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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Frederick City Council Meeting Summary: June 18, 2026

City Council — Thursday, June 18, 2026

BodyFrederick, Maryland

SessionCity Council

DateThursday, June 18, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 1:24:49

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:33

Good evening, everyone.

0:34

We will bring this uh City Council plug meeting from June 18th order.

0:38

We'll start with the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:03

Well, thank everyone for uh for coming out tonight.

1:07

We're gonna start tonight with a proclamation.

1:10

Um the folks from Arch here she couldn't see him.

1:17

Come on up and we'll come up front.

1:47

Proclamation Arts Juneteenth celebration, whereas President Lincoln's emancipation proclamation took place on January 1st, 1863, and whereas it took Union troops over two years to reach the deepest parts of the Confederacy when General Order Number Three finally freed the 250,000 enslaved people in Texas on June 19th, 1865.

2:08

Whereas Juneteenth has been observed annually since 1866, spreading nationwide from Texas, celebrating culture, history, and ongoing progress for black Americans, and whereas Juneteenth was officially signed into laws as a U.S.

2:20

federal holiday in 2021 after years of grassroots efforts, and whereas the African American Resource Cultural Heritage Society was incorporated in 2009 to celebrate and illuminate the rich contributions of the history of African Americans in Frederick County.

2:34

And whereas Arch was active even before its incorporation, creating programs and services that share the history, contributions, and extraordinary bazilience of African Americans in Frederick County, despite challenges faced during slavery, the Jim Crow era, and beyond.

2:50

And whereas Juneteenth represents true liberation for black Americans, and Arch is committed to honoring the true history of Black residents of Frederick County now.

2:58

Therefore, the mayor of the City Council of the City of Frederick do hereby proclaim June 19th, 2026 as Juneteenth, National Independence Day in the City of Frederick, and encourage all residents to join with African American Resource Cultural Heritage Society in the City of Frederick as we celebrate Juneteenth and uplift the spirit of freedom, culture, and unity.

3:28

Well, thank you so much.

3:29

We are here, Miss Rose Cheney and myself, to accept this proclamation, and we accept it with great honor.

3:37

We really appreciate everything that you have done to be of support to us.

3:42

And while we have an audience, we want to invite you to our program tomorrow evening, which is on the creek starting at 7 o'clock.

3:50

The program itself will start at 7 30.

3:53

It's an ancestral lighting program.

3:55

So if you have loved ones that you would like to pay tribute to, we welcome you to come out and buy a luminary for five dollars.

4:03

And it's all in support of art.

4:06

Secondly, I would like to say that on October 17th at 2 o'clock at the um 125 East All Saints Street, which is the new home of our soon to be African American Heritage Center.

4:29

We invite everyone to enjoy uh to join us at that occasion.

4:33

And again, we thank you so very much for the proclamation.

4:37

Thank you.

4:37

This is yours, Dr.

4:38

White.

5:12

Next up is approval of minutes of some past meetings.

5:16

Approval of the May 20th 2026 regular public meeting minutes.

5:21

So moved.

5:22

Second.

5:23

Move by Councilmember Shackerford, second by Councilmember Bram, all in favor, 3456.

5:30

Approval of the June 4th, 2026 regular public meeting minutes.

5:34

So moved.

5:36

Move by Councilmember Schockford, second by second Councilmember Atkins, all in favor.

5:43

And the approval of the June 4th, 2026 closed session minutes.

5:48

So moved.

5:49

Second.

5:51

Move by Councilmember Shackelford and second by somebody over here.

5:56

Councilmember Prem, thank you.

5:58

All in favor, one to three, four, five, six.

6:00

All right.

6:01

Thank you very much.

6:04

A new part of our council agendas that we're doing is uh old business, which is a chance for uh committee chairs to give any updates that they want to uh share with the public.

6:18

So um we will start with Councilmember Brem for the public works.

6:22

None tonight, thank you.

6:23

Thank you.

6:26

None tonight, thank you.

6:27

And Councilmember Shackleford.

6:29

Uh none tonight, thank you.

6:30

All right, thank you.

6:32

All right.

6:33

Now is the time for public comments.

6:35

Thank you, ma'am.

6:37

This is an opportunity for members of the public to address the council regarding items that may or may not appear on the agenda.

6:43

Please note speakers should first give their name and address.

6:46

You are reminded that these proceedings are broadcast on live TV, and you should speak clearly and directly into the microphone.

6:53

All comments are limited to a total of three minutes per individual.

6:56

If you wish to ask a question and want to want a response, that will become part of the three-minute limit.

