Good evening and welcome to the September 4th City Council regular public meeting.

We will begin with the Pledge of Allegiance.

We will begin tonight with a Labor Day proclamation.

So anyone involved, I saw Christian, I see Charlie, come on up.

Well, and the council, if you could join me.

Thank you comes to the uh mayor's team for providing the staff support to create this for us.

I'm just gonna read it.

So we have representatives of labor here.

Yes.

My favorites.

I mean, Charlie, of course, is my favorite.

All right.

Whereas the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our community is built on the hard work, determination, and dignity of working people.

And whereas the labor movement has been at the heart of securing many of the fundamental protections, includes including the 40-hour work week, weekends, child labor laws, workplace safety standards, and the right to organize and collectively bargain.

And whereas the City of Frederick recognizes that unions remain a vital force of fairness, equity, and economic opportunity, especially as working families continue to face rising costs of living and economic uncertainty.

And whereas in Frederick, we are proud of the working people who power our economy, public employees, educators, health care providers, construction workers, service workers, and so many more.

And we affirm their right to a safe workspace, a fair wage, and a voice in shaping their future.

And whereas, Labor Day is not only a day of rest and celebration, but a reminder of the sacrifices made by generations of working people who fought for justice, fairness, and the dignity in workplace.

Now, therefore, I, City Council, do hereby proclaim Monday, September 1st is Labor Day in Frederick, and we call upon all residents to honor the contributions of working people, past and present.

Thank you very much.

Do you want to say who you represent while you're up here?

I am uh Charlie Snyder.

I'm the president of the local FOP who represents the sworn law enforcement officers here in the Sea of Frederick.

And I am the vice president of our FOP.

I am Dawn Lynch.

Hi, good evening.

My name is Christian Goldwith with AfSme Maryland Council Three.

Our labor council represents 50,000 public sector employees across the state of Maryland.

And that's it.

Thank you very much.

Thanks for joining us tonight.

Thank you, thank you.

Move for approval.

Second.

All those in favor?

It's 4-0.

Thank you very much.

We have appointments and reappointments.

Planning commission, appointment of Zach Bueno for a five-year term from September 5th, 2025 to September 4th, 2030.

So move.

Second.

First and second, all in favor.

It's 4-0.

Thank you.

Historic Preservation Committee, appointment of Jerry DeYoung for a three-year term from September 5th, 2025 to September 4th, 2028.

So move.

Second.

All in favor.

It's 4-0.

The Weinberg Board of Directors, appointment of Christine Ando for a three-year term from September 5th, 2025 to September 4th, 2028.

So move.

Second.

First and second, all in favor, it's 4-0.

And the Ethics Commission, appointment of Neil Fay for a three-year term from September 5th, 2025 to September 4th, 2028.

So move.

Second.

All in favor.

It's 4-0.

Thank you very much.

All right, back up here for council business comments.

We can start from my right.

Council Vice President.

No comments, thank you.

Councilmember?

Thank you.

Not for me.

Yep.

I do actually want to lift up a former Frederick police officer who retired who has started a new venture today called Fresh Step Laundry.

Wade Milliard retired from Frederick Police Department.

He was a canine handler, and he saw a need in our community for folks that didn't have their own homes or laundry facilities to help them do laundry.

And so he acquired a small bus.

He has equipped it with three washing machines, three dark dryers, folding areas, and he's taking it on the road to provide mobile laundry service to folks that don't have their own ability to do it.

And he's offering this service completely for free based on donations from the public.

So I just wanted to give a real shout out to somebody who gave his career in service and is continuing to give to the community that is less privileged than he was to give them something that is so basic clean clothes.

Um it's sometimes just impossible to have that.

And so I just wanted to lift him up and say, congratulations, Wade Milliard, you are an awesome man, and what a fantastic mission uh you have taken on, and I'm proud to support you.

But we can we can add libid.

It's not like I haven't said it once or twice.

Yeah.

So we're gonna move to public comment.

Our public comment is three minutes, and it will be displayed on a clock right there in front of Ms.

Phyllis, who's our city clerk.

We're gonna take those who have signed up first, and then we'll open it up to general public comment.

