THE, UH, EXTERIOR LIGHTING OVER THE NEXT PROBABLY SIX MONTHS UNTIL WE GET IT RIGHT.
UH, WAS THERE AN ONLINE HAND RAISED? UH, I BELIEVE MR. GALLOWAY HAS HIS HAND UP.
NO, MAYOR, I, I KNOW THAT A POINT OF, UH, DISCUSSION HAS BEEN WHEN WILL WE HAVE AN OPEN HOUSE? SO I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, UM, DIRECTOR, BRAMAN MAYOR, IF WE CAN GET TOGETHER AND DISCUSS A POTENTIAL DATE FOR AN OPEN HOUSE THAT WOULD BE IDEAL SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN ADVERTISEMENT OVER YES, SIR.
AND FE FEEL FREE AS THE EDITOR OF THE TOWN NEWSLETTER TO STRIKE ANY MENTION FROM THE MAYOR'S FYI OF AN OPEN HOUSE, IF THAT'S, UH, APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME FOR FEBRUARY, YOUR CALL.
I LEAVE IT IN YOUR CAPABLE HANDS.
ALRIGHT, UH, HEARING NOTHING FURTHER ON THE E UH, ON THE ELY BUILDING AND KELLER CONSTRUCTION, AS I SAID EARLIER, WE WILL HAVE THIS AGAIN ON THE FEBRUARY 12TH, UH, TOWN MEETING AGENDA FOR AN UPDATE.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK, ALL OF YOU ON THAT.
UH, THIS TAKES US TO ITEM 11, UH, PARKING PERMIT PROGRAM REVIEW.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
UH, I'M GONNA KEEP THIS VERY BRIEF.
THERE WAS AN ISSUE PAPER PREPARED FOR THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL WITH REGARDS TO THE CURRENT PARKING PERMIT PROGRAM IN THE TOWN.
THE TOWNS GOT SEVERAL ZONES IDENTIFIED FOR RESTRICTED PERMIT PARKING ONLY.
UH, THOSE ZONES ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE ISSUE PAPER.
THEY CAME DIRECTLY FROM THE TOWN CODE.
SOME OF THOSE ZONES MAY NOT BE AS ACCURATE REFLECTED HERE, BUT AGAIN, THE INFORMATION THAT'S IN THE ISSUE PAPER CAME DIRECTLY FROM THE TOWN CODE.
WE'RE NOT TALKING BIG DOLLARS HERE, BUT WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CURRENT PROGRAM, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, EFFICIENCY AS IT RELATES TO STAFF TIME IN IMPLEMENTING AND MAINTAINING THE PARKING PERMIT SYSTEM AS IT CURRENTLY EXISTS.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IN THAT AT LEAST SOME OF THESE PARKING ZONES WERE ESTABLISHED WHEN THE CHEVROLET METRO WAS MORE HEAVILY USED AND FOLKS THAT WERE USING THE METRO WERE PARKING ON THE STREETS AND THE ROADWAYS WITHIN CHEVROLET INHIBITING AND OBSTRUCTING RESIDENTS FROM BEING ABLE TO USE THE, THE ROADWAYS FOR PARKING IN FRONT OF THEIR HOMES.
AND THAT MAY MAY NOT BE THE CASE ANY LONGER, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO THE REDUCED TRAFFIC IN AND OUT OF THE CHEVROLET METRO.
SO THIS REALLY IS JUST FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT THESE ZONES ARE STILL EFFECTIVE FOR WHAT THEY WERE DESIGNED TO BE, WHETHER THERE'S OTHER AREAS IN THE TOWN THAT MAY BE, THAT MAY BENEFIT FROM RESTRICTED PARKING.
SO IT'S REALLY JUST TO CREATE THE CONVERSATION FOR MAYOR COUNCIL TO CONSIDER, UH, WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED REVISIONS TO THE CODE AS IT RELATES TO THE ZONES.
AND EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS THE COST OF THE PROGRAM, NOT JUST THE COST OF IT, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY THE COST OF THE STAFF TIME, UH, BECAUSE IT IS CUMBERSOME UPON STAFF.
AND, UH, MR. GALLOWAY AND I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, UH, OBSERVE FIRSTHAND MS. RICHARDS, UH, TRYING TO PROCESS SOME OF THESE PARKING PERMITS
[02:15:01]
RECENTLY.AND IT IS, IT'S, IT'S TIME CONSUMING AS IT RELATES TO THE, TO THE PROGRAM COST.
SO, UH, FOR INSTANCE, $5 PERMIT, SOMEONE CAME AND GOT TWO PERMITS, UH, FOR 10 FOR, UH, FOR $10, AND THEN A GUEST PERMIT FOR $12.
IT TOOK OUR ALMOST 30 MINUTES OF STAFF TIME TO PROCESS IT.
SO HARDLY EFFICIENT USE OF, UH, USE OF STAFF TIME.
SO IT'S JUST A CONVERSATIONAL PIECE AT THIS TIME.
STAFF'S NOT MAKING ANY RECOMMENDATIONS, JUST KIND OF WANTED TO BRING THIS TO THE COUNCIL'S ATTENTION.
NOT THE, CERTAINLY NOT THE HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS THAT WE'RE SEEING EARLIER IN THE MEETING, BUT, UH, IMPORTANT FROM THE SENSE OF EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT USE OF OUR TIME.
DO YOU WANT TO, ANYONE WANNA SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE PARKING PROGRAM AT THIS TIME? OR DO YOU WANT TO HAVE INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CHIEF? IT'S, UH, WHATEVER YOUR PREROGATIVE IS.
I KNOW THAT THE PARKING ZONES ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS THAT I'VE TALKED TO, BUT I SUSPECT IT MIGHT ALSO BE, YOU KNOW, LOCATION SPECIFIC.
