Frederick Mayor and Board of Aldermen Public Meeting - April 6, 2023
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Frederick Mayor and Board of Aldermen Public Meeting - April 6, 2023
The Mayor and Board of Aldermen met on Thursday, April 6, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall. The meeting opened with proclamations, followed by the consent agenda, a public hearing on five items, appointments, and public comment. Key actions included approving a Community Services Block Grant agreement, supporting the downtown Arts & Entertainment District reauthorization, and continuing the proposed carryout bag ordinance to May.
Proclamations and Opening
- Mayor Michael O'Connor proclaimed April 2023 as Child Abuse Prevention Month, Month of the Young Child, and Fair Housing Month. Representatives from the Child Advocacy Center, early childhood organizations, and the Frederick County Association of Realtors/Fair Housing Commission accepted the proclamations.
- The Child Advocacy Center reported that in 2022 it served 342 child maltreatment survivors, conducted 317 forensic interviews, provided more than 1,300 hours of trauma-focused therapy, and performed 69 forensic medical exams.
- The board unanimously approved the minutes of the March 2, 2023 public meeting.
- Aldermanic comments included a Bike to Work Day announcement (May 19), a pedestrian safety concern on Hillcrest Drive, and a call for more male involvement in child-focused programs.
Consent Calendar
- Approved a Community Services Block Grant Agreement with the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development in the amount of $301,024 for FY23.
- Approved an administrative adjustment to a Lease Amendment for 106 Commerce Street with the National Park Service Historic Preservation Training Center.
Both consent items were approved 5-0.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No general public comments were made during the first public comment period.
- On the Data Driven Frederick item: Mark Wills (concerned citizen) asked whether the program would involve disadvantaged or indigenous populations. Elizabeth Law (1748 Wayfield Drive) urged consolidated data on housing development, school capacity, and demographics, citing the 2,100-unit Brickworks project as an example. Andrea Mare (Frederick resident), an academic, cautioned about data privacy, personally identifiable information, institutional review board requirements, and suggested the city should not have to pay fees for data it helps compile.
- During the second public comment period, Mark Wills (owner of Carmen's Corner Store) said the process is not broken, called for education of community and business leaders, said department heads should have been present, and offered to help on downtown issues.
Discussion Items
Data Driven Frederick ARPA-SLFRF Grant
- Mark DeCampo (Director of Strategic Planning and Executive Projects) presented with Hood College representatives Helen Profeter and Dr. David Gerzak. The city allocated $100,000 of its $10.6 million ARPA-SLFRF funding to Hood College's Data Driven Frederick community analytics center. The 700-square-foot center in Rosenstock Hall had capital costs of $209,000. It is designed to collect, curate, and derive insight from shared data sets for nonprofits, philanthropies, and municipal offices.
- Aldermen questioned the concrete benefit to the city, data sources, access, staffing, and privacy. Alderwoman Kazemchak supported the project, recalling it as a budget item; Alderwoman Nash supported it, citing her prior knowledge of Data Driven Detroit; Alderman Shackleford opposed, stating he did not see a clear return on investment for the city.
- Motion by Alderwoman Nash, seconded by Alderwoman Kazemchak, passed 4-1 with Alderman Shackleford opposed.
Downtown Frederick Arts & Entertainment District Reauthorization
- Richard Griffin, Director of Economic Development, presented a resolution supporting reauthorization of the Downtown Frederick Arts & Entertainment District and an ordinance providing a 10-year exemption from admissions and amusement tax for certain activities in the district. Frederick has held the state designation since 2003 and was reapproved in 2013; this application seeks reapproval for 2023.
- Both the resolution and the ordinance were approved 5-0 on separate motions.
Proposed Carryout Bag Ordinance (Chapter 32)
- Alderwoman Kazemchak introduced the proposed ordinance, originally brought forward by Sierra Club representatives Kerry Hesley and Patrice Gallagher. She stated she intended to request a continuance, so the advocates did not present.
- Discussion focused on the legislative process: the mayor noted it was irregular for outside advocates to present at a public hearing, and aldermen expressed concern that staff from sustainability, economic development, and public works had not been consulted or provided opinions. Alderwoman Kazemchak moved to continue the item to the first meeting in May, seconded by Alderman Russell.
- The motion passed 4 in favor, 1 abstention (Alderman Russell).
Appointments
- Containment Laboratory Community Advisory Committee:
- Reappointed Dr. Joany Jackman for a term expiring June 30, 2025 (5-0).