We do have a code of civility posted, and we follow um a rules of procedure, which we recently passed.

And we generally will take written comments, so if you have written comments that accompany your public comment, we would love to have those emailed to us at City Council at City of Frederick MD.org, City Council at City of Frederick MD.org, right?

See, this is why I have a cheat sheet.

I had to like think about it.gov.

Ah, geez.

Um let me just also say that um we're in the middle of an election season right now, and um Miss Phyllis has done an amazing job of not only running our elections in a fair and transparent and completely dependable way, but also she also has the job of getting these meetings together for us, so she does an amazing, amazing job, and we're very grateful.

All right, so yeah, absolutely.

So the first three people that we have um signed up to speak are Sam Rosenbloom, Levi Trumbull, and Alf from Planet Malkmac.

Uh so Sam, you're up first for a general a name and a general address.

Just your name and a general address.

So you're Sam.

My name is Sam Rosenwill.

I live in Frederick, Maryland.

Um, everybody knows who wrote the Declaration of Independence.

But who actually paid for the War of Independence?

It was a Jew named Chaim Solomon.

And since that time, Jews have contributed to this country much more than the proportion that they are in our society.

Science, medicine, nuclear science, ushered in the United States dominance as a superpower post-war.

And on behalf of the Jews, uh Frederick, I'd like to say a special prayer.

May he who blessed our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob bless the soldiers of the Israeli defense forces in their standing guard upon our land and the cities of our God from the borders of Lebanon to the wilderness of Egypt, from the Mediterranean to Jordan.

May the Lord give our enemies that rise against us the plague in front of them.

May the Holy One, blessed be he, guard and rescue Israeli soldiers from all trouble and distress and from all affliction and illness and send blessings and success in all the work of their hands.

May he crush those who hate us and crown Israel's defense forces with the crown of salvation.

And through them, let the biblical verse be fulfilled, for it is the Lord your God that walks with you to save you, to fight for you against your enemies.

Watch over Israel, God, spread your shelter of peace over the land and over all our brothers and sisters who live there.

Shine your light upon Israel's leaders, officers, and advisors, help them to overcome all divisiveness and to act with clarity and determination.

Spread over it the shelter of your peace, guide its leaders and advisors with your light and your truth.

Help them with your good counsel, strengthen the hands of those who defend our holy land, deliver them, crown their efforts with triumph, bless the land with peace and its inhabitants with lasting joy.

We stand together as a global community in affirming Israel's fundamental right to defend itself, to protect its citizens, its neighbors, and all those within the reach of Iran's weapons of mass destruction and its proxies.

Our heartfelt prayers are with the people of Israel.

We pray for the success and safety of the Israeli defense forces for the protection of all civilians living under threat and for the safe and immediate return of the hostages who have endured over 600 days in Hamas captivity.

We stand united in hope and in strength, praying for peace, security, and the resilience of the Israeli people.

With your help, God, we will see the end of this war in Gaza when all the Hamas monsters are gone and the hostages are free.

And let us say Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Thank you.

Levi Trumbull, Alf, and then Richard Abbey will be next.

Good evening, Frederick City Council.

I will be brief.

I was not originally intending on speaking tonight, but what the heck.

So in any event, Frederick City was always, well, at least the council meetings or board of aldermen, as they used to be called, they were always fairly not very much mainstream, sort of flew under the radar.

That was until city attorney Michael Frye came along and certainly changed all of that.

He has brought unnecessary and negative attention onto the city of Frederick and onto the residents who live in the city of Frederick, uh, like residents just like myself.

He believes that the people work for him.

It's actually the other way around.

He works for the people, the people of the city of Frederick.

Might I add, people in the city of Frederick, people who live in Maryland, who call themselves Marylanders, are entitled to records under the Maryland Public Information Act, which is Title IV of the general provisions of the state of Maryland.

And we are entitled to those records promptly, within 30 days, and unless, I should say, unless they are protected by state statutes.

In response to Michael Fry's recent actions, not turning over public records and fighting individuals in that process.