I, I CAN ONLY RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD SPEAK ABOUT BELLEVUE, SOUTH BELLEVUE, WHERE I KNOW IT'S, IT'S A HUGE, UM, ISSUE.
I, I MEAN IN THE SENSE THAT THE RESIDENTS LOVE THE ZONE AND WANT THE ZONE ZEALOUSLY ENFORCED.
BUT AGAIN, THAT MAY NOT BE TRUE IN EVERY ZONE.
UM, AND THAT'S IN WARD FOUR, IN WARD TWO, LIKE OUR MAIN ZONE WAS IN EDDEN, LAKE AND VALLEY, AND IT WASN'T AS BELOVED AS IT IS ON BELLEVUE.
MR. TANZI, I WAS JUST GONNA REPEAT THAT.
SINCE THE TWO CLOSE OR ALL THE, THE CLOSEST STREETS TO THE METRO ARE IN WARD FOUR.
SO THERE ARE DEFINITELY PEOPLE IN WARD FOUR WHO CARE ABOUT THAT IN PART JUST BECAUSE THEY WANT TO HAVE SOME COURSE OF ACTION, IF IT EVER DOES CLEARLY GET ABUSED.
UM, THEY WANT TO KNOW THAT THE PEOPLE LIVE IN THERE ARE EITHER VISITORS WHO ARE THERE FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME OR RESIDENTS.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS AT THIS TIME? OH, VICE MAYOR.
JUST THAT, UM, I WOULD DEFINITELY LOOK TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE MUCH CLOSER TO THE METRO FOR, UM, DIRECTION HERE, SINCE WE DON'T, YEAH, I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY ZONES IN WARD THREE.
ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, UH, HAVE ANY, UH, ONE OFF OR ANY INPUT ON THE PARKING ZONES? OH, LET'S GO TO COUNCIL MEMBER FRY FIRST.
UH, WELL, I DON'T WANNA REPEAT ANYTHING THEY'VE ALREADY SAID, BUT WE DO HAVE THAT IN WARD, UM, SIX.
SO, AND IT'S WAS CRUCIAL IN KIND OF MAINTAINING SOME OF THE PARKING ISSUES OVER ON OAK STREET.
SO, UH, CHIEF, IF WE NEED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION, PLEASE LET ME KNOW, BUT I'M THINKING WE'RE NOT GETTING RID OF IT.
RIGHT? YEAH, I MEAN, I THINK THE QUESTION WOULD BE WHETHER WE RAISE THE FEE OR WHETHER THERE'S JUST SOME WAY TO BE MORE EFFICIENT ABOUT IT.
UM, THE FEE IS VERY LOW AND IT'S STILL A HUGE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN TO ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM REGARDLESS OF HOW, UM, UM, HOW DO I WANNA SAY THAT? REGARDLESS OF HOW ZEALOUS WE'RE BEING ABOUT TICKETING, EVEN, THAT'S, THAT'S A SEPARATE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN, JUST RUNNING THE PROGRAM AND GETTING THE, THE PERMITS OUT TO, TO HOMEOWNERS WHO APPLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK, UH, IF I COULD PAIR, IF, I DON'T WANNA SPEAK FOR THE CHIEF, BUT I THINK IT'S, YOU KNOW, IS THE JUICE WORTH THE SQUEEZE? I THINK IN SOME AREAS WE KNOW THAT IT IS, AND IN OTHERS MAYBE NOT AS MUCH.
SO IT MIGHT BE WORTH COUNCIL MEMBERS SITTING DOWN WITH, WITH THE CHIEF AND MR. GALLOWAY ABOUT THE ZONES IN YOUR WARD AND SEEING WHAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE.
AND I HAVE A FEW IDEAS, BUT NOT A LOT OF IDEAS.
I MEAN, YEAH, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY IS THAT WHERE'S THE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS HERE IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TIME THAT IT TAKES FOR AN OFFICER TO DRIVE THROUGH THESE ZONES AND SAY, WHERE IS, YOU KNOW, IS THE PERMIT THERE? HOW OFTEN ARE WE DOING THIS? YOU KNOW, IS THE FEE APPROPRIATE? ARE WE ACTUALLY TICKETING? ARE WE GETTING THESE REVENUES BACK? YOU KNOW, WE NEED, I AGREE, WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND ACTUALLY EXAMINE THIS PROCESS, AND DOES THIS PROCESS NEED TO BE REVISED AND EXPAND THE ZONES, YOU KNOW, CONTRACT THE ZONES, FIGURE THAT OUT.
I WOULD AGREE THAT THAT PROCESS NEEDS TO BE EXAMINED MORE THOROUGHLY.
AND, UM, I THINK WE NEED TO ANTICIPATE WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH HOSPITAL HILL.
[02:20:01]
PARTS OF WARD ONE, WHETHER CONNECTED OR NOT, UM, YEAH, WOULD PROBABLY END UP NEEDING TO HAVE SOME SORT OF PARKING ENFORCEMENT OF SOME KIND.UM, SO TO JUST KIND OF THINK BOTH SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM AND WHAT MIGHT BE BEST OVERALL.
I AM GOING TO, UM, PUT A PIN IN THIS THEN, AND LET YOU EACH DISCUSS IT INDIVIDUALLY.
UH, I AGREE WITH THE, DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THE HOSPITAL.
HE'LL COMMENT, UH, WITH THE CHIEF AND LET US KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PUT THIS ON A WORK SESSION AGENDA AS A, UM, YOU KNOW, AS A DISCUSSION TOPIC FOR THE POLICY GOING FORWARD.
IT'S NOT, UM, YEAH, IT'S AN EASY, IT'S BASICALLY A POLICY, SO IT'S NOT A HUGE LEGAL LIFT FOR US TO MAKE REVISIONS TO IT, BUT WE NEED TO BE COMMUNICATIVE AND TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT.
UH, HE SEEING NO, UM, HUGE INTEREST IN THE PUBLIC IN COMMENTING ON THIS.
