MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF LAUREL, MARYLAND

TWENTY-SIXTH MEETING

MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2023 6:00 P.M.

ZOOM- VIRTUAL MEETING

MEETING MINUTES

            The meeting convened virtually via Zoom at approximately 6:00 pm with Council President Brencis D. Smith presiding. The roll was called with Councilman James Kole, Councilman Carl DeWalt, Councilman Martin Mitchell, Councilman Keith R. Sydnor and Craig A. Moe, Mayor present.

             The following staff members were also present: Christian L Pulley, CPM, City Administrator, Joanne Barr, Deputy City Administrator, Sara A. Green, CMC, City Clerk, Ana Navarro, Executive Assistant to the Mayor, Bill Bailey, Director, Department of Parks and Recreation, Audrey Barnes, Director, Department of Communications, James Cornwell-Shiel, Director, Department of Information Technology, Chief Russell Hamill, LPD, Brian K. Lee, Director, Department of Public Works, Robert Love, Director, Department of Economic and Community Development, Deputy Chief Mark Plazinksi, LPD, S. Michele Saylor, Director, Department of Budget and Personnel Services, Danny Selby, Director, Office of the Fire Marshal and Permit Services, Larry Taub, City Solicitor, and Chrissy Cornwell, Emergency Manager.  There were two (2) members of the public in attendance.    

            Agenda Item No. 3 was the report of the Mayor and City Council. Councilman DeWalt said that he got Council President Smith’s memorandum regarding information on unionization requested by some employees of the Department of Public Works (DPW) indicating that the Administration was gathering information and would provide information at a later date. Councilman DeWalt said that the DPW employees who had attended the February 27, 2023 meeting where the Laurel Police were sitting on one side of the Council Chamber as they were there to ratify the collective bargaining agreement between the Laurel FOP Lodge 11 and the City of Laurel and the DPW employees were on the other side requesting to be granted the right to collective bargaining and both were essential employees. Councilman DeWalt said that he didn’t understand what information was being gathered, felt like it was a similar situation to the matter of rent stabilization that the City dealt with at the end of 2022 and beginning of 2023, that the Administration was putting a “pause” on the matter and that he and Councilman Mitchell were both in favor of DPW unionization. Councilman DeWalt told the other Councilmembers that he thought they should tell DPW employees where they stood on the matter and not let the matter drag on past June. Councilman DeWalt then spoke about speed humps that had been installed in a couple of different locations in the City and liked them. Had some questions regarding the speed humps and that it would have been nice to get some information about the installation of the speed humps beforehand. Councilman DeWalt also went on to bring up an accident where a pedestrian was struck on Fifth Street near Laurel Elementary School. He had not heard any update on the pedestrian who was struck other than that she was in Shock Trauma. Councilman Kole called for a point of order because Councilman DeWalt had exceeded the five (5) minute time limit for Mayor and Council Reports as stated in the Council’s Rule of Procedure No. 34. Councilman DeWalt apologized for exceeding the limit and concluded his report.

            Next, President Smith called on Councilman Mitchell to provide his report, but he appeared to have dropped off the Zoom meeting.

            President Smith called on Councilman Sydnor to provide his report. Councilman Sydnor said that he was happy to have worked with the Top Ladies of Distinction Patuxent River Chapter to co-sponsor a blood drive with the City of Laurel on March 10, 2023. March 11, 2023 attended the annual Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad (LVRS) 49 banquet; Zeta’s Sorority event Bowling for Babies and then attended the Changes of Season event at Temple. Councilman Sydnor said that because Councilman DeWalt brought up Councilmembers and their positions on the DPW unionization issue, he was going to address it, offering his position that he was not opposed to unionization, that he had been heavily involved with unions in his past careers, but that the Administration had sent a memorandum to the Council President and the other Councilmembers asking that the Council wait until June to do certain things and that he thought that as a courtesy to the Mayor and the Administration, the Council should hear them out. Councilman Sydnor said he wanted to go on record that he supports unionization but that the Council should work together with the Administration not chastise other Council colleagues.