People have been verbally protesting, Mike Fry at these city council meetings, doing things like swearing, mooning, things that the city of Frederick just doesn't need, quite frankly.

These videos have reached millions of people on the internet.

The Frederick News Post has covered them.

Esther Francis has done a great job.

Fox 5 DC, TikTok is completely lit up with individuals commenting on the moon man.

The public information accountability or compliance board, as I should call it, the people who are handling a complaint filed against me by city attorney Mike Fry can do the city attorney's office nothing.

They can't tell myself or anyone else in this city that they're not allowed to file public records requests.

We have a right to do it.

There's nothing that they can do.

They're not going to rule in your favor, but even if they did, they can't take away my rights.

They can't deprive me of that.

They can't do it to me.

They can't do it to anyone else.

Period.

So going to the public information accountability board was in fact pointless.

With that being said, I would like to now introduce the 80s sitcom legend Alf, who is going to also give his political opinion and redress of grievances of city attorney Michael Frye.

Ladies and gentlemen.

After Alf, we'll have Richard Tina, then Grady.

All right, guys, it's not really Alf.

Uh, it's Commissioner Derek Harvey again.

It's an election year, and I am just bombing in the polls.

I need all the help I can get.

We actually ended public comment at the Washington County Board of County Commissioners in Washington County because people kept coming up asking us to resign and talking about all sorts of horrible allegations against our character.

Uh so we ended public comments, not to come down here to try to reach citizens and then repost the videos on Facebook or what have you.

But basically, um I've been pandering every socioeconomic group I could possibly find.

Now I'm going after the furry crowd.

I've been hanging out at the lodge up on Route 40 by Greenbrier.

Um story short, my polls have really suffered recently because I was exposed for lying to the Herald Mail by security camera that was provided in discovery to the state of Maryland in my assault case.

So basically, there's footage of me laying a hand on a shoulder of a gentleman and assaulting him, committing second degree assault, unwanted touching, you know, shoving, um, punishable by up to 10 years.

I use Gina Serencion, the elected state's attorney to get me out of the trouble.

She used a special prosecutor in Allegheny County named Dan Drumpoff.

Um, you know, so there's no conflict.

But Dan used to work for her for two years, was friends with her, and pictures showed up of her on the internet on some guy's Facebook page with the special prosecutor.

So the elected states attorney rigged the case for this guy, Derek Harvey, so he could get reelected to get him out of a second degree assault case.

And then he told the newspaper that he never touched this man, Justin Holder.

Well, I happened to put out, or someone happened to put out a photograph which had uh the assault actually like a freeze-frame picture of it, proving that my statements to the Herald Mail were false and that I am in fact a liar unworthy of the office I currently hold, and which I seek to be re-elected to.

Anyhow, um, I would like to move on to the Michael Fry situation.

Recently, he has illegally redacted uh surveillance footage.

Uh, humble Levi here didn't bother to tell you he was followed into the bathroom by a gentleman over the Weinberg Center.

They're refusing to release public records, so let us identify the perverted old man that followed him into the bathroom and they videotaped him urinating inside of a bathroom, which by the way is a crime.

They blurred out his face on the surveillance footage when they released it, uh, and they're refusing to release the records to show what the guy's name actually is so that we can hold him accountable, um, at least in a court of public opinion, if not an actual court of law.

So, in light of all this uh malfeasance and misfeasance by uh Mike Fry and Kimberly Loop and the other people that run the legal department here in the City of Frederick, I am going to artistically express my deep heartfelt beliefs uh of the government of the city of Frederick currently.

And by the way, I just want to point out Michael O'Connor, up for re-election, he's super MAGA.

President Trump, I believe, actually endorsed him.

So remember that when you go to vote, uh, Mayor Michael O'Connor MAGA, 100%.

So, anyway, I'm gonna artistically express myself.

Give me a second to put on my face.

And let me see if I can find my way over here.

And this is what I think of your legal department here in the Stadium Frederick.

Thank you.

Tina Meadows Arrear.

Grady will be next, and then it'll be uh Gwendolyn Stewart.

And then we'll open it up to general public comment.

Uh, hard to know quite how to follow that act, but um my name is Tina Meadows O'Rear.

