Info for City Council Meeting - 9 Dec 2024
See the City of Laurel’s meeting page for the official record, and if any agenda item holds interest for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me as your voice helps me shape legislation and decisions.
AGENDA
- Call to Order - Council President Kyla Clark
- Roll Call - Sara A. Green, CPM, CMC, City Clerk
- Approval of Minutes: November 25, 2024 Regular Meeting; December 4, 2024 Work Session
- Report of the Mayor and City Council
- Mayoral Appointments: Michael Gray, Tree Board, 12/09/2024-12/09/2026; Donica Sutton, Education Advisory Committee, 12/09/2024-12/09/2026
- General Public Hearing
- Bid Recommendation- First Street Improvements- Department of Public Works
- Sole Source Purchase Recommendation-Ongoing City-wide Replacement of Existing Street Lighting Project- Department of Public Works
- Bid Recommendation- Lafayette Avenue Improvements- Department of Public Works
- Architectural and Engineering Firms Contract Continuation Recommendation- Department of Public Works
- Introduction and First Public Hearing on Resolution No. 5-2024- A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland Creating the Master Plan Review Committee and Providing an Effective Date
- Introduction and First Public Hearing on Resolution No. 6-2024- A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland Declaring a Temporary Moratorium Regarding the Processing of Zoning Matters within the City of Laurel, Maryland and Providing an Effective Date
- Introduction and First Public Hearing on Ordinance No. 2033- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the City of Laurel Police Retirement Plan to Extend the Deferred Retirement Option Plan
- Introduction and First Public Hearing on Ordinance No. 2034- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the City of Laurel Employees Retirement Plan to Extend the Deferred Retirement Option Plan
- Adjournment
Watch live online via LaurelTV or the MyLaurel app, or on your TV via Comcast Channel 996 (HD)/ 71 (SD) or Verizon FiOS Channel 12. And if you’d like to register to speak, simply reach out to the City Clerk’s office.
Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting Tomorrow, Dec 7!
Don’t forget that tomorrow, Saturday, Dec 7 is the annual City Christmas Parade & Tree Lighting!
The parade kicks off at 3:45 p.m. from the Municipal Center on Sandy Spring Road, will wrap around onto Montgomery Street, then end at the Laurel Amory at 4th & Montgomery. (Rumor has it that City Council has mini-candy canes for kids, so come see us on the parade route for your Christmas sugar boost!) 😉
And the tree lighting/ Armory illumination will happen at 5:15 p.m., marking the official start to the season for Laurel! :) But you’ll want to definitely take part in the photos with Santa, Christmas music, kids games, treats and more – so stick around for a spell and soak up some Christmas magic. 🎄✨
More details below and from Laurel Parks & Rec – See you there! 🎅
LARS Turkey Trot / Blessing Baskets / Small Biz Saturday Highlight & Pics
Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services (LARS) 20th Annual Turkey Trot
One thing I learned for sure: Rain cannot dampen the spirits of the dedicated runners nor the LARS volunteers for their annual Turkey Trot, a Laurel tradition now reaching it’s 20th year. I was all prepared to steel myself against the elements and grind through lending a hand awarding medals at the finish line, but I got so pumped and buoyed seeing the energy, enthusiasm, and fun that was being had that I left the morning with more energy than I started and a great way to kick off Thanksgiving morning with the fam'. :) Thanks LARS for the invitation to come out and join you, thank you runners for your support of this great organization – you all are making a difference our community! (Check out the LARS website for the multitude of ways you can join forces to help them combat hunger and homelessness in our community.)
(Photo credit: LARS)
Blessing Baskets
A shout to Mike Mondy of Moving in Maryland realty for his initiative and happy to have been just a small part of his huge effort in organizing the 2nd annual Blessing Baskets campaign. Coordinating with local schools, friends, businesses and community members across town, the campaign was able to assemble over 200 baskets to share with local families in need during the holidays. There was great energy and great people making a great impact – what being a good neighbor is all about. I also got to meet LaNita Cousin, the small business owner of KB Karnival Hall off Main Street where Blessing Baskets was hosted – she’s renovated the space over the last few years and provides a great venue to birthday parties, sweet 16s, small wedding receptions, and more, so be sure to check out the link if you’re in need!