- Appointed Dr. Craig Reed for a term expiring June 30, 2024 (5-0).
- Appointed Joseph Fitzgerald for a term expiring June 30, 2023 and subsequently reappointed him to a three-year term from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2026 (5-0).
- Appointed Garth Patterson for a term expiring June 30, 2025 (5-0).
- Housing Authority of the City of Frederick Board of Commissioners:
- Appointed Zakia Gailliard to complete a term expiring April 6, 2027 (5-0).
Key Outcomes
- Approved minutes of March 2, 2023.
- Approved consent agenda, including a $301,024 Community Services Block Grant agreement and the Commerce Street lease amendment.
- Approved $135,783 from the Street Maintenance operating budget to purchase/install a 10-foot stainless steel dump body (#407), transfer a V-bottom dump body to another chassis (#421), and upgrade the hydraulic system on #421.
- Approved Hood College Data Driven Frederick grant agreement (4-1).
- Approved resolution of support for Downtown Frederick Arts & Entertainment District reauthorization (5-0).
- Approved ordinance providing a 10-year admissions and amusement tax exemption for certain activities in the Arts & Entertainment District (5-0).
- Continued the proposed carryout bag ordinance to the first meeting in May (4-0-1).
- Approved all appointments listed above.
Meeting Transcript
Good evening and welcome to the Mayor and Board of Alderman public meeting for the 6th of April. We begin with a Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag. The United States America. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice. We have several proclamations this evening, which I suspect may be the reason why many of you are in the room, though not all of you. It is always nice to see a crowd. Feel free to stick around for the important government business that will be done after we read the proclamations, which is also important government business. We will start with the proclamation for child abuse prevention month. So if you're here for that, please come forward. Oh, look. Oh, hell yeah. So uh let's see, y'all I'll step forward, but we just sort of need everybody to sort of come in between the edges here so that we can get everybody in the shot. I can see I'm gonna be upstaged. This is a proclamation for child abuse prevention month, April of 2023. Whereas children are essential to the City of Frederick's success and quality of life, children are a precious and valuable resource and our most vulnerable. Children have a right to be safe and have an opportunity to thrive, learn, and grow in an environment that fosters healthy development. Whereas children are the future parents, employers, and leaders. Adults have the responsibility to encourage and nurture children's growth and development. Whereas protecting children from poverty, community and family violence, social isolation, and bullying is a responsibility that we all share. Whereas child abuse prevention depends on partnerships among social service agencies, the child advocacy center, schools, religious institutions, all levels of government, the business community, and law enforcement agencies, whereas providing a safe nurturing environment for children helps ensure that Frederick's children will grow to their full potential as the next generation of leaders helping to secure the future of this city, county, state, and nation. Now, therefore, I'm Michael O'Connor, mayor of the City of Frederick, to hereby proclaim April 2023, Child Abuse Prevention Month in the City of Frederick, signed by the mayor on behalf of the Board of Alderman and the residents of the City of Frederick. Thank you all for everything that you do every day. So we're gonna pass the microphone. So pass it that way, and people can introduce themselves. We'll pass it this way. People can introduce themselves because I think it's important for people to know who's a part of this coalition. We'll start here. Hi everyone, I am Shantel Brooks Ducket, and I'm the services supervisor at the CAC. Good evening. I'm Carla Paler, the pediatrician at the Child Advocacy Center. Hi, I'm Ariel Bender. I'm the fiscal administrator for the CAC. Hi, good evening. I'm Kristen Dunn. I'm the program manager for Child Protective Services. And I'm gonna steal the mic for a second and share a little bit about the Child Advocacy Center on behalf of our director and other team members that you're gonna meet as I continue to pass the mic, if that's okay with you. So in 2022, um we served 342 child maltreatment survivors. Um we provided 317 forensic interviews. Eris here is our facility dog, and she accompanied 167 children during their forensic interviews. Um and provided more than 1,300 hours of trauma-focused therapy. We had 791 hour um advocacy encounters and provided 69 forensic medical exams to children and support to their to their families. So again, thank you for this proclamation for the awareness that we're able to bring to our community and the partnership and the work that we do. And I will pass. I'm Corporal Deborah Kidwell. I am with Frederick City Police Department, and I am in the special victims unit and behind me who is a little shy. He's our newest uh detective. It's Detective Wharton. He's also in the special victims unit. Jenna Moseman, I'm family advocate with the Child Advocacy Center.
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