I live on Chuckstown Road in Frederick.

Israeli genocide in Gaza continues.

Intentional starvation of Palestinians continues.

Israeli bulldozing of Palestinian homes continues.

Murder of journalists continues.

Torture and murder of Palestinian children continues.

The silence of Frederick officials continues.

And the protest of Frederick Justice for Palestine continues as well.

Grady Are it Gwendolyn Stewart?

My name is Grady O'Rear, and I live in the city of Frederick.

I urge you tonight to connect the dots between the atrocities committed abroad and the injustices experienced here in our own community.

Nowhere is this clearer than in Gaza, where the Israeli military, backed by our ongoing U.S.

military political and financial support, has carried out daily systematic violations of international and domestic law.

The bombing of hospitals and health care centers, the starvation of entire populations, the destruction of homes, schools, and vital infrastructure.

These are not isolated acts of war.

They are crimes against humanity, funded by our tax dollars, and this pattern of state violence is metastasizing.

Our Arabic speaking Middle Eastern and Muslim neighbors are afraid to speak out, fearful of ICE surveillance and arrest, of the repression of protest and of rising Islamophobia.

They are grieving as they watch friends and family suffer abroad while enduring racism and exclusion here at home.

And as you've heard repeatedly in public testimony, many other Frederick residents of all backgrounds are profoundly affected by these atrocities and by this council's ongoing silence.

In resolution 2015, you declared racism is a public health crisis in the city of Frederick that affects all members of our community and deserves action from all levels of government and civil society.

You committed to incorporating, and I'm quoting racial equity into the analysis of governmental action and to address issues of race and racial disparities in a full and forthright manner.

In resolution 2017, you pledge to again quote and consider all future policies, practices, actions, and decisions through the lens of equity, and to recognize and correct actions that have had disparate impacts on marginalized and underrepresented communities.

Now is the time to live up to those commitments.

The silence is not neutrality, it is complicity, and it undermines the very values that you and we as a collective claim to uphold.

We urge you to act, reintroduce, forge and pass a resolution, use the city's voice and its place in the National League of Cities to call for justice from Frederick to Palestine and throughout the world.

Thank you.

Phyllis, it's Miss Stewart's turn.

Thank you, my dear.

Miss Gwendolyn Stewart, you're next.

And then we'll open it up to general public comment after Ms.

Stewart.

Could you just make sure that you can hear me?

Good evening.

My name is Gwendolyn Stewart.

I'm a resident of the city of Frederick.

My address is 1522 Beverly Court.

My homepage is Gwendolyn Stewart.com.

I have two requests of the city council, one extremely urgent and the other longer range.

15 months ago.

Fifteen months ago.

Behind my townhouse gloriously flows the Minocase River.

The area above the river has been designated a city park, at least on the map, which labels it Turning Point Park.

But there is nothing on the spot to indicate that it's anything but an area of grass and trees.

Most importantly, weeds on the ridge behind my townhouse.

Some of my neighbors with nothing to contradict them apparently regard this weedy ridge as just the right place to dump their yard waste.

And guess what?

You have heard of growing like weeds.

And lo and behold, the weed seeds fly up to my property.

Now, due to the lack of proper action on the part of first the Parks Department, then the administrative project manager, and then the mayor himself, all of whom I have notified in turn concerning the situation.

Concerning the situation, my property is being swallowed up by weeds that grow to a dozen feet tall.

I went to all the property channels in order.

I would be happy to provide anyone who's interested with the details.

For now, in the time I have, I would like to concentrate on what happened when I finally had to appeal to the top.

I have discussed a problem with Mayor O'Connor in person three times recently.

Twice at the city candidates' forums, August the 12th and 27th.

And most recently, last Saturday, August 30th, when, having failed to follow through on his promises to get back to me by phone, he showed up at my residence in person without the courtesy of you letting me know he was coming, and made another series of excuses as to why nothing had been done with every indication that nothing would be done.

I have heard nothing since.

With this experience, I strongly recommend the institution of the Office of Ombudsman for the City of Frederick.

So the citizens can actually hope for redress and not empty talk and stone rolling.

