Public Meetings - New Carrollton, Maryland

The New Carrollton City Council held a hybrid workshop meeting on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 7:00 PM to discuss a range of topics including a proposed Boys and Girls Club, a Charter Review Commission status report, the PGCMA indictment, animal control restructuring, a snow emergency ordinance, and senior living centers. The meeting was scheduled to conclude by 8:45 PM for a closed session. Items 5 (Commercial Vehicles Ordinance) and 7 (Request-Initiated Services Ordinance) were removed from the agenda mid-meeting to allow more time for priority items. Public Comments & Testimony - Stephen John (resident): Described difficulty getting animal control or public works to handle a dead raccoon, and urged clearer procedures. - Marty (Riverdale Road): Supported the snow emergency ordinance concept but warned about enforcement challenges; suggested a city mobile app for notifications. Also proposed locating the Boys and Girls Club at the soon-to-be-vacated Charles Carroll school to save costs. - Unnamed resident (southeast) : Criticized the commercial vehicles proposal as ambiguous and noted past enforcement failures; urged careful review before adoption. - Resident (Long Branch): Supported snow emergency idea but stressed the need for proactive announcements (e.g., bullhorns) and noted insufficient off-street parking; called for allowing sidewalk parking. - Michelle Frisbee (Sarah Street): Expressed concern about building a Boys and Girls Club in a residential area and seconded the Charles Carroll alternative. - Katrina Dodrow (Gaton Street): A strong supporter of the Boys and Girls Club, stated Charles Carroll is not available (will be demolished) and that the city needs the club now. She also agreed that the snow emergency and request-initiated services proposals should be policies rather than legislation. Suggested using MML to lobby state for notification of senior care licenses. - Former Mayor Nemhard (in closing): Emphasized that Charles Carroll is not available for city use and that Harlan Street property has been neglected too long; urged action. Discussion Items 1. Boys and Girls Club Presentation (20 minutes allotted) Mark Picarelli (State Director, Maryland Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs) presented a proposal to build a new club at the old suburban aquatics site. The project is in two phases: a 4,225 sq ft program space (Phase 1) and a 5,000 sq ft gym (Phase 2). Total cost: $1.8 million. Funding: $450,000 from state (two grants), $250,000 from prior city reserves (originally for Harlan Street), and an additional $250,000 from a prior state grant (originally for a skate park). The city would own the building; Boys and Girls Club would lease it for 20 years to operate programs. Construction could start May–June 2027 with completion by July–August. Zoning appeared acceptable (recreation). Council members expressed strong support, though Council Member Mills raised concerns about resident NIMBYism and funding transparency. The city’s engineers (CPJ) will oversee the project. The site will also serve as a community center for city programming. 2. Charter Review Commission Status Report (25 minutes allotted) Michelle Crispy (co-chair) presented the preliminary report. The 12-member commission met weekly since September 2026, heard from former officials and experts, identified 11 areas of concern in the 2025 charter amendments (including mayor-council conflicts, unclear hiring/firing authorities, and recurring disagreements). The Commission concluded the amendments did not fully achieve the intended migration from strong mayor form. Next steps: draft legislation to be effective before new officials take office on May 19, 2027, with a progress report in December 2026. Council members praised the work, with Council Member Mills emphasizing need for strategic planning and clear definitions. Council Member Urbina noted some issues were previously deemed inappropriate for charter language. Council Member Delane requested that the city attorney be involved earlier in the drafting process. 