I THINK, UM, THE HOUR GROWS LATE.
IS THERE ANY INTEREST IN EXTENDING THE MEETING, UH, BY 15 MINUTES TO ALLOW MR. GALLOWAY TO GO THROUGH HIS REPORT? OH, IS THAT A MOTION COUNCILOR? IN REGARDS?
I WAS JUST MESSING WITH YOU A MOTION FOR 10 MINUTES EXTENSION.
THE MOTION IS TO EXTEND THE MEETING TO 10:40 PM MADE BY COUNCIL MEMBER GAR, SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR BRINER.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION HEARING NONE? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE MOTION PASSES SIX ZERO.
THE MEETING IS EXTENDED TO 10:40 PM MR. GALLOWAY, YOUR UPDATE.
OKAY, MAYOR AND COUNSEL, CAN YOU HEAR ME CLEAR? YES.
OKAY, SO I HAVE JUST A FEW UPDATES, BUT NUMBER ONE, WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED WITH THE MOST PRESSING UPDATE, AND THAT IS, UM, EMERGENCY OPERATIONS FOR THIS WEEKEND.
UM, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE, UM, A TON OF SNOW AND POTENTIAL ICE THAT ARE COMING IN, AND I'LL LET MR. BRAMAN KICK IT OFF FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.
AND THEN IF CHIEF OR DEPUTY CHIEF WANTS TO CHIME IN FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, I'LL, AND I'LL FINISH IT.
UM, AND I'M GOING TO STICK WITH PARKING.
SO ALLEGEDLY, WE MAY BE SUBJECT TO TRILLIONS OF FLURRIES JUST IN CHEVROLET THIS WEEKEND.
AND, UM, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING ON NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT ONE OF THE BIG THINGS IS PARKING, AND WE'RE GONNA BE PUBLISHING OUR REGS.
UM, THE REG SOMETIMES IS A LITTLE BIT, UH, DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND, BUT I'M GONNA TRY TO JUST MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT, UH, EASIER.
SO FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE TOWN, 95, 90 9% OF IT, YOU PARK ON THE ODD SIDE OF THE STREET, OKAY? AND YOU PARK ON THE ODD SIDE OF THE STREET UNTIL IT STOPS SNOWING.
THEN WE'D LIKE YOU TO, GREG DOESN'T SAY THIS, THEN WE'D LIKE YOU TO MOVE IT TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STREET.
UM, BUT ALSO CUL-DE-SACS AND COURTS, UH, PARKING'S PROHIBITED.
I, I NEED TO BACK UP TO, WE REALLY WANT EVERYBODY TO FULLY UTILIZE THEIR DRIVEWAY.
SO IF YOU CAN FIT THAT SECOND OR THIRD CAR IN YOUR DRIVEWAY, PLEASE, PLEASE DO.
OR, OR CERTAINLY THE FIRST CAR.
UM, AND THEN, UH, WE DO HAVE SOME SECTIONS ON 59TH AVENUE AND TREMONT AND INWOOD.
UM, THAT, UH, UM, YOU CAN'T PARK ON THE OUTSIDE.
YOU HAVE TO PARK ON THE EVEN SIDE, AND THAT THROWS PEOPLE.
BUT THAT'S FOR US TO BE ABLE TO, UH, UH, MANEUVER SOME OF OUR, UH, EQUIPMENT, UH, MORE EASILY AROUND SOME OF THE, UH, CORNERS.
UM, AND THEN THERE IS A BLURB ABOUT, UH, YOU CAN'T PARK ON, UH, ON ANY STREET EXCEPT AT THE CURB, WHICH, UM, MEANS YOU CAN'T LEAVE YOUR CAR IN THE, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD.
UM, THIS IS, UH, GOING TO BE A BIG EVENT.
UM, AND, UH, MR. CARDNIS ALREADY, UH, PREPARED A, UH, EMERGENCY SNOW PLAN TOMORROW MORNING.
WE'RE GONNA BE REVIEWING THAT.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY PUT STAFF ON NOTICE.
WE'VE ALREADY STOCKED UP ON, UH, SOME SUPPLIES AND SOME FOOD WORKING WITH THE STATE FOR, UH, SALT, WHICH, UH, USUALLY WORKS OUT GREAT FOR US.
JUST BE, BE, UH, THIS IS GONNA BE VERY COLD AS WELL TOO.
SO A LOT OF THIS IS GONNA BE PLOWING.
UM, AND SO WE'RE GONNA BE OUT PLOWING.
WE'RE GONNA BE ASSIGNING CREWS TO VARIOUS SECTIONS, BUT, UH, BASICALLY WE HAVE, UH, YOU KNOW, LIKE NINE PLOWS AND, UH, UH, SEVEN, UH, OF THOSE PLOWS HAVE SPREADERS ON 'EM.
WE'RE NOT GONNA BE USING SALT PROBABLY ALL THE TIME, 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE COMING RIGHT BACK PROBABLY AN HOUR OR TWO OR THREE LATER AND PUSHING THE, UH, UH, YOU KNOW, 2, 3, 4
[02:25:01]
INCHES THAT HAVE ACCUMULATED.TRYING TO KEEP THAT, UH, OFF THE ROAD.
UM, AND THAT'S WHY WE, WE, WE WANNA BE ABLE TO PUSH THE SNOW ALL TO ONE SIDE AND THEN HAVE THE CARS MOVE AND TRY TO COME BACK.
UNFORTUNATELY, SOME PEOPLE DO DIG THEIR DRIVEWAYS OUT WHEN WE COME THROUGH PUSHING THE SNOW, WE WILL BE PUSHING SNOW BACK TOWARDS THE APRON.