I am living a nightmare caused by the city.

The executive branch, unlike the city council, refuses to acknowledge its responsibility.

I therefore appeal to the city council.

I need all the monster waste drawn up from the city park to be cleared out so I can have the enjoyment of my own property again and be relieved of the stress which my doctors have warned could be lethal.

And I thank you for your attention.

Thank you, Miss Stewart.

Would you mind reading your address one more time for me?

Thank you.

Your address one more time.

You said it at the beginning of your comment.

Could you just tell me your address one more time?

Or address?

Just one more time, sir.

Your address again.

1522 Beverly.

1522 Beverly Court.

Thank you, ma'am.

Is your name fairer?

Thank you, Miss Bellis.

Is there additional public comment this evening?

Okay.

We will move on to our consent agenda.

All items included under the consent agenda are considered to be routine by the council.

They will be approved by one motion without separate discussion of each item, unless any person present requests an item or items to be removed from the consent agenda.

Any item removed from the consent agenda will be considered separately at the end of the consent agenda.

If you would like any of the items below considered separately, please say so when I announce each category.

Release of sureties move for approval.

So move.

First and second, all in favor.

That's four zero.

Thank you very much.

Acceptance of park plan.

Move for approval.

Second.

First and second all in favor.

It's four zero.

Thank you very much.

Grants.

Move for approval.

Second.

First and second all in favor.

It's four zero.

Now we move on to special ordinances.

Still part of our consent agenda.

Sorry, I got excited.

Move for approval.

Second.

First and second all in favor.

It's four zero.

Thank you.

That was my fault.

All right.

Purchases.

Approval of a contract with MJ Double K Farm LLC for professional services associated with boat ramp construction in the amount of 462,050.50 cents and the issuance of a purchase order to the amount of 500,000 RFP 25-11 CIP 41007.

Good evening, Council Members.

Rick Albee, Richard Alby with the City Engineering Department.

I'm the supervisor of hydraulics and hydrology.

Tonight I'm presenting the Riverside Boat Ramp Project at Riverside Center Park.

This project is fully funded through a $500,000 grant from the Department of Natural Resources.

This grant funding will enhance the safety access recreational opportunities to the river.

Staff recommends the contract to MJ Double K Farm LLC in the amount of 462,000 58 and 50 cents.

With a 500,000 dollar purchase order that includes contingency funds for any unforeseen needs.

This project supports the goals for safe and a vibrant community, and we respectfully ask that you move this project forward.

Questions up here.

It's not a question, it's a more of a thank you.

Thank you for including the small business and MWAE stuff all very clearly in your backup.

I do appreciate that.

Thank you.

Keisha with the purchasing department helped me with that.

Well done.

Can I just say your job sounds very hard and educated and it was really fancy?

When you said what did you what was your title again?

Can you say it one more time?

Supervisor of Hydro Hydraulics and Hydrology.

Hydraulics and hydrology.

That's very cool.

Anything else up here other than my rambling?

Any public comment on this item?

I'll entertain a motion.

Move for approval.

All in favor.

Oh, sorry.

My second.

Second.

All in favor?

It's four zero.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Approval of contract with Fox and Associates not for not to exceed amount of 165,000 and $314 for the design of intersection and drainage improvements at and near the intersection of Carroll Parkway and West College Sarah.

CIP 350021.

Thank you.

Good evening.

I'm uh Bob Barrick with the engineering department and supervisor of land development.

It's not quite as interesting as hydraulics and hydrology, but yeah, I'm just here to present the um this uh for the staff recognize approval of this contract, Fox and Associates for the amount of under 65,314.

Uh it just consists of intersection improvements at Carroll Parkway, removal of the right turn slip lane that currently exists, and converting that to park along with some drainage improvements uh to address the long-standing flooding issues at 414 and 416 Carroll Parkway.

Um and uh staff recommends approval and I'm happy to take any questions.

I think you'll find a group of people who are pretty excited about stormwater management up here.

So we're we like your job just fine.

So any questions up here?

Not not so much a question as as a comment.

Um this project has been talked about for a really long time, and what it's gonna do is take that sort of slip lane when you're coming down Carroll Parkway at Frederick High School.

