Mayor & Board of Aldermen Workshop on Charter Review Committee Recommendations - July 24, 2024
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Mayor & Board of Aldermen Workshop on Charter Review Committee Recommendations - July 24, 2024
The Mayor and Board of Aldermen held a workshop on July 24, 2024, to discuss recommendations from the Charter Review Committee, which had been convened in January 2023 and submitted its final report in November 2023. The workshop focused on clarifying the committee's rationale for each recommendation and identifying areas of consensus among the aldermen. The board also approved routine agenda items and heard public comment.
Consent Calendar
- Approved minutes of July 10, 2024, by a vote of 4-0.
- Approved Release of Sureties (release of Great American Insurance Company bond for Sycamore Ridge, Phase 1 Mass Grading project in the amount of $327,239.69).
- Approved Grants: First Amendment to Memorandum of Understanding for East Street Rails with Trails; Grant agreement with Mid-Atlantic Arts Foundation in the amount of $2,750.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Caroline Tonows, member of Rise, thanked the Charter Review Committee for listening to community members during meetings about non-citizen voting.
- Oli Castilla, a Venezuelan asylum seeker and resident of Frederick for five years, expressed a desire to vote in local elections, advocating for non-citizen voting rights.
Discussion Items
- Charter Review Committee Recommendations: Committee Chair Tom Lynch and Vice Chair Megan Kirk led the discussion, supported by subcommittee chairs Stuart Harvey, John Von der Burke, Ron Pepe, Robert Van Rennes, and Marvin (last name not given). They addressed questions previously submitted by Aldermen Shackelford, Russell, and Nash.
- City Council Districting: The committee recommended moving from 5 at-large seats to 4 districts and 3 at-large seats to balance representation. They cited concerns about parochialism seen in Annapolis’s 9-district model.
- President of the City Council: The committee recommended the council elect its own president (not an at-large elected position), mirroring the county model, to avoid disadvantaging district candidates and to maintain a similar structure to the at-large/district mix.
- Term Limits: The committee proposed a two-term limit for the mayor and a three-term limit for council members, not consecutive but total, to reduce incumbent advantage. They emphasized prospective application (starting with the 2025 election), consistent with legal guidance against retroactive limits.
- Election Timing: The committee considered and rejected moving city elections to the presidential cycle, due to logistical issues (ranked-choice voting not supported by state infrastructure, ballot placement, and potential increase in partisan influence). They recommended keeping the current off-cycle schedule.
- Compensation Commission: Recommendation 13—an independent commission to recommend salaries—was broadly supported, with details to be decided by ordinance. Discussion included whether the board could modify the commission’s recommendation; committee members argued for an accept-or-reject model to reduce politics.
- Mandatory Chief Administrative Officer: The committee unanimously recommended requiring the mayor to appoint a CAO (subject to council confirmation), citing growing city complexity and alignment with county and state practices. They clarified this does not eliminate the mayor’s role but adds professional management.
- Other Recommendations: Discussion covered qualifications for office (age 18, residency), legislative process, voting rights, mayoral appointees, city council authority over employees, charter review schedule, ethics ordinance references, and drafting provisions (e.g., renaming “Board of Aldermen” to “City Council”).
- Status of Consensus: Alderman Shackelford, Alderman Nash, and Alderman McShane shared their positions. It was determined there is unanimous agreement on some recommendations (e.g., name change to City Council, qualifications, timing of elections unchanged, compensation commission concept, mayoral appointees, council authority over employees, charter review schedule) and lack of consensus on others (e.g., city structure, size of council, districting, term limits, legislative process).
Key Outcomes
- Vote Planned for September 2024: The board committed to moving forward with votes on charter recommendations in September. Unanimously supported items will be drafted into a single comprehensive resolution; other items will be presented as separate resolutions.
- City Attorney Guidance: City Attorney Rachel Nesson will prepare draft resolutions based on the identified areas of consensus and will advise on legal sufficiency and drafting challenges.
- Next Workshop: A follow-up workshop is scheduled for late August 2024 to finalize language and prepare for the September vote.
- Public Notification: Staff will confirm advertising and public notice deadlines to ensure the timeline for the September vote is met.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon and welcome to the mayor and board of Alderman business meeting and workshop for the 24th of July. We begin with the Pledge of Allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the plan of the United States of America. Undergone indivisible justice for all. We have some employee service time acknowledgments that we'd like to do here this afternoon. We take the actual presentation of the certificates and pins out to the work sites now to support the employees, but we think the public opportunity to recognize them for years of service is important. And so with five years of service, we rep re recommend we recognize Robert Mullinix with the Wastewater Department, Megan Sims and Human Resources, Sharon Winston and Police, Andre Salahoff and Police, Zach Stitley, Park Maintenance, Abby Myers, Purchasing, Chance Smith, Parks Maintenance, Brady Cole, Water Treatment, Kimberly Horvath, Police, Zach Schlei, Wastewater, Thomas Geip, Park Maintenance. With 10 years of service, Holly Fouche, Finance, David Wetzel, Street Light and Traffic Control, Chad Knott, Inflow and Infiltration, Melissa George, Community Health Center, Tracy Coleman, Engineering and Operations, Tammy Anderson, Community Health Center, Randy Cool, Golf Course. With 15 years of service to the City of Frederick, Jordan Dorsey, Sewer Maintenance, Patrick Spivak, Police Department, Stephen Ellsback, traffic lines and signs. Twenty years of service to the City of Frederick, Atlee Boyer in the parking department. Patrick Nichols, Park Maintenance. Dodie Pole, Building Department, Robert Rosenberg, Water Treatment, Lee Wisner, Legal Department. Twive years of service, Donnie Lawson, engineering. And with 30 years of service, Brian Harrison at the airport, John Balker, Streets Maintenance. The work we do every day in the City of Frederick is not possible without our employees. We thank you for the time and the work that you do every day on behalf of our residents, businesses, and visitors. Applause would be appropriate. We have minutes to approve July 10th, 2024. Move for approval. Second. Motion by Alderwoman McZemChak, seconded by Alderwoman Nash. All those in favor. That is 3-0. I'm going to assume that Alderman McShane's hand went up. He is joining us remotely this afternoon. Alderman Russell is not present today dealing with uh unexpected personal matter. There's Alderman McShane's hand. I perfect. That is 4-0. Thank you, Alderman McShane. We have a business meeting today. Items on the business meeting agenda are considered routine by the mayor and board and are being heard at the workshop pursuant to the rules of procedure of the Board of Alderman. They'll be approved in one motion without separate discussion of each item unless any person present request an item be removed from the agenda. An item that is removed will be considered separately, either at the end of the business meeting or at a regular public meeting. So if you would like an item below considered separately, please say so when I announce the category. Category A is release of sureties. Move for approval. Second. Motion by Alderman McZemCh, second by Alderwoman Nash. All those in favor, that is 3-0. Maybe 4 if I see. There we go. Perfect. Technology, it's working just the way we want it to. Item B is grants. Move for approval. Second. Motion by Alderman's check, seconded by Alderwoman Nash. All those in favor. That is 4-0.
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