UM, WE TRY TO AVOID THAT, BUT, BUT MOST TIMES IT'S, UH, VERY DIFFICULT TO AVOID THAT WITHOUT, PARTICULARLY WITH THIS AMOUNT OF SNOW, UM, WITH, WITHOUT, UM, PUSHING IT SOMEWHERE ELSE, LIKE MORE OUT INTO THE ROAD.
SO WE ARE SENSITIVE, WE DO OUR BEST WITH THAT.
BUT, UM, THAT IS, UH, THAT, THAT, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE HEARD BACK FROM RESIDENTS.
BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT PROBABLY, UH, UH, DEPLOYING SATURDAY EVENING, UH, THROUGH MONDAY.
UM, WE'RE PROBABLY GOING TO NEED TO, UH, CANCEL, UM, OR DELAY POSTPONE SOME OF OUR, UH, TRASH SERVICES.
SO YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE THE LEAF SCHEDULE.
UH, WE, WE, WE MAY GET A, A FOOT OF SNOW THAT MAY LAST TWO WEEKS ON TOP OF THE LEAVES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, UH, BE DOING NUMEROUS NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS, KEEPING PEOPLE UP TO DATE AS TO HOW OUR SCHEDULES CHANGE.
BUT, UM, WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO REACTIVATE ALL OF THOSE SERVICES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
UM, AND ADDITIONALLY TOO, I'VE ALREADY SEEN GOING AROUND A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS ARE ALREADY EAGER TO, UH, BRING PUBLIC WORKS FOOD.
UM, AND SO, UH, WE APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO BALANCE THAT OUT WITH SOME OF THE FOOD WE'VE ALREADY STOCKED UP ON.
UM, BUT WE'VE GONE THROUGH, UH, UH, UH, PREPARING OUR EQUIPMENT, UH, PREPARING OUR PERSONNEL.
UM, WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE HAVING SOME, UH, LOCAL HOTEL ROOMS TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO, UH, REST.
UM, THIS IS GONNA KILL THE OVERTIME BUDGET, BUT IT'S NECESSARY.
AND, UH, UM, AS, UH, AS LUIS SAID, UH, TO MR. GALLOWAY THE OTHER DAY, DON'T WORRY, YOU HAVE THE BEST TEAM HERE.
SO, UM, HE'S, HE'S PLOWED MORE SNOW THAN I HAVE.
SO, UH, I I, I LIKE THAT, UH, HE'S STEPPED UP ON THIS AND, AND I LIKE THAT HE IS, UH, SAYING THAT.
UM, SO, UM, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S GONNA BE A, YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE A VERY, VERY, UH, POWERFUL STORM.
COULD HAVE ICE, HOPEFULLY NO FREEZING RAIN.
UH, IF WE, IF, YOU KNOW, WITH, UH, FREEZING RAIN, YOU HAVE POWER OUTAGES, WE MAY HAVE POWER OUTAGES.
SO IN OUR NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS, WE ARE SUGGESTING FOR PEOPLE TO PREPARE.
HOPEFULLY PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BEEN PREPARING, UH, BUT ALSO TO THINK OF YOUR NEIGHBORS, UM, AND PREPARING AS WELL.
UM, THERE'S ANYTHING MORE SPECIFIC SOMEBODY'D LIKE ME TO GO OVER.
WE'RE GONNA BE DOING OUR BEST TO PUBLISHING THESE.
BUT FOR, UH, UH, THE PARKING REGS AND THE DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE TOWN, YOU START OFF BY PARKING ON THE ODD SIDE OF THE REG.
I WAS GONNA GO TO MR. TANZI AND THEN, UH, MR. GARZA HAD QUESTIONS.
I JUST, MY UNDERSTANDING IS IT'S GONNA BE POWDERY SNOW AND THEN SLEET OR SOME OTHER FORM OF PRECIPITATION.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS BECAUSE THAT'S THE CASE, PEOPLE SHOULD BE TRYING TO SHOVEL STUFF KIND OF AS IT COMES DOWN.
'CAUSE ONCE THE, THE HEAVIER STUFF COMES ON TOP, IT BECOMES HARDER TO DO.
SO YOU MIGHT WANNA, ASSUMING THAT'S ACCURATE, YOU MIGHT WANT TO INCLUDE THAT IN THE ANNOUNCEMENT TO SAY PEOPLE DON'T, DON'T WAIT TILL IT'S ALL OVER AND TRY TO DO IT ON, ON MONDAY.
IT'S GONNA BE HARDER THAN, THAN TRYING TO HIT IT EARLY.
THAT'S A, THAT'S A, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THAT, UH, FEEDBACK.
WE, WE WILL TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
THAT ALSO IS PEOPLE WILL SHOVEL STUFF OUT IN THE STREET TO GET OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, AND UNFORTUNATELY WE'RE GONNA BE PUSHING IT BACK A LITTLE BIT.
JUST NEED EVERYBODY TO BE PATIENT.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH ROOM FOR ALL THIS SNOW.
A CHIEF AND DEPUTY CHIEF, OH, I'M SORRY.
YEAH, I, YEAH, I HAD A, A RESIDENT, UH, CONCERN, BUT, UH, I'LL, I'LL JUST TALK TO YOU MR. BRAMAN.
UM, I DON'T THINK THEY WANT ME TO TELL, LIKE, OUT LOUD WHERE THEY LIVE AT, BUT, UM, I'LL TOUCH BASE WITH YOU MR. BRAMAN, AND ALSO JUST, UH, BE SAFE OUT THERE, SIR.
UH, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT SORT OF PICKING UP ON THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE OFFERED TO BRING YOU FOOD, THERE WAS SOME CONCERN ABOUT BEING ABLE TO STORE THAT FOOD.
IS THE KITCHEN IN THE BUILDING? NO.
IS NOT YET FUNCTIONAL, IS THAT CORRECT? UM, AT, AT THIS POINT WE HAVE NOT ACCEPTED THE BUILDING.
UH, SO, UM, AT THIS POINT I'M NOT PLANNING ON, ON USING THE KITCHEN IN THE BUILDING.