It's gonna take that away and put that back in the green space.

So we're increasing the size of that park space there on the corner.

A we're improving stormwater management, B, and we're increasing the pedestrian safety of that intersection C.

So this is one of those projects that sort of like hits on all cylinders that I'm really excited to see.

We tried to get the uh the builders of the project up the street to take that on, but they weren't willing, so I'm really glad that the city has taken this on, and I think it's gonna be a great project.

Didn't get better than that.

Any public comment on this item?

Entertain a motion.

Move for approval.

Second.

All in favor?

It's 40.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Our next item is the Trinity School Pump Station Upgrades and Special Ordinance.

We have two items associated with this one.

We have an approvement of approval of the agreement with Mid-Atlantic Utilities and the not-to-exceed amount of 817,900 895 dollars, and the issuance of a purchase order in the amount of $8675 for the Trinity School Pump Station Upgrades Design Build, CIP 370017.

Please take it away.

Good evening, Ron Wingfield, DPW projects manager.

Our current infrastructure at this location needs upgrades and to maintain the essential sanitary services to the site.

This project will be completed as a design build.

This will allow failing infrastructure to be addressed more quickly.

It will relieve maintenance staff from constant repair efforts trying to keep this station functional.

We are requesting the approval to enter into this agreement with Mid-Atlantic for the design build services identified in RFP 25 double E.

And I'll be happy to answer any questions.

If the city did not have a building there, if Trinity wasn't there, would this need to be done?

This has been answered in the past, right?

No.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So $800,000 for a building that can barely be used and will need millions of dollars to fix.

I can't support this.

Additional comments up here.

All right.

Public comment on.

I'll tell you what, we're gonna take the next item and then we'll take public comment for both of both items, unless you object.

Okay.

So the next item is the approval of the special ordinance to amend FY26 budget to transfer unused funds from CIP project 370013 West Patrick Street Pump Station upgrade to CIP project 307017 Trinity School Pump Station Upgrades.

Probably no additional explanation unless you okay.

Um so is there public comment on both of those or either one of those items?

Except except what happens with the West Patrick Street pump station upgrade.

So that um that project was completed.

I think we're waiting on a couple items that's not there's no cost associated with that.

Um yeah, what that's just gonna be closed out and transferred to the remaining funds will be transferred to this project.

Thank you.

Okay, no public comment on this item.

Uh so let's first do the approval of agreement with Mid Atlantic Utilities.

I'll entertain a motion.

Move for approval.

Second.

First and second, all in favor.

That's three.

Opposed?

That's one.

Three to one.

Thank you very much.

And the next item is the approval of the special ordinance to amend the FY26 budget to transfer unused funds from CIP project 3700-sorry 37013 to 37017.

Is there a motion?

Approval.

Sorry.

All in favor.

That's 40.

Thank you very much.

All right.

Um, thank you.

Uh, the approval, the next item is the approval of a memorandum of understanding with the Maryland School for the Deaf for a school resource officer.

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen of the council.

I'm Lieutenant Corbett with the police department.

Here, respectfully request for approval of an MOU with the Maryland School for the Deaf for the continuation of school resource officer services on that campus.

Uh, as you know, we've been providing that surface and uh service since uh 2019.

Um, where uh Maryland School for the Deaf reimburses the city for the cost of a new officer, uh all the associated equipment, vehicle, body armor, cell phone, tech services, so forth.

And um Officer Lee and her partner Fred have been providing that service on our behalf or as our part of that uh agreement uh since that period of time.

So I brought them here tonight uh in case you had any questions about what a day in the life of Fred looks like.

Um but I would respectfully request that we uh continue that relationship.

It's been very mutually beneficial just going to lemon saying Fred looks like they enjoy treats.

Is that like a Yes?

Yeah.

Safe assumption.

Can Fred answer questions?

Oh uh comments up here.

Public comment on this item.

Does Fred have a name sign?

Um so it's not so yep.

So Fred's name sign is for friendly for me.

So yeah, thank you.

Thank you.

Oh who wants to make this epic motion?

Move for approval.

