Call this July second meeting of the city council to order.

We will start with the Pledge of Allegiance.

Um at the end based on some feedback.

We're trying that.

But we still have the opportunity to do public comments after each item.

So first up, we have approval of minutes.

First is the approval of the June eighteenth, twenty twenty six regular public meeting minutes.

So moved.

Moved by Council Member Brem, second by Council Vice President Nash.

All in favor.

Approval of the June eighteenth, twenty twenty-six closed session minutes.

Moved.

So moved.

Moved by Council Member Brem, second by Council Vice President Nash.

All in favor.

One two three four five six seven zero.

Next appointment.

This would be the appointment of Rupert Gardner for a term of July sixth, twenty twenty-six to May thirty-first, twenty thirty to the board of supervisors of election.

Any questions or comments or anything from council members?

Or public comments.

Second.

Moved by Councilmember Bram.

Second by Council Vice President Nash.

All in favor.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, zero.

Enough.

Next up, any comments or general general comments or business brought up by Council members.

Actually, two.

First, I invite all of uh Frederick neighbors to come to Baker Park and enjoy July the fourth.

And also a kudos again to the celebrate Frederick folks for putting that on with a shout out to the peanut butter and jelly tent.

So thank you.

No.

All right.

Next.

This is the 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.

Second.

Second.

Move by council member Taylor, second by council member Bram.

All in favor.

Next, uh for this one section of the uh of today's meeting, I am turning over the chair of the meeting to Councilvice President Nash, and I will be uh recusing myself.

So Council Vice President.

Got it.

Uh Rachel, are you presenting an item?

Okay, great.

Thank you.

Thank you for the record, Rachel Gray, City Attorney.

I'm stepping in for the Director of Economic Development who could not be here this evening.

Uh you have before you a memorandum of understanding with the downtown Frederick Partnership.

The executive director of the partnership, Kara Norman is here as well, and I'm sure can answer any questions you might have.

Um this MOU is similar to previous ones that we have entered into with the partnership.

Uh the MOU addresses financial support provided by the city to the partnership.

Um it covers some details of certain special events and generally provides sort of the framework for how the city and the partnership will interact and um achieve our mutual goals.

I'm happy to try to answer any questions or again, Kara probably can tell you anything you want to know.

Thank you.

You may not notice answer.

How long has this arrangement been taking place?

Um it's it extends beyond my tenure, so I think it's at least 25 years.

So one of the things I'm looking at get MOUs their non-binding agreements.

I guess why hasn't this might not be a question for you?

Richard was here, I would ask him a question.

Why isn't this an answer to a contractual relationship?

With the partnership I guess for a couple of reasons.

Effectively, you are contracting with the partnership to implement the Main Street program on behalf of the City of Frederick.

So technically, Main Street designation goes to the city with the intent of it being focused on downtown Frederick, that's the district.

Um and so you are designating us as the implementing organization for completing that designation on your behalf.

I think that's a piece of it.

And then there's a lot of other places where we work very closely together, and I think both sides on the city and the partnership have found it beneficial to have that documented in a in an agreement that's a multi-year.

And we've over time we've settled in on three years, and it seems to be an effective time frame for both entities.

No further questions.

I mean I'm okay.

You answer you answer the question from your end.

Okay.

I appreciate it.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you.

Additional questions up here?

Uh question for Kara.

So with the administration of the downtown Frederick Arts and Entertainment District, together with the Frederick Arts Council, uh, how do you work together with the Arts Council for that?

Sure.

Um we we are unusual in sharing that designation, and I would say that we kind of lean into our own respective strengths.

Um the Arts Council is really great at working with artists, and so they are primarily responsible for that outreach and relationship with the artist community.

Um technically, from a state designation the state designation requires you to keep a registry of all the artists, so they're responsible for that part, as well as they do some outreach around the income tax modification subtraction, which is a confusing way that the state refers to the benefit that's available to um artists.

For the partnership side, we primarily work on the property side and talk to um potential property owners about the benefits that that provides.

Beyond that, both the arts council and the partnership have very robust programming that we complete in our downtown, um, which is again supporting the district, and both of us do public art.

So those are things that we coordinate and work with.

They're separate to each entity, but they're they're done in coordination with each other, if that makes sense.

So it is for but everything we do is completion of the Main Street program.

So yes.

We just happened many main streets call themselves, you know, downtown Frederick Main Street.

We just opted to be downtown Frederick Partnership, but everything we do is implementing the Main Street program.

So is that why there's nothing in the MOU about the building?

The building?

Yeah.

How does your building is that still city owned, or was that turned over to you all?

Say that one more time.

The building is uh it's not uh where there's a separate lease agreement between the partnership and the city, so that's um a separate um separate from the MOU.

Okay.

Does that answer the question?

Yes.

Okay.

Last question.

