Annapolis City Council Special Meeting – October 26, 2026

The Annapolis City Council met in special session on Monday, October 26, 2026, at 7:00 PM in the Mayor John T. Chambers, Jr. City Council Chambers. After approving a modified agenda, the council heard ceremonial items, public comment, a city manager presentation on the proposed hybrid-electric ferry, a public hearing on eviction procedures, and a long legislative calendar with multiple second-reader votes. The council voted to continue past 11:00 PM and completed its agenda.

Ceremonial Items

• The Maritime Republic of Eastport formally declared war in the annual tug-of-war challenge. The event will be held Saturday, November 7, 2026, at "the crack of noon" on 2nd Street in Eastport. The city responded with "terms of reunification," including a pet-sitting treaty, an embassy, surrender of spectator moorings, and road/sidewalk commitments. The MRE representative stated the event has raised more than $900,000 for local charities since 1997.
• The second ceremonial item honoring Old Fourth Ward Unity Day was rescheduled to the following week.

Mayor's Update and Committee Reports

• Mayor Littmann led a moment of silence for Robert W. Matthews Sr., owner of Annapolis Cab, and reminded the public about decorum and the council's 2023 code of conduct.
• The mayor said no vote would occur on the ferry that evening, and she had directed staff to evaluate financial and operating questions.
• Mayor Littmann announced the city manager's 100-day report and the FY2026 annual report are available at Annapolis.gov, and early voting runs through October 29, 2026, with Election Day on November 3, 2026.
• Alderman Huntley reported on Finance Committee matters, including a follow-up confirming the Budweiser Clydesdale meet-and-greet would not occur without a fee waiver, and a change sending itinerant-merchant resolutions to Economic Matters instead of Finance. Alderman Thorpe reported the Audit Committee met October 19 and expects the audit to complete in December. Alderman O'Neill reported on Public Safety Committee grant briefings and the December 1 citywide emergency exercise.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Many residents spoke on the proposed ferry. Opponents included Frieda Widley, Steven Rogers, Paul Rankin (Eastport Civic Association president), Jim Kevern, Tom Creek, Nancy Schumacher, Debbie Gosselin, Tim Tower, Paul Bollinger, and Jake Iverson (owner of Watermark). They argued the service would compete with the established water taxi, carry ongoing city subsidies, not solve traffic or emissions problems, and lacked demand analysis and an identified funding source for the operating deficit.
• Supporters included Barbara Friedman, Rev. John Creswell, and Kevin Buckley. They said the ferry would expand waterfront access, reduce car trips, support climate goals, and connect neighborhoods; some suggested partnering with Watermark or using a pilot phase.
• Susan Thaxton, CEO of the Annapolis Maritime Museum, said the museum does not support using its Back Creek campus as a ferry landing without detailed evaluation.
• Jody Goldsmith, Jewish Federation/Congregation Knesseth Israel president, asked for respectful disagreement after anti-Semitic incidents at a prior meeting.
• Tom Creek also praised the Paint the Ward Red volunteer curb-painting initiative, citing 137 volunteer hours, 43 gallons of paint, and volunteers aged 8 to 82.
• Andy Hare spoke on zoning and historic-district protections, not the ferry.

Discussion Item: Hybrid-Electric Passenger Ferry Initiative

• City Manager Yolanda Lewis and staff presented ID-196-26, a status update on the proposed hybrid diesel-electric ferry pilot. Key figures presented included a $3.5 million federal FTA grant ($2.975 million federal, $525,000 required city match), $1.7 million for landings, two city-owned vessels carrying about 15 passengers each, and a current grant performance period ending July 2027 and grant closeout October 2027.
• Staff said the $91,000 annual deficit estimate was tentative and based on a limited three-day service with $166,000 in operating costs and about $74,500 in revenue. They noted the operator could generate offsets through charters, advertising, or revenue sharing.
• Staff said the first RFP to be released is for design-build of the vessels; an operator RFP would come later. Releasing the RFP would not commit the city to purchasing vessels, and council would still need to approve the local match.
• Council members questioned demand, parking, grant risk, stranded-asset risk, competition with Watermark, and whether the city should instead subsidize existing water taxi service. Some council members asked for a work session or committee review to define RFP criteria; Alderman Savage urged releasing the RFP promptly. The mayor suggested Transportation and Economic Matters committees take up remaining questions. No vote was taken.
• Note: One speaker cited a $666,000 annual operating figure, but city staff and other speakers used $166,000; both framed the projected net annual deficit as about $91,000.

