Frederick City Council Public Meeting - July 20, 2023
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Frederick City Council Public Meeting - July 20, 2023
The Mayor and Board of Aldermen held a regular public meeting on July 20, 2023, at 7:00 PM. The council approved routine consent items, held public hearings on five agenda items, and passed multiple ordinances. The most extensive discussion centered on the establishment of a new Technical Code Appeals Board, which was amended and approved unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- FAA Grant: Approved a $130,500 Federal Aviation Administration grant for the airport, with authorization for the Mayor to sign documents. (Approved 4-0)
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public spoke during either public comment period.
Discussion Items
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Pavement Condition Index Study (Task Order #6): Andrew Moore, Airport Manager, presented a $140,000 task order with Delta Airport Consultants for a pavement condition index study, a prerequisite for planned runway rehabilitation in about five years. The study is funded by FAA entitlement money. Approved 4-0.
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Riverside Center Park Boat Ramp (Contract with Gonce Enterprises): Richard Alby, Supervisor of Hydraulics and Hydrology, requested approval of a contract for constructing a boat ramp, funded by a $250,000 DNR waterway improvement grant and the CIP budget. Approved 5-0.
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Updated Contract with Denali Water Solutions: Tracy Coleman, Deputy Director of Public Works, presented a revised contract ($76,000) for residual removals from Linganore Decant Pond. Revisions clarified language originally in the invitation to bid. The redline version was provided for transparency. Approved 5-0.
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Ordinance on Residential Rental Licensing Disclosure: City Attorney Rachel Nesson introduced an ordinance to repeal and replace Section 12.5-30 of the City Code, requiring sellers to disclose the existence of the city's rental licensing ordinance. Alderman Kazemchak noted the disclosure would help buyers know if they can rent a property. Approved 5-0.
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Ordinance on the Technical Code Appeals Board: This ordinance replaces the Building Code Appeals Board, Vacant Property Appeals Commission, and other smaller boards with a single Technical Code Appeals Board to hear appeals from various technical codes, vacant property, and rental licensing ordinances. It also eliminates local licensing requirements for plumbers and electricians. Alderman Kazemchak proposed amendments: (1) board members must be residents of the City of Frederick (removing the county option), (2) at least three members must be licensed in Maryland as an architect, engineer, or contractor (removing realtors from the technical category), (3) all appeals must be heard within 30 days of filing (replacing "as soon as practicable"), and (4) the stay provision for vacant property appeals be removed so that filing an appeal does not stay the code official's order. The amendments were accepted by the council. The ordinance, as amended, was approved 5-0.
Key Outcomes
- All five public hearing items were approved. The first four were approved without debate. The Technical Code Appeals Board ordinance was significantly amended and then passed unanimously.
- The council also approved the minutes from June 15, 2023 (regular and closed session) with one abstention and one absence.
- Aldermanic comments included updates on community events (Asbury Block Party, high wheel bicycle race), health reminders, and reports on regional meetings (Good Jobs Great Cities Academy, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments). The meeting adjourned shortly after the final vote.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon, good evening, and welcome to the mayor and board of alderman regular public meeting for the 20th of July. We begin with the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. To Republicans under God, indivisible liberty and justice for all. Let's see. We have minutes to approve June 15th regular public meeting. So moved. Second. Motion by Alderman Shackelford, second by Alderman Russell. All those in favor. It's one, two, three, zero with one abstention and one absence, Alderman McShane. June 15th, 2023, closed session minutes. So moved. Second. Motion by Alderman Shackleford, second by Alderman Russell. All those in favor. So I have two in favor, two abstentions, and one absence. That's that's enough. Thank you very much. Um mayor's comments. Uh none at this time. Alderwoman Casem check. Nothing right now, thank you. Alderman Russell. I'll just wait till the end. Okay. Alderwoman Ash. I'll be brief. Uh, I just wanted to highlight we often get emails from residents uh about different neighborhood concerns, and um we all have received emails about um uh repeated uh illegal dumping issue and hill crests and I just wanted to give credit. Um, Deputy Chief Henneberry. I had a question just about the enforcement of the law, and not only did he just take the time to answer my question, but he also went out to the property and just sort of like reassessed just to be sure, and I just want to make credit for that because I just think it took a lot for him to not only take our concerns, which we always have questions up here, but also to just proactively investigate the residents' concern. Um, and I just wanted to give credit for for doing that. So thank you, Deputy Chief. Thank you, Alderman Shackelford. No, wait. Very good. We have two opportunities for public comments at our meeting. It's an opportunity for members of the public to address the board about any item, whether it is on this evening's agenda or not. Speakers are asked to give their name and a general address for the record and reminded the proceedings are being telecast and recorded. You are asked to speak clearly into the microphone at the podium. Comments are limited to five minutes per individual. You may also use the e-comment feature connected to the agendas on the city's website prior to the meeting. Is there anyone who wishes to make public comment this evening? Seeing none, we'll move on to our consent agenda. Items on the consent agenda are considered routine by the mayor and board. Approved in one motion without separate discussion of each item, unless any person present request that an item or items be removed. An item that is removed from the consent agenda will be considered separately at the end. If you would like any of the items below considered separately, please say so and announce the category. Category A is grants. Motion by Alderwoman Ash, second by Alderman exempt check.
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