Um, up in the top part we talk about um second page, we talk about the city gives downtown Frederick Partnership, give or take, you know, 125,000 a year, and then you go down to uh mutual obligations.

So when we talk about the 50-50 split of costs, is that in addition to the 125,000 dollars a year?

That's correct.

Yes, thanks.

Yeah.

Um and the holiday lights, just for reference.

Um previously the city staff put them all up in place.

Um when we started the program, it was a great savings to the city in terms of not necessarily dollars, but staff capacity that the time it took to put the lights in the trees.

And honest to be I can think I can speak on their behalf.

It was not a task that they enjoyed.

Thanks.

And by the way, it has been 25 years.

It was 2001 that the partnership was first designated.

Anything else up here?

Any public comment on this item?

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.

Second.

All in favor?

All opposed?

That's 5-1 with an abstention.

That's it.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Up next, uh this would be the third read of ordinance G 263 concerning the vehicles for hire.

Not sure if we're presenting.

I know, Councilmember Brem, you had some amendments I think you wanted to make.

Do I remember that correctly?

Uh Councilmember Taylor and I have chatted about several things.

Uh the key change from the last read is that all of the fees have been reduced.

So the initial fee.

Let me get my as proposed, the non-refundable new permit application fee has dropped from $2,500 to $50.

The last time we read this, it was 100.

Uh the biannual renewal fee has dropped to $25.

It last time we talked about this, it was $50.

Uh and just to make sure I cover them all, the permit transfer fee has dropped from $500 to $25.

The permit reassignment fee was $25, remains $25.

Replacement of lost or stolen permit was $25, remains $25.

Driver's license renewal fee was $25, remains $25.

Replacement of lost or stolen driver's license was $25, is $25.

Non-refundable driver's license application fee was $10 is $10.

And uh non-refundable initial issuance of taxicab license fee is $25, it was $50.

And the other big change, and I want to make sure I get the language right, has to do with prohibition uh driver.

The agency shall deny a taxicab driver's license to any applicant who has been convicted within the previous four years of any of the following crimes.

And uh assault in the first degree or felony assault in the second degree is now listed.

Uh and then the agency shall deny a taxicab driver's license to any applicant who has been convicted within the previous 24 months of any of the following crimes, and that uh now includes misdemeanor assault in the second degree.

Previously, assault was listed just once uh and we've split it apart into the uh assault in the first degree or misdemeanor assault, with thanks to counselor for her help with that.

Thank you.

I'd like to clarify one thing if I may.

The fee information that you read.

Um the way this is currently drafted, those specific fees are not in the ordinance at all.

We added language that references the annual fee schedule that you all enact.

And the idea is that we will keep those specific fees in the fee schedule ordinance and bring you at the next practicable meeting revision to the fee schedule ordinance to include those reduced fees.

Yes, thank you for that upgrade.

That is correct.

But I I just wanted council to know our thinking as it relates to fees when we get to that.

Because that's there were there were three significant issues that the community brought to us.

Number one was whether or not cabs had to be painted or whether we could use removable items for numbers and logos and things like that.

The second was the assault issue, and the third was the extraordinarily high fees.

So those are really the three primary changes that that are going into this version.

Okay.

So we're voting on the draft that's posted that does not have the fees.

That's correct.

We will vote on the fees at some later point as a fee vote on fees.

Okay.

Just want to be sure we're good.

Okay.

Any other comments or questions from council members?

I saw you move your mic, I thought.

You were getting ready.

Okay.

Anybody else?

Okay.

Before we we make a motion, I want to commend uh council members uh Bram and Taylor for a lot of the work.

Uh everything that all the ordinances that we do take a lot of work, but I think this one is one of the rare cases where we really worked really close with the people most directly affected, which was a very small community of uh cab drivers in a way that we could make their life um easier and um lessen the burden.

So uh I want to commend the two of you for for that.

Now I will uh uh looking for a motion to approve the ordinance.

Motion to approve.

Second.

Motion by Councilmember Rem, second by Councilmember Taylor.

All in favor.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, zero.

All right, and then next is the second read of ordinance G twenty six five concerning school zones.

Councilmember Hempel Rani.

Do you mind if I start real quick?

Oh, I'm sorry.

Just real quick, I'm gonna recuse myself off the dice for this item, I'll be back for public comment.

Okay.

Okay, thanks.

Councilmember Hempel Ronnie?

Yes.

So uh for the background, um the school zones are designated roadway segments within up to a half mile radius of a school grades kindergarten through twelfth, where school related activity occurs, including travel by students to or from school on foot or by bicycle or the dropping off or picking up of students by school buses or other vehicles.

In accordance with state law, section 135 of the city code, the city is authorized to use speed monitoring systems, also known as speed cameras, to enforce speed limits within school zones.

The specific locations for cameras are chosen by the Chief of Police and the Director of Public Works.