7:02

There will also be opportunities after each individual item on the agenda to make comments at that time.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Procedural█████████████13%

Transportation Safety█████████████13%

Community Engagement███████████11%

Public Safety██████████10%

Technology and Innovation████████8%

Ethics Complaints███████7%

Animal Welfare██████6%

Public Engagement██████6%

Arts And Culture█████5%

Summary of Proceedings

Frederick City Council Meeting Summary: June 18, 2026

The Frederick City Council held a public meeting on June 18, 2026, addressing a range of topics including a Juneteenth proclamation, community concerns about rat infestation, a councilmember's controversial social media post, and several legislative and administrative items. Key themes included community advocacy, ethics, and city operations.

Proclamation & Consent Calendar

Juneteenth Proclamation: The council proclaimed June 19, 2026 as Juneteenth National Independence Day in Frederick, recognizing the African American Resource Cultural Heritage Society (ARCH). Dr. White and Rose Cheney accepted, inviting the public to an ancestral lighting program on June 19 and announcing the future African American Heritage Center opening October 17.
Minutes Approved: The council approved minutes from the May 20, 2026 regular meeting, the June 4, 2026 regular meeting, and the June 4, 2026 closed session, all with unanimous 6-0 votes.

Public Comments & Testimony

Lee Wisner (City employee, Black Affinity Group): Expressed deep concern over a social media post by Councilmember Katie Nash from the 2025 inauguration, which contained the N-word and other explicit language. The group requested a public apology and commitment to inclusive communication, stating the post was harmful to Black employees and the community.
Marion Brown (Carroll Park Manor property owner): Described a severe rat infestation in her neighborhood, citing trash issues and lack of response from the city until contacting Councilmember Nash's office. She presented a petition from residents and requested action.
Willie Mahone (NAACP spokesman): Announced the NAACP's protest and non-participation in the city's Juneteenth event due to what he called "pimping of Juneteenth," citing a list of speakers that included only Democratic politicians, some running for office. He argued this misappropriates the holiday.
George Brennan (13th Street resident): Expressed concern about heavy commercial traffic on 13th Street, stating a 2023 change in the city's commercial vehicle definition (aligning with state law) has eliminated enforcement for trucks under 26,000 pounds, causing safety and noise issues.
Kathy Anderson (Frederick resident): Discussed an ethics complaint process that she argued is flawed, stating she was bound by a confidentiality provision preventing her from speaking to the council. She requested a review of the ethics process by independent counsel.
Unnamed speaker: Referenced the referendum on affordable housing, criticized the council's silence on issues, and called for an apology regarding the social media post.
Gail Peterson (Community advocate): Advised the council to let legal processes play out before public comment on certain matters, and praised Kathy Anderson's advocacy.
Jim Smersall (Downtown resident): Supported the Interfaith Housing Alliance loan forgiveness but urged the council to consider the role of program income from loan repayments.
Two taxi industry representatives (Bowie Transportation, Agamemnon Consultation, Mason Bowie, Dennis Hageman): Expressed concerns about high background check costs, competing with Uber/Lyft, and difficulty hiring drivers. They urged the council to reduce fees and streamline processes.
Christian Benford (Carroll Parkway resident) and Nick DiSalvio (Heimes Avenue resident): Opposed the proposed speed monitoring system ordinance (G264), arguing that fines alone don't address root causes like road design. They called for education and infrastructure improvements such as protected bike lanes and raised crosswalks.

Discussion Items

Rat Infestation (Carroll Park Manor): Councilmember Nash summarized city actions, including collaboration with code enforcement, the HOA, and public works; introducing legislation for proactive measures in new development; and public education efforts.
Councilmember Social Media Post: Councilmember Nash apologized, stating she posted a Megan Thee Stallion clip in December without intent to harm, and took it down when misinterpretation arose. Councilmember Shackelford acknowledged the ongoing harm, called for learning and accountability, and noted the community's expectations.
OpenGov Software Purchase: Approval for a three-year, $248,225 contract (including implementation) to expand the enterprise asset management system to parks, fleet, and traffic signals. Unanimously approved.
Managed Print Services Contract: Approval of a $131,856 contract with UBO to reduce printing costs and fleet size, saving an estimated $3,613.90 per month. Unanimously approved.
Carroll Creek Garage Roof Repairs: Approval of a $239,640 contract for normal maintenance and repairs to the roof membrane. Unanimously approved.
Interfaith Housing Alliance Loan Forgiveness: Approved forgiveness of a $100,000 loan from 1993 for Weinberg House (23-unit senior affordable housing). Staff confirmed continued affordability through state regulatory agreements and a renewed PILOT. Unanimously approved.
Emergency Shelter MOU: Approved a one-year MOU with Beyond Shelter and Frederick County for the Allen P. Linton shelter, with city contributing $75,000 and county $112,500. Unanimously approved.
Hangar Club LLC Lease Amendment: Approved an amendment clarifying lease rights for hangar buyers in a 78-unit private development at Frederick Municipal Airport. Unanimously approved.
Ordinance G-263 (Commercial Vehicles/Taxis): Second reading. Councilmember Brem proposed amendments: reducing permit fee from $2,500 to $100, renewal fee from $100 to $50 for two years, allowing magnetic cab markings, and clarifying discount policies via the Taxicab Commission. The ordinance was continued to a third read for final language.
Ordinance G-264 (Speed Monitoring System) and G-265 (School Zones): Introduced for first reading; no discussion or public comment at this meeting. They will be brought back for a second read.