3. PGCMA Indictment and MML Involvement (10 minutes) Council Member Urbina reported that the former treasurer of the Prince George’s County Municipal Association (PGCMA) embezzled over $100,000 in 2023. The Maryland Municipal League (MML) has proposed taking over bank accounts for PGCMA and other affiliates to provide oversight and insurance. Urbina recommended staying in PGCMA under MML management. Council agreed, and assigned Council Member Cynthia to cast the city’s vote to remain with MML oversight. 4. Animal Control Services (10 minutes) Council Member Delane proposed consolidating the animal control officer position with parking enforcement to maximize efficiency, noting low call volumes (5 calls per month per police reports). Council Member Urbina countered that the current code (Chapter 35) is outdated and unclear; she asked for a review of duties and better resident education. Some recent incidents (e.g., a loose dog not handled) raised questions about the animal control officer’s actual responsibilities. Council Member Mills expressed concern about prioritization in emergencies. Mayor suggested Delane work with Chief Austin to clarify duties and potentially produce a pamphlet. 5. Snow Emergency and Parking Ordinance (10 minutes) Council Member Urbina presented a draft ordinance codifying snow emergency procedures: mayor declares emergency, cars must be off streets within a set time, fines of $100 and/or towing, emergency not to exceed 72 hours unless necessary. The ordinance would also allow parking on lawns/sidewalks and require police to attempt to notify owners before towing. Council members raised serious concerns: lack of enforcement capacity (code enforcement already overstretched), insufficient off-street parking, and the fact that existing snow parking rules (Chapter 100) already carry a $250 fine but are not enforced. Council Member Nellie argued the ordinance is impractical and may not have helped in Snowmageddon. Council Member Mills noted that many residents have no yard to park on. The item was not voted on; Urbina will accept edits for future consideration. 6. Senior Living Centers in Residential Areas (10 minutes) Council Member Mills raised the issue of unlicensed senior care homes operating in single-family homes. Several addresses were identified. Council discussed the need to determine if these facilities are licensed by the state and whether city code enforcement can inspect them. Council Member Urbina (a gerontologist) explained that state-licensed assisted living facilities must meet fire and safety codes. Council Member Delane will consult with the city attorney and county health department for further guidance. Key Outcomes - Removal of Agenda Items: Motioned and passed (4-0) to remove Items 5 (Commercial Vehicles Ordinance) and 7 (Request-Initiated Services Ordinance) to a later date to prioritize snow emergency and PGCMA discussions. - Boys and Girls Club: City will proceed with the project; engineering firm CPJ will oversee. Funding sources confirmed: $450,000 state, $250,000 city reserves, and $250,000 prior state reallocation. No formal vote needed; presentation was informational. - Charter Review Commission: Council endorsed the direction; Council Member Delane will coordinate with city attorney for early legal review. - PGCMA: Council directed Council Member Cynthia to vote in favor of remaining in PGCMA under MML management. - Animal Control: Delane and Chief Austin will clarify duties and update the code; a presentation on revised procedures is expected at a future meeting. - Snow Emergency Ordinance: Tabled for revisions; no vote taken. Council will revisit after edits. - Senior Living Centers: Delane will research licensing and enforcement with city attorney and county; council will consider future zoning or code changes. - Public Comments: A resident (K. Dodrow) suggested the city use its MML membership to push for state notification of senior care licenses. Council took the suggestion under advisement. - Closed Session: The meeting adjourned at 8:42 PM and moved into closed session to consult with City Attorney Jason regarding legal matters.