UM, WE WILL OBVIOUSLY, AS THIS, UH, UH, STORM PROGRESSES, IF, IF WE NEED TO, UH, USE SOMETHING IN THE BUILDING, WE WILL.
UM, RIGHT NOW WE DO HAVE A REFRIGERATOR.
I DID EXPLAIN THIS TO, UH, UM, UH, THE RESIDENT WHO'S ORGANIZING THIS.
[02:30:01]
MAKE IT HAPPEN.UM, IT'S GONNA BE COLD ENOUGH.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO STORE FOOD OUTSIDE TOO, BUT, UH, IF NECESSARY, WE, WE'LL PULL ALL THE STOPS OUT.
BUT, UH, UM, I'M GONNA TRY TO WORK, FIGURE OUT A WAY TO WORK IT WITHOUT US USING THE BUILDING, UH, JUST BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO AVOID, UM, UM, THE, THE PUNCH LIST HAS A LOT OF THINGS.
AND RIGHT NOW THE PUNCH LIST IS OWNED BY KELLER.
AND I'M, I'M TRYING TO, UH, NOT HAVE ANY OF THAT PUNCH LIST BE, UH, UH, POINTED BACK TO US.
BUT PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, WE'RE GONNA BE DEFINITELY THE SAFETY, UH, AND, UH, AS MUCH AS WE CAN, THE COMFORT OF THE EMPLOYEES IS GONNA BE, UH, NU Y'ALL ONLY HAVE 10 MORE MINUTES TO GET THROUGH MY REPORT, JUST AS A MATTER OF TIME.
SO, UM, CHIEF MORRIS, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING, UH, NOT TO REPEAT WHAT, UH, MR. BRAMAN HAS ALREADY SAID, BUT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S FULLY STAFFED THIS WEEKEND.
UH, SERGEANT BLANC'S WORKING DAY WORK, UH, ACTING SERGEANT, UH, VALENCIA SQUAD IS WORKING EVENINGS.
UH, ALL OF OUR OFFICERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH GO BAGS.
UH, SO IT CONTAINS FOOD, WATER, CHANGES OF CLOTHES, ALL THE NECESSARY PERSONAL ITEMS, UH, BECAUSE THEY ANTICIPATE WORKING BEYOND THEIR 12 HOUR SHIFTS, UH, PARTICULARLY IF IT IN, IF THE LEVEL OF SNOWFALL INHIBITS OTHER OFFICERS FROM GETTING INTO THE, INTO THE TOWN IN A, IN AS TIMELY FASHION.
BUT, UH, THE OFFICERS ARE ALREADY BEEN DIRECTED, UH, ANTICIPATE 15 TO 16 HOUR SHIFTS, UH, OVER THE, UH, OVER THE COURSE OF THE 48 TO 72 HOURS.
UH, COMMAND STAFF IS ALSO AVAILABLE AND WILL BE WORKING.
UH, THE COUNTY WILL LIKELY OPERATE UNDER A SIGNAL 26, WHICH MEANS THAT THEY WILL SUSPEND ROUTINE PATROL.
UH, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE WILL SUSPEND PREMISE, UH, CHECKS OR THAT WE'LL SUSPEND RESPONSES TO PRIORITY CALLS.
OBVIOUSLY, THEY'LL STILL TAKE PRECEDENCE, UH, AND WE ANTICIPATE AN INCREASE IN MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS.
SO WE'D ASK FOLKS TO REMEMBER THAT, UH, MR. BRAHMAN'S CREW CAN DO THEIR JOB BEST WHEN THE TRAFFIC ON THE ROADWAYS IS LIGHT.
SO, UH, ENJOY THE TIME, STAY HOME, STAY WARM, AND LET PUBLIC WORKS, GET THEIR JOB DONE, AND ALLOW THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SERVE AND, AND KEEP THE TOWN SAFE.
UM, WE ARE, UH, WE ARE DOING A, A VIRTUAL CALL TOMORROW WITH ALL, WITH ALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT STAFF, UH, TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS, UH, AWARE OF OUR OPERATIONAL PLANS.
UH, THE DEPUTY CHIEF IS ON HERE.
IF I, IF I'VE MISSED ANYTHING? NO, CHIEF, YOU HIT IT ALL.
UH, WE, WE WILL ALSO HAVE AN, UH, OPERATIONS CALL IN THE MORNING WITH, UH, POLICE, PUBLIC WORKS AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF TO, UH, DISCUSS THE ENTIRE PLAN IN GENERAL, MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE, YOU'RE AWARE, UM, IF POWER GOES OUT OR IF UTILITY GOES OUT, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU, UM, GET IN TOUCH WITH ME SO I CAN GET IN TOUCH WITH OUR YOUTH, WITH OUR UTILITY PROVIDERS, UM, AND CALL IT IN.
I DO KNOW THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, I AM, YOU KNOW, I, I'M, I'M, I'M, I'M OPTIMISTIC HERE.
I HOPE THAT IT'S JUST SNOW, BUT I'M PREPARING FOR WORST CASE SCENARIO.
IF THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, WATER ISSUES OR IF POWER GOES OUT, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND WORK THOSE FROM OUR END.
UM, AND WITH, WITH, WITH THAT BEING SAID, I WILL BE CALLING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU TOMORROW JUST TO PRETTY MUCH GIVE YOU A MORE DIRECT RUNDOWN FROM THE ADMINISTRATIVE MEETING THAT WE'RE HAVING TOMORROW.
UM, AND FROM THAT POINT ON, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE ASK ME THEN.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA MOVE THROUGH MY REPORT.
I HAVE ABOUT SEVEN MORE MINUTES.
UH, THIS WAS SOME HOMEWORK THAT YOU ALL GAVE ME REGARDING THE BUS STOP SIGNAGE AND ENCLOSURES ALONG AVENUE.