Public Hearing: O-30-26 Landlord and Tenant Relations – Eviction

• Matthew Pipkin, representing the Maryland Multi-Housing Association, spoke in support of O-30-26. He said MMHA represents about 215,000 rental units statewide and 5,200 in Annapolis. He asked the city to align with recently enacted Anne Arundel County law requiring 14 days' written notice before eviction and a "lock and leave" property-handling process. The public hearing was closed; no vote was taken.

Consent Calendar

• The council approved the consent calendar as follows by roll call, with all members voting aye:
  • SA-6-27: $12,000 Maryland Resilient Maryland Program grant for a preconstruction study, with a $3,000 city match.
  • AP-39-26: Reappointment of Michael P. Walsh to the Board of Appeals through December 29, 2029.
  • AP-40-26: Reappointment of Robert Gallagher to the Board of Appeals through December 29, 2029.
  • AP-41-26: Reappointment of Christopher O. Sheehan to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board through June 30, 2029.

Supplemental Appropriations and Fund Transfers

• SA-5-27 (FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant, increase to $151,409.31) approved on voice vote.
• SA-7-27 ($82,404 Homeland Security Port Security Grant for an underwater ROV, $27,468 city match) approved on voice vote.
• SA-8-27 (use of $201,600, $95,400, $84,000, and $378,000 in surplus capital funds for sidewalk/City Dock projects) approved on voice vote.
• FT-3-27 (fund transfers for union cost-of-living increases) approved on voice vote.

First-Reader Legislative Actions

• O-24-26 (sidewalk snow/ice clearing deadlines, enforcement, and city clearing) passed first reader; referred to Environmental Matters, Transportation, and Public Safety. Note: council members briefly debated the referral procedure for a third committee.
• O-31-26 (snow emergency phases and procedures) passed first reader; referred to Public Safety and Transportation.
• R-30-26 (snow-clearing fees) passed first reader; referred to Finance.
• R-44-26 (fines for snow-clearing violations) passed first reader; referred to Finance.
• R-46-26 (FY2027 pay plan 2% COLA for non-represented/executive employees) passed first reader; referred to Finance.

Second-Reader Actions

• CA-2-26 (expanding Board of Supervisors of Elections from three to five members) was amended by Smith-Brown Amendment 2, then adopted on second and third reader by roll call.
• CA-3-26 (expanding the city charter preamble) was amended to include the pillars of historic Annapolis, Maritime Annapolis, and world-class universities, with the word "two" struck by an O'Neill amendment. It was adopted on second and third reader by roll call.
• O-11-26 (allowing long-term room rentals/rooming houses in private homes) was amended by Schandelmeier Amendment 2 and adopted on second and third reader by roll call.
• O-12-26 (removing Forbes Street and Monterey Avenue from Special Residential Parking District No. 5) was adopted on second and third reader by roll call.
• O-17-26 (right to park in front of residential private driveways) was amended by Smith-Brown's sponsor amendment and Huntley Amendment 5; adopted on second and third reader by roll call. Huntley Amendment 5 extended the special-parking-district provision through December 31, 2027, despite concerns about enforcement and confusion.
• O-21-26 (Resilience Authority membership and director appointment changes) was amended by Savidge Amendments 1 and 2; adopted on second and third reader by roll call.
• O-25-26 (mobile food service vendors in Historic District special events) was adopted on second and third reader by roll call.
• R-17-26 (rooming-house license fees) was withdrawn as no longer necessary after the O-11-26 simplification.
• R-32-26 (fines related to mobile food vendor violations) was adopted by roll call.
• R-34-26 (Annapolis Main Street Advisory Task Force) was amended by Huntley Amendment 1 and Schandelmeier Amendment 2; adopted by roll call.
• R-39-26 (fee waiver for the Budweiser Clydesdale meet-and-greet) was adopted by roll call after debate about lacking fee-waiver criteria.
• R-40-26 (itinerant merchant sales for the Naptown Flea flea market) was adopted by roll call.
• R-45-26 (support for Atlantic Menhaden conservation measures) was amended by Savidge Amendment 1 and adopted by roll call.

Key Outcomes

• The ferry discussion produced no vote; staff indicated the vessel design-build RFP was ready to advertise, and council members agreed to continue the conversation through committee or work-session discussions.
• The council approved all financial items on the consent and business/miscellaneous calendars.
• Multiple charter amendments and ordinances passed on third/final reading, including CA-2-26, CA-3-26, O-11-26, O-12-26, O-17-26, O-21-26, and O-25-26.
• R-17-26 was withdrawn; all other resolutions before the council were adopted.
• The meeting adjourned after a motion to continue past 11:00 PM and final "good of the order" remarks.