Second.

All in favor.

That's 40.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you to friends.

Um, approval of an ordinance to rezone 1.35 acres at 300 Scotty bus lane from General Commercial to Institutional to establish a youth center.

Good evening, Gabrielle Collard with the planning department.

I wish I had a dog with me.

It's much more fun.

Um, but this evening we are here to ask for your approval for an ordinance to rezone the property um that is 300 Scott East Bus Lane.

It's about 1.35 acres from general commercial to apply the judicial.

And but that's a great segue, and Councilmember Russell caught it, and I thank you.

But let me just read my little spiel that is expertly prepared for us.

Since this is a quasi-judicial public hearing, all persons who wish to give testimony or cross-examine a speaker speaker on this matter must be sworn in.

So if you would like to testify or cross-examine a speaker, please stand and raise your right hand.

Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the responses given and the statements made in this hearing will be the whole truth and nothing but the truth?

If so, please answer I do.

I do.

Thank you.

Reasonable cross-examine of a speaker is permitted.

If you wish to cross-examine a speaker, please make that request prior to or immediately after the speaker has concluded his or her or their testimony.

The failure to make a timely request to cross-examine may be deemed a waiver of the right to cross-examine.

The questions may not be preceded by any statements, repetitious questions and examinations on a revel irrelevant matters will not be permitted.

The hearing will generally be conducted in the following order.

Introduction of the case by the presiding officer, presentation of the case by city staff.

That's where we went.

And presentation of the case by the applicant or agent, testimony in support or opposition to the application, rebuttal, council discussion, and then council action.

Thank you.

I'm sorry for the interruption.

Thank you very much.

Um rezoning application uh for 300 scotty's bus lane from general commercial GC to institutional, which is one of our floating zones in the city that is intended to allow for places where people congregate and are invited to um to be in in that public place.

Um the institutional floating zone applies to all sorts of uses, including schools, places of worship, and uh this youth center, which is classified as a recreation or social service center.

This was presented to the council at a work session on August 14th.

So you have the background on the project, but when we're considering our decision to rezone, we do need to make certain findings of fact, and those are all captured in recommended findings of fact are captured in your ordinance this evening.

But essentially, we need to be thinking about how the rezoning affects population, the availability of public facilities, the transportation patterns in the area, its compatibility with existing and proposed uses, and the policies and goals of the comprehensive plan.

We also take into consideration the criteria for the specific floating zone, which are found in section 409 of the LMC.

Just in summary, uh, this is a wholly compatible land use with the surrounding area and actually enhances and builds on the synergy of different uses in the community to provide benefits and services to people in proximity to their homes, which is great for encouraging people to walk and ride bikes.

Um this is exactly the type of planning we want to do to integrate non-residential uses like this in a mixed use and diverse area where people can take advantage of the most readily.

Um did review this at both their July 14th and August 11th hearings and voted four to zero to send the council positive recommendation.

And with that, I'm happy to answer any questions.

And we do have representatives from the project team that are working on the uh the renovations of the building.

Anything up here?

Nope.

Anything from the applicant?

Good evening.

Uh my name is Andrew Welker.

I'm with Oshman properties, and I'm part of the project design team filling in for Jeremy Holder, who was with you at the previous discussions.

Um, just want to say thank you for your support.

Um, we're really excited about the youth center.

Most of my involvement's been on the design side, um, and we're really excited to kind of unveil that project.

Um, and again, appreciate your support for this uh IST rezoning.

Thank you.

Thank you, Andrew.

Any questions for the applicant?

Okay.

As always, we we normally say this, but we just appreciate the ongoing investment in the community.

Thank you.

Uh okay, public comment.

Any additional testimony on this item.

Great.

It's back up here.

I move for approval of the rezoning with the following findings of fact.

It is for the purpose of establishing a non-residential use, therefore, will not generate additional population.

There is access to public streets, water, and sewer facilities.

Adequacy will not will be further evaluated when the final site plan comes in.

The proposed development will not have significant impacts on present and future transportation patterns in the vicinity.

It is compatible with existing um land uses in that area.