I'VE BEEN IN COMMUNICATION WITH PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND TRANSPORTATION REGARDING CORRECT CORRECTING BUS STOP SIGNAGE ALONG CHEVROLET AVENUE.
I HAVE ALSO REQUESTED THE INSTALLATION OF BUS STOP ENCLOSURES AT HIGHER TRAFFIC LOCATIONS.
I'M CURRENTLY AWAITING THE COUNTY'S RESPONSE REGARDING TIMELINES AND WHETHER CLOSURES CAN BE PROVIDED.
SO, UH, WE, WE, UH, BROUGHT THIS UP FOR DISCUSSION AT THE LAST TOWN MEETING, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET A LITTLE TRACTION ON IT.
I'M JUST WAITING ON THE COUNTY TO PROVIDE A TIMELINE AS IT RELATES TO 58 0 1 ANNAPOLIS ROAD.
UH, CPJ WILL BE REVIEWING THE PROPOSED PROJECT
[02:35:01]
FROM AN ENGINEERING PERSPECTIVE, AND WE'LL PROVIDE, UM, ASSISTANCE TO THE TOWN, UM, AND, AND RECOMMENDATIONS.SO WHEN I RECEIVE THAT FEEDBACK FROM THEM BASED OFF OF THE ENGINEERING DRAWINGS THAT, UH, THE ENGINE THAT THE 58 0 1 DEVELOPMENT CREW, UH, WILL BE PROVIDING, I WILL PROVIDE THAT TO YOU ALL, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, AND WE'LL ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS THEN.
UH, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD WITH UTILIZING PROJECT RESTORE FUNDS.
UM, I HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE NEW LEASE OF THE FORMER WALGREENS PROPERTY AND THE NEW OCCUPANT PLANS TO CONVERT THE SPACE INTO DRUM ROLL PLEAS AND ACE HARDWARE AND A COFFEE SHOP.
UH, THESE FUNDS ARE INTENDED TO SUPPORT, UH, THE BUILD OUT OF THE PROJECT.
PLEASE NOTE THAT, UH, THE PROJECT MUST BE FINALIZED BY MID-JUNE FOR THE LEASE TO RECEIVE THE FUNDS.
UM, I'VE GOT ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, BUT MAYBE I CAN ENTERTAIN QUESTIONS ON THIS.
UM, THE TOWN WAS AWARDED APPROXIMATELY 265,000, BUT 30,000 OF THAT BEING AN OPERATIONAL COST, UM, OR I'M SORRY, AN ADMINISTRATIVE COST.
ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL AS IT RELATES TO THE PROJECT RESTORE FUNDS? I ALREADY DONE MY QUESTIONS.
THE POLAR PLUNGE, THIS IS A REMINDER ANYONE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING IN THE POLAR PLUNGE IS NEXT FRIDAY, IT'S GOING TO BE 23 DEGREES WITH A 35% CHANCE OF SNOW.
BUT I STILL ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME ON OUT AND HAVE A GOOD TIME WITH US.
UM, THE INSPECTION OF TOWN PARKS AND LIGHTING, I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN ACTIVELY INSPECTING LIGHTS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
IF LIGHT BULBS ARE OUT OR NOT FUNCTIONAL, WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO EITHER REPLACE OR, OR REPAIR.
AND PLEASE NOTE THAT SOME REPAIRS MAY TAKE LONGER OR MAY BE A LITTLE BIT MORE INTENSIVE THAN JUST CHANGING LIGHT BULBS.
UM, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, HGTV HAS REQUESTED PERMISSION TO FILM B-ROLL FOOTAGE OF PARKS AND SURROUNDING AREAS NEAR LAUREL AVENUE.
UH, THERE'S A HOME CURRENTLY UNDER CONTRACT WITH THE PURCHASE EXPECTED TO BE FINALIZED WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK, THE FOOTAGE FOR AN EPISODE OF HOUSE HUNTERS, IN WHICH THE BUYERS TORE THREE HOMES IN WASHINGTON DC AREA AND ULTIMATELY SELECTED THE PROPERTY ON LAUREL AVENUE.
SO, UM, IF YOU SEE FOLKS NEXT WEEK FILMING OR DOING B ROLL FOOTAGE, IT'S BECAUSE OF, UM, IT BEING ON HOUSE HUNTERS AND MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? NO, THANK YOU SIR.
I DO HAVE ONE MORE, ONE MORE, UH, ITEM TO BRING UP.
I WILL PUT THIS TO, CAN WE, UH, WELL, MY ONLY REQUEST IS THAT, UH, SEEING IS HOW THERE'S LIKE A 99% CHANCE THAT WE'RE GONNA CANCEL ALL PICKUPS ON MONDAY, UH, THAT WE FIND A WAY TO, OR THAT WE AT LEAST DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN, BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY PICKUPS TOMORROW, AND THEY WILL NOT HAVE TRASH PICKUP ON MONDAY.
UM, VERY, VERY, VERY LIKELY NOT HAVE TRASH PICKUP ON MONDAY.
SO, UH, I THINK WE WILL NEED TO PRIORITIZE THE EAST SIDE ON OUR, WHEN, WHEN WE REDO THE PICKUP SCHEDULE FOR NEXT WEEK, WHICH MIGHT NOT EVEN BE STARTING TUESDAY.
ANY QUICK UPDATES ON CHEVROLET STATION? APARTMENTS? MAYOR, MAYOR.
MAYOR, LIKE THE MICRO MACHINE.
UM, I MEAN, I COULD MAKE IT HAPPEN, MAYOR.
UH, BUT, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT EXTEND THE TIME FOR LIKE ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES, A MOTION.
OH, I WANT TO SET A MOTION TO EXTEND THE TIME.