            Councilman Mitchell had re-entered the meeting and President Smith called on him to provide his report. Councilman Mitchell said that he attended a March 6, 2023 meeting of the Laurel for the Patuxent; March 7, 2023 Prince George’s County Chamber of Commerce had a small business meeting at the Love Life Café; on March 9, 2023 spoke to Ms. Brown’s class at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School; March 10, 2023 attended the grand opening of the newly rebuilt Shell Gas Station; March 11, 2023 attended a book signing for the book called “Why Me?” at the Laurel Branch Library; Prince George’s County Housing Justice Coalition meeting at the Laurel Boys and Girls Club and the LVRS annual banquet. March 12, 2023 Holy Festival of Lights at the Temple. Announced that Olive on Main would be having a Laurel Cats fundraiser. Councilman Mitchell said he hoped that everyone shared the sentiment of unionization and that the only question that remained was how quickly collective bargaining rights were passed.

            Councilman Kole reported that March 20, 2023 at 6:30 pm would be the launch of the No Mow April program; Saturday, March 4, 2023 attended the Laurel for the Patuxent invasive vine clean up and Congressman Glenn Ivey’s Office Open House; Sunday attended the Laurel Volunteer Fire Department Breakfast.

            Council President Smith said that in response to Councilman DeWalt’s comments regarding DPW unionization, he had received the memorandum from Mayor Moe and the Administration that requested time to gather necessary information regarding the matter. President Smith said that he agreed with Councilman Sydnor that the courtesy should be given, and that the Council should work together, and that the majority of the Council seemed to have made their position in support of unionization clear that the last meeting. President Smith said that regarding Councilman DeWalt’s comments regarding the pause on rent stabilization, the Mayor and Council President sent letters to Prince George’s County and the State of Maryland requesting that they take action regarding the matter and then sent a letter supporting the proposed legislation that was later drafted by Prince George’s County. President Smith continued with his report stating that he also attended the LVRS annual banquet.

            Mayor Moe provided his report stating that on March 2, 2023 he attended the PGCMA/Montgomery County Chapter MML Joint Lunch Reception; March 3, 2023 attended the            LGIT Training on Reasonable Suspicion; March 8, 2023 Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Monthly Board of Directors Meeting; March 10, 2023 Khoury’s Laurel Shell Grand Opening; March 11, 2023 Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad Banquet; March 12, 2023 Mayors of Prince George’s County Meeting. Mayor Moe said that regarding the speed humps and bumps mentioned earlier in the meeting, he had mentioned the plan to try them and other traffic calming measures throughout the City numerous times in the last year. Mayor Moe reminded everyone to check their smoke detectors and make sure they were 10-year battery sealed smoke detectors.

            Agenda Item No. 4 was the General Public Hearing opened by Council President Smith at approximately 6:25 pm. The first person signed up to speak with Mr. John Barry of the MCGEO Union, 3312 Beech Avenue Baltimore, Maryland 21211. Mr. Barry said that DPW employees were leading the cause to be able to unionize and that it was the City’s responsibility to grant DPW employees the right to collective bargaining and to do so immediately and without workplace intimidation. The last speaker was Alejandro Miranda, UFCW union stated that he didn’t understand why the approval on unionization of DPW needed to be delayed to June and that he thought since it was an election year, in June the City would then delay it again because it was election year. Council President Smith closed the public hearing at 6:29 pm. Council President Smith asked if anyone in the Administration wanted to respond to Mr. Miranda’s comments/questions. Mayor Moe reiterated that his Administration would pull all of the information together, that he can assure people that there would not be any intimidation of employees, that he was the Mayor when the Laurel Police Department unionized and that he understood what was involved in unionization and collective bargaining and that it would be done the right way, that there was a process, that it would be done in a manner that was fair to everyone, and that he wasn’t sure what the point was of bringing up the future City election because the unionization would be done well before the next election. Further Mayor Moe explained that the City was currently in the middle of working on the budget, working on updating the entire pay plan, working on the Capital Improvement Program and just finished the FOP Collective Bargaining agreement renewal. Assured everyone that there was a process that would be followed, and it would be done long before an election.  