So essentially how this came about is we have an ordinance that lists each of the schools within the city of Frederick and designates them as a school zone.

Well, the Monoxy Valley Montessori School moved to TJ Drive, and um the banner school has since closed.

And uh that there's a new Yellow Springs elementary school off of Christopher's Crossing.

And the classical charter school has not been listed.

And so we wanted to update the ordinance to include those schools so that we may have the option for extra signage and enforcement if necessary.

Uh two of these schools are in District 5, and I had parents reach out saying that their school lacked signage.

So thank you to residents for bringing this to our attention.

Any questions or comments?

And just for public information, I didn't know this until you um explained it to me if we were to build another school tomorrow, which would be pretty awesome, but uh we would have to change the ordinance again to designate that school.

Correct.

And so we we initially thought that we could just say any school, you know, the the area around any school, but in accordance with the state laws, we have to designate the schools and outline the the streets surrounding it.

Um we we we worked in collaboration with the Frederick Police Department to determine um make those determinations.

And just to check, uh I is the banner school or another school going to reopen on Dill Avenue?

Do we know?

According to the banner school's website and the news post that the banner school is not opening in the fall, uh and I don't know that that they have a new tenant for for there.

So if another school were to move into that location, we would have to make an amendment.

So but we'll just strike that.

Okay, thank you.

Okay.

So the motion would be to adopt are you gonna propose an amendment?

So get rid of that section, yes?

Yes.

So I do want me to move now.

No, okay.

Okay.

Let me make sure nobody else has questions.

I just want to make sure.

Yeah, yeah.

Go ahead.

So just because you're the schools on the list doesn't mean there's going to be enforcement.

Exactly.

It gives you the option of the police achieve.

Yes.

And so if there is absolutely no problem, everyone's driving at an appropriate speed in an area and there's no need for additional enforcement that it it would be done in collaboration with the schools and the police department.

Any other comments or questions from council members?

Any public comment?

You can make a you can come up and make a comment.

No questions?

Yeah.

Okay.

No comment.

Okay.

You're free to you know reach out to us individually or uh was it city council at City of Frederick MD.gov.

Okay.

So no questions or comments or anything else from council members.

Hi.

So I would like to make a motion to adopt this ordinance with the following amendment that in Section N, the banner school be removed from the ordinance.

So we have a motion to adopt the ordinance with the amendment that Paragraph N in section 1315 is removed.

We have a second.

Second.

So moved by Councilmember Hemple Rani, second by Councilmember Shackelford.

All in favor.

3456.

No, one, two, three, oh, five, six.

Okay.

And uh one abstention uh to adopt with that amendment.

Okay.

That's the last item on the agenda.

Um this is now a time for any council members to make any closing comments or remarks, and then we'll have public comments.

Are we on this end?

Nope.

Nope.

No comments from council members.

Any public comments?

Do we have a sheet?

No, do we have the sign-in sheet for the comments?

Yeah.

Oh.

Um, text her.

Thank you.

Uh so I'll call your um your name, and if you didn't sign up, there'll be a timeout um after that.

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

Please note speakers should first give their name and address.

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

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

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

So first on the list is Kathy Anderson.

Good evening, counsel.

Happy fourth.

My name is Kathy Anderson, Frederick resident for almost 18 years.

Live on Fairview Avenue.

Tonight I'm submitting a document titled One Commission to Authorities.

It maps every function of the ethics complaint process from intake through a formal hearing order.

Every function, intake, investigation, advising, notice, records, sits with the same office, the legal department.

All of it is subject to the direction of the mayor.

At the March 1st, 2023 workshop, the city attorney described the process as having very little detail in either the state law or obviously in our ordinance about how any of those processes are to work.

That is the architecture.

Here's what it produces.

When I submitted a public records request for the meeting records of the proceeding that dismissed my complaints, it was confirmed in writing.

No records, no records existed.

No agendas, no minutes, no votes, no investigative records.

The office that controls every function of this process cannot produce a record of its own proceedings.

Yesterday the city filed a written response to a separate complaint I brought before a state board.

In that response, the city argues that how ethics ethics complaints get reviewed is exempt from outside oversight, not limited exempt.

If the city is right about that, no state board, no court, and no outside agency has the power to require a different process here.

That leaves one body, and that is you.

The Board of Alderman passed Chapter 21.

This city council has the authority to fix it.

The responsibility, the responsibility for what happens if it doesn't get fixed, and the accountability to the people for fairness and consistency belong to this council.

Nowhere else.

I am asking this city council to commission an independent review of the ethics complaint process, independent, meaning no reporting relationship to the mayor and no prior role in any complaint.

Require that any recommendation come back to this body for a full public vote.

A reform process run by the same office that controls the current one is not reform.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Um Marion Brown.

Before you before you start, I know I saw that you had emailed um our constituent outreach.