THERE'S BEEN A MOTION, UH, BY COUNCIL MEMBER GAR AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR FRY TO EXTEND SECOND VICE MAYOR BRENER, WHAT DID I SAY? OH, BY VICE MAYOR BRINER, SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR BRINER TO EXTEND THE MEETING TO 10:50 PM SORRY.
IS THERE ANY, IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? IT'S BEEN MOTIONED AND, AND SECONDED HEARING? NO DISCUSSION.
[02:40:01]
THE MOTION PASSES SIX ZERO.THE MEETING IS EXTENDED FOR AN ADDITIONAL 11 MINUTES.
MR. GALLOWAY, YOU HAD ANOTHER ITEM? YEAH.
I COULD SLOW DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GARCES FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, MAKING ME SLOW DOWN FOR GIVING ME THE PERMISSION TO SLOW DOWN.
I DO WANNA, UH, BRING ATTENTION TO, UH, THE CHIEF, CHIEF CHIEF NOTIFIED ME EARLIER THAT, UM, I JUST WANT GIVE A SPECIAL HIGHLIGHT TO OFFICER BROWN.
UH, HE WAS OFF DUTY LAST NIGHT.
HE WAS CLOSE BY IN CAPITOL HEIGHTS WHEN A SHOOTING CALL WENT OUT.
HE RESPONDED, AND ALONG WITH ANOTHER PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY POLICE OFFICER, THEY LOCATED THE SUSPECT, MADE APPREHENSION AND RECOVERED A HANDGUN.
UM, AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF, BUT JUST WANTED TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THESE ARE THE TYPE OF OFFICERS THAT, THAT WE HAVE, AND I'M JUST HAPPY THAT OFFICER BROWN IS A PART OF THE TOWN OF CHEVROLET.
SO, WITH ALL FURTHER DO CHIEF YEAH, I, I'LL DEFER TO THE DEPUTY CHIEF.
CHAD, UH, GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
OFFICER BROWN WAS AT HIS RESIDENCE.
HE LIVES IN AN APARTMENT JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN.
HE HEARD SEVERAL GUNSHOTS QUICKLY THREW ON HIS UNIFORM, AT LEAST HIS PANTS, HIS SHIRT, HIS BODY WORN CAMERA GRABBED HIS FIREARM, AND HIS RADIO WENT OUTSIDE WHERE HE OBSERVED A, UM, TOW TRUCK DRIVER CROUCHED DOWN BEHIND HIS VEHICLE.
HE APPROACHED THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER USING VERY GOOD TACTICS, UM, AND THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER ADVISED HE WAS ARMED AND JUST SHOT AT SOMEBODY WHO CAME OUT AND APPROACHED HIM.
HE HAD THEN, OBVIOUSLY PULLED HIS WEAPON AND HELD HIM AT GUNPOINT WAIT, AWAITING THE ARRIVAL OF BACKUP FROM A PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY POLICE OFFICER.
THEY WERE ABLE TO REMOVE THE WEAPON FROM THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER'S HAND, WHO ADMITTED THAT, UH, HE WAS TOWING A VEHICLE.
THE INDIVIDUAL CAME OUT, CONFRONTED HIM A FIGHT ENSUED, HE PULLED OUT A WEAPON AND SHOT AT THE, UM, RESIDENT WHOSE CAR WAS BEING TOWED.
AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, WE GOT CORRESPONDENCE FROM PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY POLICE COMMANDERS, UM, LETTING US KNOW WHAT A GREAT JOB HE DID AND WITH HIS TACTICS AND PROLE PROFESSIONALISM.
SO WE'RE VERY PLEASED WITH OFFICER BROWN AND EVERYTHING HE'S DOING.
HE'S COMING ALONG REALLY WELL AS A YOUNG OFFICER, AND WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF HIM.
CLEARLY, WE KNOW HOW, UH, EXCELLENT.
AND PLEASE PASS ALONG OUR GRATITUDE FOR OFFICER BROWN'S EXCEPTIONAL WORK.
UM, IF THAT IS THE CONCLUSION OF THAT ITEM OF MR. GALLOWAY'S REPORT, THEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER GARCE OR COUNCIL MEMBER FRY, DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY UNDER ITEM 13? UH, YEAH, JUST, UM, SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR FIRST, UH, WALK THE AWARD, UM, NEXT WEEK.
UM, AGAIN, ONCE AGAIN, I'LL SEND THE INVITE TO, UM, ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS AND OUR MAYOR FOR, UM, YOU KNOW, AS YOU GUYS COME OUT AND, UM, SEE WHAT, UH, WHAT KIND OF, UH, TYPE OF DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVE UP IN ON WARD FIVE AND WARD SIX, UH, CHEVROLET STATION SIDE.
UH, WE'RE, WE'RE PLANNING, WE'RE IN DISCUSSION, RIGHT, TO, UH, HOLD A, UM, KNOW YOUR RIGHTS, UH, ZOOM EVENT FOR OUR RESIDENTS WHO ARE CURRENTLY, YOU KNOW, LIVING IN FEAR OF, UH, THESE ICE RAIDS AND ICE, UH, KIDNAPPINGS THAT'S GOING AROUND THROUGHOUT THE NATION.
UM, WE'LL, UH, ONCE WE SET THAT UP, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL, I MEAN, IT'S MAINLY AIMED FOR EVERYONE, BUT, UH, IT'LL ALSO BE MAINLY IN SPANISH SINCE, YOU KNOW, UM, WE HAVE A TON OF SPANISH SPEAKING RESIDENTS, UM, NOT ONLY IN SHELBY STATION, BUT THROUGHOUT THE AREA.
SO, UM, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, WE WE'RE IN DISCUSSION WITH.
UM, AND I'LL GIVE YOU GUYS AN UPDATE ON THAT.