(Photo credit: Voices of Laurel)
Small Business Saturday
And last Saturday I headed on out to Laurel’s Small Business Saturday event at the Quill Lot on Main Street hosted by the Economic & Community Development department – There I was able to pickup the Small Business Passport book, where residents can collect stamps from small businesses around town and enter the completed book for prizes. (Don’t forget to drop yours off at the Municipal Center by this weekend to count!) Thanks Director Burrough and Economic Development Coordinator Sadaf Parveen for braving the cold. And I was so lucky to be walking down Main Street right after and wander into the awesome candy shop Gladley’s who are open special for the holiday season with all their delicious treats – You just gotta try their Chew La La (caramel taken to another level) or their Laddie cookie or their My Oh Mys, and more. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed with anything you get there! 🍬🍫
Maryland Municipal League (MML) follow-up
Lastly (and if you’ve read this far, thank you!) :), MML released some additional photos from the Leadership Conference I was at earlier this fall that I just had to share – Both for the education sessions I was in (I think the one I’m pictured asking a question in was on ‘Risk Management for Municipalities’) and for the time to connect with municipal leaders both inside and outside Laurel.
(Photo credit: MML)
Nominate Your Neighbors for Christmas Decorating Contest!
We all love homes that go all-out decorating for Christmas 🎄✨🎅🦌– Let’s show them our love by submitting their name to Laurel Parks & Rec so they’ll be entered for some recognition! :)
Notice a great-looking house as you drive or walk by? – Then send an email to parks@laurel.md.us or give a ring to 301-725-7800. And no need to be a Grinch – nominate as many folks as you see & like! 😀 (Note: They do need to be within the City limits.)
More details below, and remember – get those nominations in before Dec 13 to be in time for the judging!
Info for Council Work Session - 4 Dec 2024
See the City of Laurel’s meeting page for the official record, and if any agenda item holds interest for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself and members of the Council as we want to serve you and the people of Laurel.
AGENDA
- Call to Order - Kyla Clark, Council President
- Bid Recommendation- First Street Improvements- Department of Public Works
- Sole Source Purchase Recommendation-Ongoing City-wide Replacement of Existing Street Lighting Project- Department of Public Works
- Bid Recommendation- Lafayette Avenue Improvements- Department of Public Works
- Architectural and Engineering Firms Contract Continuation Recommendation- Department of Public Works
- Resolution No. 5-2024- A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland Creating the Master Plan Review Committee and Providing an Effective Date
- Resolution No. 6-2024- A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland Declaring a Temporary Moratorium Regarding the Processing of Zoning Matters within the City of Laurel, Maryland and Providing an Effective Date.
- Ordinance No. 2033- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the City of Laurel Police Retirement Plan to Extend the Deferred Retirement Option Plan
- Ordinance No. 2034- An Ordinance of the Mayor and City Council of Laurel, Maryland to Amend the City of Laurel Employees Retirement Plan to Extend the Deferred Retirement Option Plan
Watch live online via LaurelTV or the MyLaurel app, or on your TV via Comcast Channel 996 (HD)/ 71 (SD) or Verizon FiOS Channel 12. And if you’d like to register to speak, simply reach out to the City Clerk’s office.
“Thank God for this Thanksgiving Day” song
Over the last few years, my family has adopted a new small part into our Thanksgiving traditions of watching Ben Rector’s “The Thanksgiving Song”. He’s an artist we’ve really enjoyed as a family, and he wrote this song during COVID - It expresses so many sentiments from then and now that help set the stage and day for Thanksgiving. We hope you enjoy it too, and all your family’s Thanksgiving traditions as well!
Grab hot drink + Small Business Passport this Saturday!
Come on out to Laurel’s Quill Lot (378 Main Street) this Saturday to grab a hot drink, some snacks, and most importantly: your Small Business Passport book!
Say “hi” to neighbors while enjoying this holiday weekend, then over the course of the coming weeks, stop in at Laurel small businesses for your shopping (Christmas or other) and get your passport book stamped. Collect enough stamps and you can submit for a prize – And in the process, discover some new gems we have here in town!
It’s a great way to celebrate the shops that make Laurel unique, to let them know we value what they bring to our town, and to support them so they can stay and be a part of the fabric that is our community – So stop by and I’ll see you there! 😀
(And thank you to Laurel’s Economic and Community Development team for making this possible + all the participating Laurel retail businesses!)