Um, and it supports policies of the 2020 comprehensive plan, including land use policy one, encouraging development of land and redevelopment to be compatible with the character of existing or planned development and municipal growth policy one.

The city of Frederick manages development of vacant and redevelopment of underutilized lands by promoting greater densities and a mixture of residential and non-residential uses.

Second we have a motion and a second.

All in favor.

It's 4-0.

Thank you very much.

Okay.

What follows next is me reading a bunch of stuff.

We're going to do a bunch of introductions.

Um, these are just introductions, and there won't be any action taken on these tonight.

These are just to let the public know that we're considering these items and that they will go before uh the next appropriate body for consideration and then ultimately a vote.

Uh so the first is an introduction of an ordinance to authorize collective bargaining for non-sworn City of Frederick employees.

Do you want to read the summary, Councilmember?

Would you like me to proceed?

Oh, thank you, President Nash.

Uh, this ordinance authorizes collective bargaining for non-sworn City of Frederick employees, allowing them to negotiate with an appropriate units, the terms and conditions of employment, including wages, hours, and other workplace matters.

Next is the introduction of an ordinance to amend the Frederick City Code Chapter 26 electrical.

This ordinance will officially amend chapter 26 of the Frederick City Code to adopt the 2020 national 2023, excuse me, National Electrical Code rather than the 1987 edition.

The ordinance also adds some provisions relating to permits and updates and clarifies language.

Next is the introduction of an ordinance to amend City Code Chapter 12.5, Article 1 property maintenance.

This ordinance will adopt the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code as the property maintenance code of the City of Frederick.

The next is the introduction of an ordinance to add the Frederick City to the Frederick City Code, Section 12.51.2 Local Amendments to Property Management Code.

This ordinance will adopt local amendments to the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code.

The city's property maintenance code consists of the IPMC and these local amendments.

Next is the introduction of ordinance to amend Frederick City Code Chapter 5 buildings.

This ordinance will amend Chapter 5 of the Frederick City Code to adopt the Maryland Building Performance Standards, including certain model codes and make local amendments to these standards.

The ordinance also eliminates some unnecessary provisions relating to inspectors, delete some provisions related to certain technical codes that are being added to other chapters of the city code and incorporate some general updates.

Next is the introduction of an ordinance to amend Frederick City Code Chapter 16, plumbing and gas.

This ordinance will amend Chapter 16 of the Frederick City Code to adopt the Maryland Plumbing Code and make special local certain local amendments to that code.

The ordinance also adds some provisions relating to permits and updates and clarifies language.

And finally, ordinance there is another ordinance regarding Frederick City Code Chapter 9, fire protection.

This ordinance will amend Chapter 9 of the Frederick City Code to update the addition of the reference codes incorporated into the state firearm prevention code.

The ordinance also adds some provisions relating to permits and updates and clarifies language.

Thank you all for bearing with me.

We're back up here for council business comments.

We can start to my left if you haven't here.

Just mentioned that September 22nd, as it is always, is car free day.

It's a day to try not using your car and getting around in different ways, trying transit, riding your bike, walking, uh, or you can carpool that counts.

So it's carfree metro DC.org if you want to register to participate in car free day.

Thank you.

I'll just say very briefly that um missing back to school night tonight, and I've been looking at time, not gonna make it, that's okay.

That's why we have great other people in our orbit who do those things with us.

But I just want to thank staff.

Um, I always say this, but I appreciate that you're here when there's so many other things going on.

We we sort of sign up for this thing, but um, you know, these evening nights sometimes there are other things, and we just appreciate the dedication of your time.

Council member.

Thank you.

Um September is uh National Suicide Prevention Month, and um the September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day.

So to anybody who needs to hear it, you are enough.

You you make a difference in this world, and we need you to stay here with us.

That goes along with the importance of mental health.

Make sure that we take care of each other, be kind to each other and uh go stealers.

Speaking of a lack of mental health, um, any other additional public comments up here, especially about how the ravens are awesome, would be welcomed, but no.

Anything else?

Seriously?

Sorry, it's been a long day.

Uh okay.

With all that, we are adjourned.

Thank you very much.

Be kind.

That's right.