UM, ALSO, JUST BECAUSE I COMPLETELY MISSED THE STORM THAT WE'RE HAVING, UM, I'LL BE IN TALKS WITH DIMITRI REGARDING WHAT'S THEIR EMERGENCY PLAN REGARDING, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, OUR RESIDENTS UP ON WARD FIVE AND SIX SHELBY STATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, UH, I WOULD GET INFORMATION ON HOW OR WHO OR HOW MANY STAFF MEMBERS ARE GONNA BE AVAILABLE TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES SUCH AS WATER PIPE LEAKAGE OR, OR ANY OTHER EVENT THAT MAY COME, COME 'CAUSE OF THE STORM, OR JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT ANY OF OUR RESIDENTS TO BE STUCK WITH, UM, WITH ISSUES AND HAVE NO HELP ON THE WAY.
UM, THEY HAVE STARTED SALTING THE, THE WALKWAYS AND PATHWAYS AROUND THE, UM, CHEVROLET STATION, WHICH IS A PLUS BECAUSE USUALLY THEY TAKE FOREVER.
NOW THEY'RE ANTICIPATING, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BEING PROACTIVE AND, YOU KNOW, HITTING ALL THE, UM, HAZARDED HAZARDOUS, UH, SPOTS THAT CHEVROLET STATION HAS.
[02:45:01]
WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO A, UH, WELL, I'M WAITING ON THEIR PROJECT TO START, UH, REGARDING, UM, COMPLETE AC UH, I'M SORRY, A COMPLETE, UM, I THINK THEY CALLED AN A, UH, THE AIR CONDITIONING.UM, NO, UH, IT WAS, IT WAS, IT WAS SOME TYPE OF, UH, PIPE, PIPE OR DRAINAGE THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO, UM, FIX BEFORE THE SUMMER HITS.
AND THEY'RE HOPING THAT THAT WOULD, UM, ALSO INCREASE THE, UH, THE AC FLOW FOR THE SUMMER.
SO THERE ARE ALSO PREPARATIONS REGARDING THAT.
SO HOPEFULLY IF I WAS STILL RIGHT AND MY RESIDENTS WON'T HAVE TO SUFFER OR OUR RESIDENTS WON'T HAVE TO SUFFER ONCE AGAIN A HOT SUMMER.
SO, UM, OTHER THAN THAT, I THINK WE'RE, WE'RE GOOD TO GO ON THAT.
YEAH, LET US KNOW WHAT WE CAN DO AND PLEASE BE IN TOUCH, UH, OVER THE STORM WEEKEND AS TO WHAT YOU'RE SEEING AT CSA.
ANY QUESTIONS FOR COUNCIL MEMBER FRY OR COUNCIL MEMBER GAR? OKAY.
UH, FUTURE MEETING AGENDA ITEMS. UH, THE NEXT TOWN MEETING IS FEBRUARY 12TH.
SO WE WILL HAVE A RESOLUTION FOR COMMEMORATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH.
WE WILL ALSO HAVE A RESOLUTION, UH, ACKNOWLEDGING THE HARD WORK OF PLANNING BOARD CHAIR JOYCE SIPPA.
UH, I DO NOT HAVE ANYTHING ELSE ON THE 12TH AGENDA YET.
ANYONE HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOUR TRACKING NEEDS TO BE ON THERE AT THIS TIME? UH, FOR THE 26TH, THAT'S THE WORK SESSION.
OH, BY THE WAY, UH, COUNSEL, WE PROBABLY WILL NEED TO HAVE A CLOSED SESSION AT SOME POINT IN FEBRUARY.
THINK ABOUT WHETHER YOU'D LIKE TO DO IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 12TH TO LIMIT THE NUMBER OF EVENINGS WE'RE MEETING, OR IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 26TH.
NOTHING APPEARS AT THIS TIME TO BE TERRIBLY URGENT, SO IT COULD BE DELAYED, BUT LET'S TRY TO BE EFFICIENT WITH OUR TIME.
SO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOUR PREFERENCES ARE AND MAKE THEM KNOWN FOR THE 26TH WORK SESSION.
I HAVE 57 0 1 LANDOVER ROAD, POSSIBLY A BOARD OF ELECTIONS, CHARTER AMENDMENT.
UH, IF MR. UH, DELOACH HAS THE DRAFT READY, UH, WE WILL HAVE, UH, WE WILL DISCUSS THE LANGUAGE AROUND COUNCIL MEMBERS USE OF TOWN RESOURCES.
UH, I THINK IT'S TIME FOR US, I THINK TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CLAY BRICK ROAD, UH, PROPOSAL.
AGAIN, THAT IS A WHOLE MONTH AWAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER ITEMS ANYONE IS TRACKING FOR FEBRUARY 26TH? VICE MAYOR? UM, I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL HAVE AN UPDATE, BUT 58 0 1 ANNAPOLIS ROAD.
IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA TO SAVE SOME SPACE FOR 58 0 1.
UH, AT ANY RATE, AT A MINIMUM I'D LIKE FOR HIM TO COME AND TELL US WHAT HE LEARNED FROM THE COMMUNITY ON JANUARY 14TH.
SO MAYBE WE SHOULD PLAN FOR THAT FOR FEBRUARY 26TH.
AND DID YOU SAY 57 0 1 LANDOVER ROAD AS WELL? YES.
AND STRATEGIC PLAN AND COUNCIL PRIORITIES? SURE.
AND OR LEGISLATION? UM, OR I GUESS THAT'S TOO LATE FOR LEGISLATION.
THAT WOULD BE TOO LATE FOR LEGISLATION.
IF WE DO WE NEED TO ADD ANY LEGISLATION FOR THE FEBRUARY 12TH? WE CAN DO THAT.
ANY OTHER ITEMS AT THIS TIME? YOU CAN ALWAYS ADD THEM LATER.
IS THERE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? MOTION TO ADJOURN.
COUNCIL MEMBER GAR SECOND, UH, MADE THE MOTION.
HAVE A GOOD NIGHT AND BE SAFE.