Cautionary words from Laurel Police Chief
At last night’s Council Meeting, Laurel Police Chief Hamill shared notes and important reminders based on recent events and the upcoming holiday season, including:
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Never hesitate to call Laurel Police right away if you ever see something suspicious – You are part of their eyes and ears into what is going on around town, and they’d much rather send a police cruiser over to drive through an area and potentially prevent something that may happen (e.g., car theft, property damage, etc.) than have something happen and only learn after-the-fact. It’s a really a service to all of us as neighbors help keep each other safe – And you can post the Laurel “non-emergency” number right on your refrigerator or store in cell phone: 301-498-0092.
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Always keep alert to your surroundings as you’re out-and-about – For example, as you go to an ATM, take stock of what’s around as you approach, keep a sense of your environment while you’re there, and avoid walking away from the ATM looking down while counting your withdrawal, but keep your head and eyes up as great preventative measure.
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If you remember you left something of value on your car seat at night, it’s a good idea to go out and get it. Visible items are an easy mark. And just being sure to lock your car doors is important too. The Chief shared a story on how officers tracking suspicious individuals late at night simply going from car door to car door, until they found one that opened – Just a little bit of friction can go a long way.
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The Police Department will also be stepping up traffic enforcement from now through New Years – It’s notoriously the time of year the most accidents from being under the influence happen and they want to stay ahead of the curve. (Just this past week one of the officers himself was hit by a driver allegedly under the influence, totaling the police cruiser and sending the officer to the hospital, though thankfully recovering at home now.) So be smart and lets all help our friends and family be smart too – celebrating the holidays is so much better when we’re all together! :)
Thank you Chief Hamill for these helpful and important reminders and for your and your team’s work to keep our community safe!
Stretch those legs at the LARS Turkey Trot this Thursday!
What would Thanksgiving be without a jaunt for the Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services (LARS) annual Turkey Trot – Celebrating their 20th anniversary this year! You can run, you can walk, and you’ll get a special commemorative 20th anniversary finisher medal (sure to be a collectible). 🏅😀
So head on over to the LARS Turkey Trot registration page, get yourself registered, and start the day off right on Thanksgiving helping others in need – it’s guaranteed to enhance the flavor your turkey and gravy when you sit down to dinner later in the day. 🦃🍗
The race starts at 8 a.m. at the McCullough Field in Old Town and afterwards you can even pop on over to Ragamuffins Coffee House on Main Street for a FREE drip coffee for showing your race bib ☕ – Now can’t beat that!
Our first snow of the season here in Laurel! ❄️☃️🌨️
Don’t want to get too ahead of the holiday seasons, but perhaps a snowy white Christmas is in our future! 😃
Breakdown of New proposed Council Standing Rules
At the coming Council Meeting on Monday, Nov 25, the Council will potentially vote on adopting new “Standing Rules” that govern the basic operations of the City Council and its meetings. Many of the items are heavily procedural, but there’s a couple items with impact to residents that I wanted to highlight for you:
- The section for Rules 36-46 relate to those around Public Hearings.
- Rule 40 provides each member of the public three (3) minutes to share on their topic. (This is an increase from 2 minutes previously and reflects feedback from residents received over the past year.)
- Rule 40 also describes a new mechanism where, if 5 or more members of the public are present to speak on the same subject, they can designate one member representative to speak for a longer five (5) minutes.
For reference, the sections of the document are:
- Rules of Order
- Open Meetings
- Notice of Special Meeting or Work Sessions
- Election of President
- Duties - President of the Council
- Agendas
- Conduct & Decorum of Members
- Standing Committees – City Council
- Order of Business
- Public Hearing
- Report of the Mayor and City Council
- Legislative Proceedings
- Introduction and Passage of Legislation
- Appeal
- Virtual & Video Meetings
- Filling a Vacancy of the Council
- City Council - Boards/ Commissions/ Committees
- Miscellaneous
You can download a copy of the latest version as of today, and also look to the City of Laurel Official Meetings page for any updates that are included for consideration in future meetings.
Please reach out to me directly with any thoughts or feedback, and feel free to join us on Monday, Nov 25 to share your thoughts for Council on any item as well.
Council Meeting - 25 Nov 2024
See the City of Laurel’s meeting page for the official record, and if any agenda item holds interest for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to myself and members of the Council as we want to serve you and the people of Laurel.