She's on leave, so that's why she didn't reply.

And I apologize.

I was on the emails, I just didn't see them, but I'm glad you were able to show up and make her comments.

Yeah, I was just running late.

You made it excuse me.

And I am also old, so hopefully I can see my phone.

I didn't bring my readers.

Uming.

Um, my name is Marion Brown, and I'm once here again to speak to you on behalf of of uh the residents at Carroll Park Manor.

On June 18th, I stood before you and petitioned um uh presented my petition asking for help with the rat infestation that plagues our neighborhood for nearly the last two years.

Since then, I attended our HOE meeting on June 29th, where I learned that our community trash collection was reduced from twice a week to once a week due to a city um decision.

Um it's now my understanding that this was because the city expanded its boundaries, approved um additional development, and I must provide services to more neighborhoods under the same budget.

It if this is the if this information is uh accurate, I find it deeply concerning.

Um I have been a homeowner in Carroll Park for over 20 years, and this was never an issue.

Um putting trash outside without trash cans was never an issue.

It never called for any rodents or anything like that.

Um, the residents of Carroll Park Manor should not lose essential services because the city chose to grow without ensuring the infrastructure funding existed to support that growth.

Families who have lived in Frederick for more than 50 years should not bear the consequences of planning decisions they had no control over.

Two weeks ago, because of the holiday, uh, we had to wait for trash pickup.

People dropped the trash out on Wednesday, and we had to wait until Monday.

The whole community was just full of trash everywhere.

Monday, trash was picked up, and uh Tuesday they did not clean up, Wednesday they did not clean up.

On Thursday, I was every day in the morning.

Now it's my little thing that I do.

I go out and walk around the neighborhood.

There was a lady, she's an original owner of her house.

So she's owned for 52 years, out there picking up trash.

It made me so mad.

Picking up trash.

She's lived here for 50 years.

How old is she?

I'm 53.

On Sunday is my birthday, I'm 53.

She's at least my mother's age, picking up trash.

That's not her responsibility.

And I told her, don't do it.

Because if you do it, the city, DPW has their people out there with notices to the HOA, and they have fines or whatever, however, the city is dealing with the HOA.

I said, if you pick up, no wonder your side of the trash.

Um, she came to my to my court on the other side of my court is very, very clean.

And I wondered why it was so clean, because this little lady has been walking around picking up trash.

Please bear with me.

Uh I really did want to stress that.

That wasn't part of my plan, but I'm really passionate about this.

It's my first house.

I joined the military after being homeless.

I joined the military, so I could bring stability to my family, my children.

I joined the military and that was my first house because I was stationed at Fort Dietrich.

So a lot of love for this place.

And I just want to know that the next person who takes over gets to have that first house be that special.

I don't want to just sell it to anyone.

I want to sell it to somebody who can make something out of it.

And myself, my integrity will not allow me to just slowball it and sell it and get out because of these rats.

I found out two months ago, as you know, about this.

And I make it my duty to come here, even if I'm the only one here, and even after I leave, I will continue to come back until until this is done.

Um but I'm almost done.

So this problem did not happen overnight as a development has replaced um wood wooded areas, wildlife has been displaced, natural um predators have been disappearing, and rodent populations have increased in surrounding neighborhoods.

At the same time, trash services has been reduced, creating uh conditions that make the problem even worse.

Three years ago, the Carleton neighborhood experienced a similar infestation.

I went in and knocked door to door for four hours with my son and talked to every resident there to find out what the city actually did to resolve this problem.

City officials publicly promised to work alongside the Department of Public Works, Code Enforcement and City Council to address the issue.

I recently spoke with several Carleton residents and they told me that after warning letters were issued, little else happened today.

They still have rats all over, and I got to meet them.

I do not want to be a good thing.

I am gonna need you to start wrapping it up, please.

Okay.

I do not want Carroll Park Manor to become another example of promise without lasting action.

Over the past two months, I have worked with code enforcement and spoken with city staff attending meetings and filed its complaints encouraging neighborhoods.

I'm basically here to just ask that because the city took away our trash and I thought it was an HOA problem that you implement a budget to return the two-day trash pickups.

It is essential to get rid of these rats and to pay for a commercial uh pest control.

And I don't think that it should be the problem of the residents of who have lived there for over 50 years.

Thank you so much for your patience.

God bless you.

Thank you.

That was our last person on our list.

Any other public comments.

Councilmember Shacker?

Taylor?

Vice President Nash.

Just to explain my vote very quickly regarding the downtown Frederick Partnership.

I didn't want to belabor the point, but until City Economic Development begins to recognize the Route 40 corridor as the economic powerhouse that it is, I will not be supporting anything else from them until they do that.

Thank you.

Councilmember Brown.

Nothing.

I can simplify.

If there are no other comments, meetings adjourned.