OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Annapolis City Council Special Budget Meeting – June 1, 2026

City Council — Monday, June 1, 2026
BodyAnnapolis, Maryland
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, June 1, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 11:48:10
Transcript — Verbatim
0:39

Get started.

0:43

The special meeting of the Annapolis City Council on Monday, June 1st, 2026, will be called to order at 10 a.m.

0:50

At this time, we will have a moment of silence to prepare ourselves for the business ahead.

1:05

At this time, would everyone willing and able please stand for the pledge of allegiance?

1:12

Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

1:16

And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation.

1:20

Under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

1:33

Mayor Littman.

1:34

Present.

1:35

Alderman Huntley.

1:37

Alderwoman O'Neill.

1:39

Present.

1:39

Alderman Smith Brown.

1:41

Alderman Alsa Johnson.

1:43

Alderman Shaff Meyer.

1:46

Alderman McConty.

1:48

Alderman Savage.

1:50

Present.

1:50

Alderman Thor.

1:51

Present.

1:52

Thank you.

1:53

Thank you.

1:53

Mr.

1:53

City Attorney, please present the next item on the agenda.

1:56

Next item on the agenda is the approval of the agenda.

2:00

Thank you.

2:00

At this time, I'd entertain a motion to approve the agenda.

2:04

So moved.

2:04

Thank you, Alderman Thorpe.

2:06

Is there a second?

2:07

Thank you.

2:08

All those in favor say aye.

2:09

Aye.

2:10

Aye.

2:10

Aye.

2:11

Thank you.

2:12

The motion carries.

2:13

I guess any opposed.

2:15

Okay.

2:16

Motion carries.

2:17

Mr.

2:17

City Attorney, please call the next item on the agenda.

2:20

Next item on the agenda is legislative actions on second readers, beginning with resolution R ten twenty-six FY2027 annual fees schedule.

2:31

Okay.

2:31

Thank you.

2:33

What I should have just laid out just for some expectations of how this meeting is going to go, and then I'll ask for a motion to adopt R 1026.

2:42

We have four or five pieces of legislation all related to the budget today.

2:47

We're going to take them in order of how fast we think they're going to go.

2:52

The fastest to the slowest.

2:54

So we're going to end with the uh operating and capital budgets, taking the resolutions first.

2:59

We're starting at ten a.m.

3:00

and we're going until this ends.

3:02

So not knowing how long that goes.

3:08

Five or ten minutes on the hours, so like at uh ten minutes of the hour or five minutes before the hour, taking a quick five, ten minutes break, just so we have all have a chance to be healthy, move our legs, and uh uh tend to uh bio needs if necessary.

3:22

Then we'll take a uh one o'clock lunch for half an hour, and then we'll resume with that pattern, and hopefully we won't need to think about taking a dinner break just yet.

3:32

Um the we're taking everything up on second reader today, which means we're going to be considering amendments.

3:40

We're going to introduce the legislation, adopt it for second reader, and then go through a list of amendments that have been proposed for each piece of legislation.

3:48

When we get to the end of the amendments, we're going to postpone to June 8th, which is next Monday's meeting for final adoption.

3:55

That week gives our finance team and legal team, clerk's office just a chance to button up everything so that when we pass it, there's clarity for ourselves and the public.

4:05

And uh, if we messed anything up, frankly, um, since we're all human, it's prone to happen.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Fiscal Sustainability█████████████████17%
Procedural████████████12%
Public Safety████████████12%
Parks and Recreation██████████10%
Transportation Safety█████████9%
Environmental Protection███████7%
Personnel Matters███████7%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████6%
Economic Development█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Annapolis City Council Special Budget Meeting – June 1, 2026

The Annapolis City Council convened on Monday, June 1, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. for a special meeting to consider and amend the FY2027 budget, including fee schedules, fine schedules, and the annual operating and capital budgets. The meeting extended until approximately 11:24 p.m. with breaks for lunch and dinner. All items were taken up on second reader and postponed to June 8, 2026, for final adoption.

Discussion Items

  • Resolution R10-26 – FY2027 Annual Fees Schedule: The council debated and amended parking garage and meter fees, including a reduction of the maximum daily rate at Park Place garage from $22 to $18 (carried 7-2). An amendment to remove increases for Hillman Garage (concession area) and on-street parking in the concession area was approved. Other amendments passed for boat launch fees, mooring fees, and MPIA request fees.
  • Resolution R11-26 – FY2027 Fine Schedule: Numerous fine amendments were discussed. Key changes include: increasing the unlicensed short-term rental fine from $200 to $1,000 per day (replacing a variable rate; carried), eliminating the $500 fine for depositing snow on cleared streets (withdrawn), and increasing the fine for disobeying a crossing guard from $500 to $500 (carried). Several environmental and tree-related fines were increased, with an amendment to make initial and repeat fines uniform for tree permit violations (carried).
  • Ordinance O08-26 – Annual Budget: The council considered many amendments. Notable decisions: approved a pilot bus route on Forest Drive/Riva Road for $100,000 (funded from parking fund), approved $50,000 for a constituent services contractor, approved $125,000 for AI capability in planning and zoning, approved $90,000 for a sewer/annexation fund (Cars Road), and approved $25,000 for a variable message board. Also approved moving $223,000 to contingency via vacancy savings.
  • Capital Budget: Amendments approved include $50,000 for Turner Park design, $125,000 for Poplar Avenue safety improvements, $50,000 for Bywater Road resilience park, and $30,000 for Parole tennis court pre-construction. Over $480,000 in bond funding was not spent, reducing future borrowing.

Key Outcomes

  • All resolutions (R10-26, R11-26, R12-26) and the budget ordinance (O08-26) were amended and postponed to June 8, 2026, for final adoption.
  • The council cut approximately $1.2 million from operating recurring and $480,000 from capital, resulting in overall budget savings.
  • A peak-time medic unit was funded (motion to cut failed); revenue of $200,000 from EMS billing was added to the budget.
  • The final day-long meeting concluded with adjournment after all agenda items were completed.

Meeting Transcript

Get started. The special meeting of the Annapolis City Council on Monday, June 1st, 2026, will be called to order at 10 a.m. At this time, we will have a moment of silence to prepare ourselves for the business ahead. At this time, would everyone willing and able please stand for the pledge of allegiance? Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation. Under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Mayor Littman. Present. Alderman Huntley. Alderwoman O'Neill. Present. Alderman Smith Brown. Alderman Alsa Johnson. Alderman Shaff Meyer. Alderman McConty. Alderman Savage. Present. Alderman Thor. Present. Thank you. Thank you. Mr. City Attorney, please present the next item on the agenda. Next item on the agenda is the approval of the agenda. Thank you. At this time, I'd entertain a motion to approve the agenda. So moved. Thank you, Alderman Thorpe. Is there a second? Thank you. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Thank you. The motion carries. I guess any opposed. Okay. Motion carries. Mr. City Attorney, please call the next item on the agenda. Next item on the agenda is legislative actions on second readers, beginning with resolution R ten twenty-six FY2027 annual fees schedule. Okay. Thank you. What I should have just laid out just for some expectations of how this meeting is going to go, and then I'll ask for a motion to adopt R 1026. We have four or five pieces of legislation all related to the budget today. We're going to take them in order of how fast we think they're going to go. The fastest to the slowest. So we're going to end with the uh operating and capital budgets, taking the resolutions first.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com