The New Carrollton City Council held a hybrid workshop meeting on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, starting at 7:00 PM. The meeting included discussion of the upcoming special election, a proposed schedule of fees and fines for FY2027, the FY2027 budget, the Samsara dormancy report, and public comments limited to budget and fees. The council later moved into a legislative session to vote on the budget and fee schedule. Election Bulletin - Charles, the election coordinator, reported that the special mayoral election is on track with two certified candidates, a contract with vendor Electech, sample and absentee ballots ready, and eight absentee ballot requests received. - A candidates' forum is scheduled for October 27, to be conducted by the University of Maryland School of Public Policy; questions will be taken via email and possibly from the floor if time permits. - The council discussed adding a narrative to the election bulletin explaining why the special election is needed (to fill a vacancy). Councilmember Urbina and Lashley supported inclusion; Councilmember Mills did not see it as necessary. The chair decided to include the narrative in the bulletin. Public Comments & Testimony - A resident from Longbranch Drive expressed concern about large commercial work vehicles parked on the street, noting that code enforcement has repeatedly cited a plumbing truck but the owner continues to park on the street. She urged the council to find a balance and praised the council for paying attention to the budget. - A resident from Full Sweet Longbranch Drive asked about the status of totaled admin cars, questioned the need for five code enforcement vehicles for only two full-time and two part-time employees, and noted that the budget forecasts $3.1 million from automated enforcement (red light and stop sign cameras) but less than $1 million is allocated for street and sidewalk repairs. She also opposed the $500,000 proposal for street lights without a consultant study. - A resident on Down the Street called for the city to stop stonewalling and give workers the right to collectively bargain, and supported the street light idea. - Felicia (Namar) spoke about the rental cost of the multipurpose room, noting that the $125 resident fee does not cover costs like security and overtime, and that recent renovations cost nearly $30,000. She also stated that the administration's tiered building permit fee recommendation originated from Councilmember Malavé's request. - Laura Urbina (Legation Road) said she has received many tickets in the city and that fines do change behavior (e.g., she hugs the curb to avoid a ticket). She strongly urged the council to budget for street lights, arguing that delays increase costs. Discussion Items Schedule of Fees for FY2027 (25 min) - Councilmember Malavé presented a proposal to overhaul the schedule of fees, fines, and penalties. Key changes included: - Eliminating the automatic doubling of traffic fines after 14 days and quadrupling after 30 days; instead, a $50 late fee after 31 days. - Reducing the city's administrative flagging fee from $45 to $25. - Adding a 35% collection agency fee for accounts over 70 days past due. - Lowering fines for parking violations (e.g., parking on sidewalk, over 72 hours) from $65 to $40, and for unsanitary trash bins from $250 to $100. - Increasing fines for commercial vehicles on city streets from $100 to $150. - The administration proposed a tiered building permit fee based on construction value (replacing a flat $300 fee). - Debate: Councilmember Lashley supported removing the doubling but disagreed with lowering the unsanitary trash fine, citing health risks (maggots, rodents). Councilmember Urbina opposed lowering parking fines because they disproportionately affect residents (who live in the city) while automated enforcement fines affect non-residents; she also argued that commercial vehicle fines target working-class residents and that the definition of commercial vehicle is unclear. She preferred to first clarify the definition. Chief Alston provided statistics: over 7 years, 4,009 unpaid parking citations, 21,015 unpaid speed camera citations, and 37,217 unpaid red light citations. - Councilmember Urbina moved to adopt only the first two lines of Malavé's proposal (removing the doubling) and to adopt the rest of the administration's recommendations (including tiered permits and the collection fee). The motion was seconded and passed 3-1 (Rosenberg, Mills, Lashley? Lashley could not vote; voting members were Rosenberg, Mills, Urbina, Malavé; the ayes were 3, nays 1). - Later in the legislative session, a separate motion to adopt the fee schedule with the specific changes proposed by Malavé (first five lines) was made and passed 4-0. Presentation of FY2027 Budget as Modified (45 min) - City Operations Manager Galloway explained that the original budget had a $1.2 million deficit, but through staff reductions and restructuring, it now has a $900,000 surplus. The surplus allows for a 1.5% COLA and 2% merit increase for all non-union employees (retroactive to July 1, 2026), and a reduction in force (RIF) as approved in closed session on October 14. - The budget is four