Comment: I do not know Mr. Hruby personally, but his application indicates an education and a distinguished career in landscape architecture. Pending consideration of issues you raise, I intend to vote for Mr. Hruby.
Comment: I met Mr. Doordan and Mr. Flynn during their interview by the Housing and Human Welfare Committee. Both have very impressive credentials and experiences in management and leadership. Their answers to numerous questions demonstrated their sincerity, intelligence, and ability to serve in a meaningful role as a commissioner. Pending consideration of issues you raise, I intend to vote for both of them.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Comment: The Consent Calendar is used to quickly get through items that have unanimous support from Council in order to reduce unnecessary time on procedure. Any council member can request that an item be removed from the Consent Calendar for any reason. Any item remaining on the consent calendar has the unanimous support of Council for the limited action described below.
FIRST READERS
CA-2-16 Amending the City's Maximum Penalty - For the purpose of amending the Maximum Penalty applicable to misdemeanors, infractions and violations to that proscribed by State Law.
Sponsor: Budge
O-15-16 Lease of City Dock Space to Chesapeake Marine Tours - For the purpose of authorizing for fiscal year 2022 the lease of certain municipal property located at the City Dock to Chesapeake Marine Tours, Inc. for the docking and mooring of certain boats.
Sponsors: Pantelides, Arnett, Budge, Littmann and Pfeiffer
O-16-16 Title 12 Updates and Amendments - For the purpose of updating and amending Chapters 12.04, 12.20, 12.24, 12.28 and 12.32 of the Annapolis City Code to permit an authorized agent of the City to exercise limited authority related to parking enforcement, residential parking permits, towing and other parking matters; to permit the use of modern technology related to parking meters, parking permits and other parking matters; and matters generally relating to Chapters 12.04, 12.20, 12.24, 12.28 and 12.32.
Sponsor: Pantelides
R-14-16 Major City Dock Special Event Parking Rules - For the purpose of establishing parking rules to be effective during Major City Dock Special Events.
Sponsor: Budge
Proposed Motion to Postpone O-36-15 to April 25, 2016
O-36-15 Adequate Public Facilities - For the purpose of adding review criteria and certification for adequate school facilities to Title 22 of the Code of the City of Annapolis; and matters generally relating to the adequacy of school facilities.
Sponsors: Arnett and Littmann
END OF CONSENT CALENDAR
BUSINESS AND MISCELLANEOUS
GT-17-16 Transfer from Truxtun Park Swimming Pool, Fire Station Paving, Truxtun Park Skatepark, Trail Connections, General Improvements (2015 Bonds) Greenfield Street, WYRE Tower, Roof Repair Program, and City Dock Infrastructure Transfer to Maintenance Facilities, and City Hall Restoration - Public Works
Comment: The transfer request includes a request:
1. to add $500k for the Public Works Maintenance Facility to cover projected increases due to delaying the project for 2 years;
2. to add $600k for City Hall improvements, including $500k for an air conditioning system and $100k for an electrical generator;
3. to decrease by a corresponding $1.1M funding from closed and deferred projects including: (a) Truxton Park Swimming Pool, (b) Fire Station Paving, (c) Truxton Park Skatepark, (d) Trail Connections, (e) General Improvements, (f) Roof Repair Program, and (g) City Dock Infrastructure.
Although I'm hesitant to approve funding for the repair of a facility that most people seem to agree should be relocated, that relocation has not begun despite 2 years to investigate options. I have no doubt the building is unsafe, so although I'd prefer that the facility be moved, without any plans to make a relocation occur, I intend to support this transfer, pending consideration of issues you raise.
GT-18-16 Transfer from 2015 Improvements, and City Dock Infrastructure Transfer to General Roadways - Public Works
Comment: This is a request for funding for the General Roadways capital project that the Council previously approved. This funding requires an additional $2M and will come from unused funds ($1M) from the 2015 General Obligation Bonds and from unused and excess funds ($1M) from the City Dock infrastructure project. Pending consideration of issues you raise, I intend to vote for this transfer.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
CA-1-16 Departmental Reorganization
- For the purpose of amending the Annapolis Charter concerning: dissolving the Department of Human Resources and the Department of Neighborhood and Environmental Programs; and reassigning certain duties and granting certain authority to the Department of Finance, the Department of Planning and Zoning, the Department of Public Works and the City Manager.
Sponsor: Pantelides
Comment: This public hearing was continued from the meeting on March 14 to allow for additional comments after the helpful public work-session that the City Manager led on March 17.
