Frederick City Council Public Meeting - August 6, 2026
Frederick City Council Public Meeting - August 6, 2026
The Frederick City Council held a public meeting on August 6, 2026, at 6:00 PM at City Hall. The meeting covered a consent agenda, public hearings on purchases and agreements, second readings of ordinances on rodent control and a rezoning for a cricket stadium, a related annexation resolution, and introductions of new ordinances.
Call to Order & Pledge
- The meeting was called to order by the Council President. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Approval of Minutes
- Minutes of the July 16, 2026 Closed Session and Regular Public Meeting were approved unanimously (6-0).
Announcements
- Councilmember Taylor announced the birth of his child, Finley Jack Taylor.
Councilmember Comments
- Councilmember Bram announced plans to submit three text amendments: restricting who can suggest text amendments (only planning department or council), enabling council to approve master site plans, and permitting affordable housing in the IST zone (linked to religious institutions).
- The Council President noted a draft schedule for charter changes would be published.
Consent Agenda
- Special Ordinances S-26-12, S-26-13, S-26-14 amending the FY 2027 Budget were approved unanimously (6-0):
- Community Grant Project Fund from Governor's Office of Crime Control Prevention and Policy.
- Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) grant.
- Police Retention and Recruitment (PRAR) grant.
Public Hearings
Purchases
- OpenGov Budgeting and Procurement Applications: Renewal approved unanimously. Cost: Year 1 - $116,276 (budgeting) + $66,358.63 (procurement); Year 3 - $130,907.53 + $74,708.77.
- Nitrate Instruments/Controllers for Wastewater Treatment Plant: Sole source purchase from Northeast Technical Sales, $75,459, to improve compliance with state nitrogen NPDES permit. Approved unanimously.
- Vertical Turbine Pump for Linganore Water Treatment Plant: Purchase from Sydnor Hydro, $86,375, to replace inoperable pump. Approved unanimously.
- Talley Recreation Center HVAC Improvements: Amendment to agreement with McClure Company, $74,535, for rooftop and ductless units. Approved with one abstention (5-0-1).
- Axon Master Service Agreement: Five-year agreement for law enforcement technology including body cameras, live translation (57 languages, over 10 languages used in 261 conversations during trial), fuse ecosystem, and LPR cameras (located missing person, aided homicide investigation). Saves approximately $613,000. Approved unanimously.
Agreements
- Golden Mile Alliance: $100,000 grant award for community benefit. Approved unanimously.
- Heritage Frederick (Historical Society of Frederick County): $100,000 grant for preservation center. Approved unanimously.
- Hood College Lease – West Side Regional Park: 50-year lease for NCAA regulation baseball field (approx. 5 acres). Hood College funds construction (~$3 million). City responsible for 60% of maintenance/replacement (annual maintenance ~$25,000, turf replacement $350,000–$1 million). Community use for about two-thirds of the year. Amended to require City Council approval for naming rights. Approved unanimously (6-0) with amendment.
Ordinances (Second Reads)
- Rodent Control Ordinance (G-26-6): Addressed citywide rodent infestation. Public testimony from Maryam Brown (Carroll Park Manor) described severe impacts, demanded action. City COO Zach Kirchner announced 64-gallon toters for affected communities, communication with HOA for abatement. The ordinance passed unanimously (6-0) after removing the word "registered" from a section on vacant buildings.
- Gateway Property Rezoning (G-26-7): Rezone 24.33 acres from General Commercial to Institutional (IST) for a special events center (cricket stadium). Extensive discussion on traffic, floodplain, environmental impacts. Applicant Bruce Dean argued project meets all legal requirements. Many public speakers supported (youth, parents, businesses) and opposed (residents, floodplain concerns). Council approved 5-1 (Councilmember Atkins voted no citing rushed conditions on timing and non-professional use). Conditions include: vehicles prohibited from parking on residential streets, sound meter required, events not past 11 PM, other stipulations.
- Annexation Amendment (Resolution 09-23): Increased transportation contribution from $500,000 to $1.5 million ($500,000 due within 30 days of approval or August 30), amended parkland requirement to provide 14 acres of publicly accessible land along the Monocacy River. Approved unanimously (6-0).
Introductions
- G-26-8: Amendment to Master Fee Schedule for FY 2027, reflecting taxicab administrative fee changes.
- G-26-9: Establish City of Frederick Special Events Commission to oversee safe, well-organized events.
- G-26-10: Allow residential uses on first floor of mixed-use buildings in MU-1 and MU-2 districts subject to design standards.
Public Comments
- Numerous residents spoke on rodent issues (in favor of passing ordinance) and on the Gateway project (many youth/professionals supported; neighbors opposed citing traffic, flooding, lack of studies).
Key Outcomes
- Rodent control ordinance passed 6-0.
- Gateway property rezoning passed 5-1.
- Annexation amendment passed 6-0.
- All purchases, agreements, and consent items passed.
- Introductions set for future readings.
Meeting Transcript
Call this August sixth. Whoa, meeting of the City Council to order. We'll start with the Pledge of Allegiance. Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all the people. So this is to approve the July sixteenth, twenty twenty-six closed session. Second. Move by Councilmember Shackletford, second by Council Vice President Nash. On favor, one two, three, four, five, six, zero. Thank you. And to approve the July sixteenth, twenty twenty-six regular public meeting minutes. Move by Council Member Shackleford, second by Council Vice President Nash. On favor. And it is my honor and pleasure to announce that uh Finley Jack Taylor was born yesterday. Uh mom and uh baby feet are doing fine. So congratulations to Councilmember Taylor. Very cool announcement I get to make. So all right. Uh public or will Councilmember comments. We'll start with Councilmember Hemplerani. No. Councilmember Abkins. Councilmember Bram. Yes, uh, thank you, uh Mr. President. Uh I just wanted to let you and the council know that when scheduling permits, I tend to submit three text amendments. The first text amendment will change the land management code so that only the planning department or members of city council can suggest text amendments. The second will enable city council to approve master site plans. And the third, and this reflects the work of the mayor's affordable uh housing recommendations to enable affordable housing to be a permitted use in the IST zone. Uh and I reference that because uh religious institutions use the IST zoning, and so that's the linkage between affordable housing and that particular zoning change. So again, this is just to verbally let everybody know that's that's coming, and as soon as we can schedule it, I'll actually do a presentation to the council. Thank you. Thank you for that. Just very briefly, uh, Council members received yesterday a draft schedule. I emphasize draft of listed charter changes over the next couple of meetings. We will be publishing that list of charter changes and that list, that draft list. So if you're interested in knowing what those draft charter changes that we're going to be considering are, please pay attention as well as those draft dates that we'll be considering them. There are going to be lots and lots of meetings. Uh, but just uh wanted to make sure that the public knew we were considering those. Thank you. Councilmember Shackleford comments. All right. Thank you. Uh one note for folks as you're signing up or if you already signed up to um to speak during a public comment section. If you're here, we have several popular issues. If you are here to speak on the rodent ordinance, which will come first. If you can put rodent next to your name, so that way I can skip everyone else and then we'll make everyone's life easier. All right, first up is our consent agenda. All items, including under the consent included under the consent agenda, are considered to be routinely 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.
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