Rockville Mayor and Council Meeting – March 17, 2025

On March 17, 2025, the Rockville Mayor and Council convened Meeting No. 825 to discuss the FY 2026 proposed budget, hear public testimony, receive a classification and compensation study presentation, and address routine business. The meeting included a community forum, a public hearing, and a budget work session covering strategic initiatives, reorganization, and revenues.

Consent Calendar

• Item A: Approved authorizing the city manager to execute State of Maryland Capital Projects Grant Agreements for David Scull Park improvements.
• Item B: Adopted a resolution establishing the maximum rate of rent increase under the Voluntary Rent Guidelines and Notice Requirements of Rent Increases.
• Item C: Approved meeting minutes from previous sessions.
• All items were passed unanimously without discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

Community Forum

• Chris Sadino: Urged the city to address invasive vines climbing trees around the Watts Branch stormwater retention ponds in the King Farm community, noting the area is a birding hot spot on eBird. He expressed appreciation for the “Weed Warriors” program and requested immediate action before summer.
• Trisha Tice (King Farm Life Plan community resident): Highlighted the threat of vines to tree health and photosynthesis, supported by photos of overgrown areas. She asked the city to prioritize removal.
• Jeffrey Gance (Montrose Civic Association): Opposed adding bike lanes on Congressional Lane between East Jefferson Street and Rollins Avenue, arguing they would eliminate needed parking and push cars onto neighborhood streets. He questioned the accuracy of a parking utilization study and urged the council to consider cumulative impacts from other projects (e.g., Wegmans opening). He invited councilmembers to a neighborhood walk.
• Gina Arnett (engineer with Public Works & board member of AIM – Association of Administrative Municipal Employees): Stated that AIM was not given the promised two-week review period for the classification and compensation study draft, receiving only a final version on March 14. She criticized the process as flawed and lacking meaningful inclusion.

Budget Public Hearing

• Barbara Haupt (Rockville resident, wife of retired city employee): Thanked the council for last year’s 1% retiree increase but noted it fell short of the 2.9% inflation rate. She urged the council to include a cost-of-living adjustment for retirees in FY26, as the city manager’s proposal did not include one.
• Jody Tick (Executive Director, Sunflower Bakery): Requested continued funding for Sunflower Bakery’s workforce development training for young adults with learning differences. She highlighted the bakery’s expansion to a second location on Lewis Avenue and its impact on over 616 young adults since 2009.
• Karen Askin (Cultural Arts Commission): Endorsed the city’s commitment to the arts but called for a comprehensive strategic arts and culture plan, noting the 2019 study recommended such a plan. She urged funding for a strategic plan to guide public art and programming.
• David Hill (President, Rockville Sister Cities Corporation): Presented the FY26 grant request, including $7,000 for the Bubble Tea Festival, $6,000 in-kind for facility use, and support for a student exchange. He withdrew a $10,000 request for an official visit from Elon City and instead asked for $3,000 to support the Lantern Festival.
• Bob Wright (Watts Branch Parkway resident): Renewed a request for a covered shelter with services at Wootons Mill Park, stating the project has been promised in previous budgets but not included in FY26. He asked for a scoping study.
• Barrel Feinberg: Supported Sunflower Bakery’s $25,000 funding request, citing the organization’s proven track record in job training and placement for individuals with disabilities.
• Angus Chen (Chair, Rockville Swim and Fitness Center Advisory Board): Thanked the council for approving funds for the recreation pool project, noting the center generates over $2 million in revenue and hosts 350,000 annual visits.
• Eric Bernard (President, Rockville Volunteer Fire Department): Thanked the council for a $250,000 budget line item, the largest in the department’s 104-year history, to support apparatus replacement and emergency vehicles. He noted volunteers provided 120,000 service hours last year.
• Drew Powell (Director Emeritus, Rockville Sister Cities Corporation): Supported the sister cities program, emphasizing its role in cultural inclusion and upcoming events like Rockville’s 70th anniversary with Pinneberg, Germany in 2027.
• Jake M. Goodman (longtime resident, board member of Action Committee for Transit): Called for free bus circulator services within Rockville (similar to Towson Loop or Bethesda Circulator) and a thorough accessibility audit of bus stops, citing inadequate lighting and the need for multimodal transit investments.
• Thomas Kim (Rose Hill Falls resident): Requested funding for humane deer population management, stating the herd has grown to 10–12 deer in his development, posing safety risks. He noted the West End community association had submitted a request that was not included in the budget.