O-13-16 Annual Operating Budget: Fiscal Year 2017
- For the purposes of adopting an operating budget for the City of Annapolis for Fiscal Year 2017; appropriating funds for expenditures for Fiscal Year 2017; defraying all expenses and liabilities of the City of Annapolis and levying same for the purposes specified; specifying certain duties of the Director of Finance; and specifying a rate of interest to be charged upon overdue property taxes.
Sponsor: Pantelides
R-09-16 Public Safety Employee Funeral Representation - For the purpose of establishing a policy that upon the death of a retired or active duty public safety employee, a public safety representative shall attend the funeral of the employee with the consent of the legal authorized representative of the deceased employee's family.
Sponsor: Kirby
R-10-16 Position Classifications and Pay Plan - For the purpose of approving the FY 2017 position classification and pay plan effective July 1, 2016.
Sponsor: Pantelides
R-12-16 FY 2017 Fees Schedule Effective July 1, 2016 - For the purpose of specifying fees that will be charged for the use of City services for FY 2017.
Sponsor: Pantelides
R-13-16 FY 2017 Fines Schedule Effective July 1, 2016 - For the purpose of specifying fines that will be charged for FY 2017.
Sponsor: Pantelides
O-09-16 Removing Members of Boards and Commissions - For the purpose of providing a formal process for the removal of appointed members of City boards and commissions for cause.
Sponsor: Budge and Arnett
Comment: One of the bill's sponsors, Alderman Budge, provides the following rationale:
"Appointments to the City's Boards and Commissions are specified in the City Code. Generally members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council. The code is silent, however, with respect to how or why members may be removed from Boards or Commissions. The Office of Law has given the opinion (which I do not dispute) that since the Mayor has the power to appoint, he has the implied power to remove. This leaves important questions unanswered: Can the Mayor remove someone at any time? For any reason? Must there even be a reason? Must the Council confirm removals, as it must confirm appointments?
O-9-16 seeks to answer these questions and clarify the removal process. First, it establishes that the Mayor may remove or suspend members of Boards or Commission only for cause. It also defines what cause means: ignoring City and State Code governing Boards & Commissions, ignoring the Board or Commission's own rules, ethics violations where the Ethics Commission recommends suspension or removal, conviction of certain crimes, moving out of area if membership has geographic requirements, abuse of office, etc.
Second the bill provides that if the Mayor doesn't act, the Council may. This is a reaction to several Mayors (not the present one) who have refused to remove anyone from a Board or Commission for any reason.
Third, the bill (as written) provides for binding arbitration in the event that a suspended or removed member wishes to appeal the Mayor or Council's decision. The Rules Committee proposes an amendment that would change this so that suspension or removal by the Mayor would be appealed to the Council instead. I support the amendment.
In public comment on the bill, several suggested that fewer standards of "Cause" should apply to members of Boards or Commissions that are purely advisory. I disagree with this proposal. Our citizens have the right to expect every governmental body to act openly and lawfully. This applies to all Boards and Commissions, not some of them. Those commissions that have decision-making authority are additionally accountable already - generally by appeal to the courts. Thus, a two-tier system is in place now and does not need to be further addressed by O-9-16."
I largely agree with Alderman Budge's thinking on this, although question whether the Council should have the power to remove someone from a Board or Commission (the second point above). That strikes me as an executive function, and one that might be best left that way. I welcome your continued comments on this legislation before reaching a final opinion and vote.
O-10-16 Water Service Billing Adjustments - For the purpose of clarifying the procedures for requesting an adjustment to water or sewer service billing, and matters generally relating to water or sewer service billing adjustments.
Sponsor: Pantelides
Comment: At its last meeting on March 17, the Environmental Matters Committee discussed various amendments that it would like to consider. Accordingly, the Committee voted to postpone further consideration of this legislation to its next meeting to give the Law Office time to draft the discussed amendments.
R-05-16 Shiley Park - For the purpose of designating certain City-owned land at the eastern end of Shiley Street in West Annapolis as a public park; and matters generally relating to said park.
Sponsor: Paone
Comment: The legislation would turn a plot of land that is 1/8 of an acre and currently maintained as a park into an official City Park, at no cost to the City. Pending consideration of issues you raise, I intend to vote for this.
Pursuant to 2.16.090B of the City Code, the City Council shall propose a motion to postpone to date certain not to exceed 90 days, or vote to adopt or defeat R-31-15.
R-31-15 Rental Unit Licenses - For the purpose of waiving fees associated with the licensure and inspection of HACA residential rental units.
Sponsor: Finlayson
Comment: I intend to support this request to postpone.