months late; the county's deadline is October 30. Galloway stressed the need to adopt it to avoid a red letter from the state and to proceed with the audit, which is also overdue. He noted that the city's audit delays could jeopardize future grants (e.g., a $480,000 police grant). - Councilmember Malavé moved to postpone budget discussion for at least 48 hours, citing that the revised budget book was provided less than 48 hours before the meeting, that she had nine unanswered questions, and that her disability (deafness with cochlear implants) makes it impossible to review new material while listening to discussion. The motion was seconded. Discussion: Councilmembers Rosenberg, Mills, and Urbina opposed postponement, stating they had been briefed in closed session and the budget had been essentially the same since April, with only two changes (COLA/merit and RIF). Acting Mayor Lashley noted that while he understood Malavé's difficulty, the majority rules. The motion failed 3-1 (Malavé in favor, others opposed). - Councilmember Urbina asked 38 questions about the budget, many of which were answered by the comptroller or chief. She noted a reduction in youth program funding (SYEP and Boys & Girls Club grants nearly halved), and proposed using $500,000 from reserves to fund street light improvements (purchasing and converting 543 street lights to LED, estimating $8,000 monthly savings). She also suggested increasing several line items for building maintenance, training, and field supplies. - Councilmember Malavé asked for the list of positions and salaries in the RIF and the total compensation costs. Galloway declined to provide the list that evening, stating he serves the full council, not an individual member. Malavé argued she was entitled to answers as part of budget discussion. - Councilmember Malavé then moved to not approve Councilmember Urbina's recommended increases (including the $500,000 for street lights) because their fiscal impact was unknown. The motion was seconded and passed (apparently without opposition). - In the legislative session, a motion to adopt the FY2027 budget as presented by Acting Mayor Lashley and amended by Galloway was made by Councilmember Mills. Councilmember Malavé objected, citing the charter requirement for a 4/5 vote to pass an ordinance on introduction (emergency ordinance). The chair ruled that a supermajority of three out of four was sufficient given precedent. Councilmember Urbina moved to amend to include $500,000 for street lights, but the chair indicated he would vote against it. The amendment did not receive a second. The original motion to adopt the budget passed 3-1 (Rosenberg, Mills, Urbina in favor; Malavé opposed). Samsara Dormancy Report (10 min) - The report listed vehicles with extended periods of inactivity. Councilmember Urbina noted the report lacked mileage data, which was important for evaluating vehicle usage. Chief Alston explained the reasons for several vehicles: PD 165 (65 days idle) was in a collision; PD 150 (53 days) needs a transmission; CD 138 was deemed unsafe due to steering issues; an animal control vehicle is rarely used; PD 162 needs an engine; and vehicle 307 is in the repair shop. The council agreed to have a new report generated with mileage. October 14, 2026 Meeting Minutes (10 min) - The open and closed session minutes from October 14 were distributed to council members for review. The chair noted typos and asked for corrections. The minutes were not voted on during the workshop; they were scheduled for approval in the legislative session but were deferred due to pending changes. Key Outcomes - Schedule of Fees for FY2027: Adopted (4-0) with changes: elimination of fine doubling after 14 and 30 days; $50 late fee after 31 days; flagging fee reduced to $25; 35% collection agency fee for accounts over 70 days past due; lower fines for certain parking violations ($40) and unsanitary trash ($100); increased fines for commercial vehicles ($150); tiered building permit fees as proposed by administration. - FY2027 Budget: Adopted (3-1) as presented by Acting Mayor Lashley and amended by City Operations Manager Galloway. The budget includes a 1.5% COLA and 2% merit increase for non-union employees (retroactive to July 1, 2026) and a reduction in force (specific positions to be provided later). The deficit was turned into a $900,000 surplus. The budget does not include $500,000 for street lights or other increases proposed by Councilmember Urbina. - Motion to Postpone Budget Discussion: Failed (3-1). - Motion to Not Approve Urbina's Recommended Increases: Passed (apparently without opposition). - Closed Session (October 14) Actions: The closed session minutes note that the council approved a Reduction in Force (4-0, Acting Mayor Lashley not voting) and a 1.5% COLA and 2% merit increase (3-1, Councilmember Malavé voting no, Lashley not voting). These actions were not formally voted on in the open meeting but were referenced as having been decided. - Next Steps: The council will produce a corrected Samsara report with mileage, provide the list of RIF positions and salaries, and continue with the FY2027 audit. The special election and candidates' forum will proceed as scheduled.