            Agenda Item No. 5 was consideration of the bid recommendation- fleet acquisition for the Department of Public Works for the purchase of two (2) 2024 Freightliner 10-Ton Dump Trucks. Director Brian K. Lee, Department of Public Works presented the bid recommendation and requested approval to award it to Johnson Truck Center of Landover in the amount of $494,980.00. Councilman Kole made a comment that he supported them with the advance brine applications which would reduce the salt pollution to the river and streams. Councilman Mitchell asked how often the trucks were replaced. Mr. Lee said that they were typically replaced at the 10-year cycle, but the trucks were being replaced at a 14-year cycle. Councilman Kole made a motion to approve the bid recommendation and Councilman Sydnor seconded the motion and was carried on a roll call vote of all other Councilmembers.

            Agenda Item No. 6 was consideration of a bid recommendation for Project No. LA-23-06 for Alley Street Improvements. Director Brian K. Lee presented the bid recommendation requesting approval to award the bid to E & R Services, Inc. in the amount of $114,893.00. Councilman Kole noted for the record that as much as he and the property owners abutting the alley has hoped to be able to have permeable pavers in the alley, it was not feasible and that they supported the proposed bid and project as proposed. Councilman Kole made a motion to approve the bid recommendation, Councilman Sydnor seconded the motion and was carried on a unanimous roll call vote.

            Agenda Item No. 7 was introduction and first public hearing on Resolution No. 4-2023, a Resolution to Accept the Report of the City of Laurel No-Kill Community Animal Shelter Task Force, Authorizing the Mayor to Move Forward with the Planning, Funding, and Providing a Timeline for Completion of a No-Kill Community Animal Shelter. President Smith read the title into the record. Mayor Moe presented the proposed resolution and said that the resolution formalized the recommendations of the Task Force and calls for the creation of a Citizens Advisory Committee for the No-Kill Shelter. There were no questions from the Council, and no one signed up to speak on the item. Council President Smith opened and closed the public hearing on the item at 6:39 pm and noted that the second public hearing with possible action would be at the March 27, 2023 meeting.

            Agenda Item No. 8 was the introduction and first public hearing on Resolution No. 5-2023, a Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Set the Date, Time, and Polling Location for Early Voting in the City of Laurel for the General Election of November 2023. President Smith read the title into the record. Ms. Sara A. Green, CMC, City Clerk presented the resolution stating that the resolution would mark the first time that the City would have Early Voting at both City polling places: one (1) in Ward 1 at the Laurel Municipal Center, and one (1) at Ward 2 at the Robert J. DiPietro Community Center and would set the Early Voting date as Saturday, November 4, 2023 from 9:00 am- 5:00 pm. There were no questions from the Council. There was no one signed up to speak on the item and President Smith opened and closed the public hearing at 6:40 pm. President Smith noted that the second public hearing with possible action would be at the March 27, 2023 meeting of the Mayor and City Council.

            Agenda Item No. 9 was the introduction and first public hearing on Ordinance No. 2007, an Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the Laurel City Code, Chapter 18, to Update the Permit Requirements for Sediment and Erosion Control Plans and Providing an Effective Date. Council President Smith read the title into the record. Director Danny Selby addressed the Mayor and City Council stating that he had nothing to add from the presentation given at the Work Session of March 1, 2023. There were no questions from the Council. There was no one signed up to speak and Council President Smith opened and closed the public hearing at 6:41 pm and noted that the second public hearing with possible action on the item would be at the March 27, 2023 meeting.

            The final agenda item was the introduction and first public hearing on Charter Resolution No. 177, a Charter Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel Amending Article 400 “Administration” of the Charter of the City of Laurel to Reflect the Creation of a New Department Entitled the Department of Community Resources and Emergency Management (CREM) and Adding Section 469 “Director of the Department of Community Resources and Emergency Management (Emergency Manager). President Smith read the title into the record. Ms. Christian L. Pulley, CPM, City Administrator addressed the Mayor and City Council and said that she did not have anything to add to the presentation provided at the March 1, 2023 Work Session. There were no questions from the Council. There was no one signed up to speak on the item and President Smith opened and closed the public hearing at 6:43 pm. President Smith noted that the second public hearing with possible action on the item would be at the March 27, 2023 meeting.

            There being no further business the meeting was adjourned at 6:45 p.m.

Submitted:

Sara A. Green, CMC

City Clerk

Approved: May 22, 2023