Discussion Items

City Manager’s Report

• Jeff Mahalick (City Manager): Reported that over 50 city staff and county colleagues participated in a tornado tabletop exercise to test emergency operations. Phase two of the Redgate Park reforestation plan is underway, planting more than 800 trees and shrubs funded by a Chesapeake Bay Trust grant. He also launched the “Rise and Renew” series to assist federal workers, contractors, and grantees affected by job changes, offering half-off recreation memberships.
• Councilmember Van Grack: Commended a resident and city staff for quickly addressing potential animal cruelty issues, with multiple animals taken into care.
• A new city brand identity video (“Rise Together”) was presented, emphasizing safety, trust, connectedness, and innovation.

Classification & Compensation Study

• Susan Seelig and Dan Ripberger (Bolton Partners) presented study findings:
  • The city’s compensation philosophy targets the 60th percentile of peer organizations.
  • Base pay ranges are slightly below market: administrative structure at 96.2%, union at 96.7%, police at 95.3%, and senior management at 91.6% of the 60th percentile.
  • Total compensation is slightly below competitive due to pay ranges, though health benefits and retirement are fully competitive.
  • Recommendations: expand the compensation philosophy to include total rewards, improve job documentation, and adopt a modern job family/career level classification system.
  • FY26 budget includes a 2.5% COLA and a 7.5% capped adjustment for underpaid employees, with a total estimated cost of $1 million.

FY26 Budget Work Session – Strategic Initiatives, Reorganization & Revenues

• Stacey Webster and Kim Francisco (Finance) presented the proposed $174.9 million operating budget (3.9% increase from FY25) and $33.8 million CIP, maintaining current property tax rates.
• Key strategic initiatives:
  • Environment & Infrastructure: $10 million for Vision Zero, pedestrian master plan; $1.6 million for REDI; green space management plan; invasive species control; electric vehicle leases and an EV bus for the senior center.
  • Economic Development: Five new positions for next-day inspections; support for the Shady Grove Metro annexation.
  • Public Safety: Two new police administrative positions; CCTV modernization; gun buyback event; increased officer recruitment incentives; emergency response vehicle for volunteer fire department.
  • Housing: $1 million allocation to the Housing Opportunities Fund (highest ever), including $750,000 from reserves; two new housing positions; planned completion of housing needs assessment and code revisions.
  • Effective Service Delivery: ADA compliance positions; enhanced communications; pilot AI program; free nature center and swim lessons for underserved students; expanded mental health support; $3 million above reserve target for emerging needs.
• Reorganization: Two divisions moved out of city manager’s office into standalone departments; community organization grant process centralized in Housing and Community Development.
• Revenue discussion: Property tax revenue increase of 5.7% due to higher assessments, not rate increases; refuse rate to increase $30/year; stormwater rate to increase $7/ERU; water/sewer rates following a three-year schedule. Total impact for a typical homeowner receiving city services: approximately $206/year or $17/month.

Key Outcomes

• Consent agenda (Items A, B, C) approved unanimously.
• Ordinance appropriating funds and levying taxes for FY2026 was introduced for first reading; no vote was taken.
• Councilmembers raised questions on fees (building permits, summer camp tiers, senior program adjustments) and directed staff to provide additional data on competitiveness with neighboring jurisdictions and trend analysis.
• Staff agreed to provide updated information on police pay comparisons, including mid-year adjustments, and to clarify the comp & class study implementation.
• The budget public record remains open through April 7; the next public hearing is scheduled for March 24, with a CIP work session on April 7 and budget adoption on May 5.