Key Outcomes

The council unanimously approved all six consent agenda items: minutes, OpenGov software, managed print services, garage roof repairs, loan forgiveness, emergency shelter MOU, and hangar lease amendment.
Ordinance G-263 (taxi regulations) was continued to a third reading to incorporate further amendments on fees and discount policies.
No vote was taken on the speed monitoring or school zone ordinances (G-264, G-265) as they were introduced only.
Independent counsel review of the city's ethics process was not formally directed, though resident Kathy Anderson requested it.
Council comments included a Father's Day recognition and a note on Juneteenth events.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening, everyone. We will bring this uh City Council plug meeting from June 18th order. We'll start with the Pledge of Allegiance. Well, thank everyone for uh for coming out tonight. We're gonna start tonight with a proclamation. Um the folks from Arch here she couldn't see him. Come on up and we'll come up front. Proclamation Arts Juneteenth celebration, whereas President Lincoln's emancipation proclamation took place on January 1st, 1863, and whereas it took Union troops over two years to reach the deepest parts of the Confederacy when General Order Number Three finally freed the 250,000 enslaved people in Texas on June 19th, 1865. Whereas Juneteenth has been observed annually since 1866, spreading nationwide from Texas, celebrating culture, history, and ongoing progress for black Americans, and whereas Juneteenth was officially signed into laws as a U.S. federal holiday in 2021 after years of grassroots efforts, and whereas the African American Resource Cultural Heritage Society was incorporated in 2009 to celebrate and illuminate the rich contributions of the history of African Americans in Frederick County. And whereas Arch was active even before its incorporation, creating programs and services that share the history, contributions, and extraordinary bazilience of African Americans in Frederick County, despite challenges faced during slavery, the Jim Crow era, and beyond. And whereas Juneteenth represents true liberation for black Americans, and Arch is committed to honoring the true history of Black residents of Frederick County now. Therefore, the mayor of the City Council of the City of Frederick do hereby proclaim June 19th, 2026 as Juneteenth, National Independence Day in the City of Frederick, and encourage all residents to join with African American Resource Cultural Heritage Society in the City of Frederick as we celebrate Juneteenth and uplift the spirit of freedom, culture, and unity. Well, thank you so much. We are here, Miss Rose Cheney and myself, to accept this proclamation, and we accept it with great honor. We really appreciate everything that you have done to be of support to us. And while we have an audience, we want to invite you to our program tomorrow evening, which is on the creek starting at 7 o'clock. The program itself will start at 7 30. It's an ancestral lighting program. So if you have loved ones that you would like to pay tribute to, we welcome you to come out and buy a luminary for five dollars. And it's all in support of art. Secondly, I would like to say that on October 17th at 2 o'clock at the um 125 East All Saints Street, which is the new home of our soon to be African American Heritage Center. We invite everyone to enjoy uh to join us at that occasion. And again, we thank you so very much for the proclamation. Thank you. This is yours, Dr. White. Next up is approval of minutes of some past meetings. Approval of the May 20th 2026 regular public meeting minutes. So moved. Second. Move by Councilmember Shackerford, second by Councilmember Bram, all in favor, 3456. Approval of the June 4th, 2026 regular public meeting minutes. So moved. Move by Councilmember Schockford, second by second Councilmember Atkins, all in favor. And the approval of the June 4th, 2026 closed session minutes. So moved. Second. Move by Councilmember Shackelford and second by somebody over here. Councilmember Prem, thank you. All in favor, one to three, four, five, six. All right. Thank you very much. A new part of our council agendas that we're doing is uh old business, which is a chance for uh committee chairs to give any updates that they want to uh share with the public. So um we will start with Councilmember Brem for the public works. None tonight, thank you. Thank you. None tonight, thank you. And Councilmember Shackleford. Uh none tonight, thank you.

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