Watch live online via LaurelTV or the MyLaurel app, or on your TV via Comcast Channel 996 (HD)/ 71 (SD) or Verizon FiOS Channel 12. And if you’d like to register to speak, simply reach out to the City Clerk’s office.
NOTE: Included among the items the Council may vote on are the proposed changes to the Council Standing Rules (which includes updates to public hearing time limits). To share your thoughts, please be sure to reach out to the Clerk and/or join us in-person at the meeting. :)
- Call to Order - James Kole, President
- Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America- Mayor Keith R. Sydnor
- Roll Call - Sara A. Green, CPM, CMC, City Clerk
- Laurel University Graduation Ceremony
- Approval of Minutes: November 4, 2024 Regular Meeting; November 13, 2024 Special Meeting; November 13, 2024 Closed Session
- Report of the Mayor and City Council
- Mayoral Appointments: Tiara Matthews, Education Advisory Committee 11/25/2024-11/25/2026; Rubama Patwary, Art Council 11/25/2024-11/25/2026 ; Roy Smith II, Planning Commission 11/25/2024-11/25/2029
- General Public Hearing
- Second Public Hearing with Possible Action on Resolution No. 4-2024- A Resolution of the Laurel City Council to Approve the Rewrite of the Council Standing Rules
- Possible Adjournment to Closed Session Under the Open Meetings Act Provisions Section 3-305 (b) (3) to consider the acquisition of real property for a public purpose and matters directly related thereto in order to protect the Mayor and City Council’s bargaining power and Section 3- 305 (b) (7) to consult with counsel to obtain legal advice regarding the potential purchase of real property
- Election of the Council President
- Election or Selection of President Pro-Tem
- Adjournment
My Learnings from Maryland Municipal League Fall Conference
The week before last, I attended the Maryland Municipal League’s (MML) fall conference - Titled “Excellence in Leadership”, it was held in Cambridge, Maryland Nov 6-8 and was a great opportunity to: (a) further equip in my role as Councilman, (b) be briefed on the latest updates happening in our state, and (c) connect with hundreds of municipal leaders from around Maryland.
I enrolled in the Academy for Excellence certification program and over the course of the three days took classes including: Structures of Municipal Government; MD State Budget Outlook; Rising costs of electricity & how to support residents; and more. Some takeaways to pass on:
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Maryland only generates about 30% of its own electrical energy and is also in the process of closing down old coal plants, all at a time when the demand for electricity is increasing. This means it has to purchase power from other states like Pennsylvania and Ohio and is causing the outlook for electricity prices to be headed strongly higher.
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Maryland Comptroller Liermann shared the results of various reports her office has issued (such as on MD’s lagging labor force participation) and outreaches her office has done. One tip: Her office has partnered with the IRS to offer an integrated FREE federal - state tax preparation software for this coming season called DirectFile, so be on the lookout for that come January.
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State Delegate Barnes, State Senator Augustine, and Governor Moore’s legislative aid Luedtke shared about the upcoming ~$2 billion state budget crunch expected to be a huge issue this coming MD legislative session - Deficits arising from spending commitments made the last few years are anticipated to reach $4 billion and grow to $8 billion in the coming years as well without changes. An implication for Laurel: “bond bill” initiatives and Highway User Revenues (both of which contribute funding to cities like Laurel) are potentially in the crosshairs.
I also connected with Mayors, Councilmembers, and Staff from municipalities including Cambridge, Mount Airy, Greenbelt, Takoma Park, Denton, Forest Heights, Berwyn Heigts, Union Bridge, Eagle Harbor, Frederick, La Plata, Taneytown, Leonardtown, Hagerstown, and more. It was helpful to hear what other cities are doing, to make connections, to share knowledge and resources, and more.
A big memory for me was also the ability to visit the Harriet Tubman (Ross) museum, hear local Cambridge resident and historian share about his life experience growing up in Cambridge (which was sadly marred by prejudice), and about the life of the tenacious Harriet Ross who led so many of her family to freedom in the North. Myself and fellow members of Laurel City Council (Councilmembers Clark and Mills) were also able to take a picture in front of the new and now famous mural, “Take My Hand” (pictured below).
The MML Fall Conference was packed full of information and connections and I greatly appreciated the opportunity to join with other municipal leaders as we all strive to help our city’s flourish in the years to come!
LPD Awards / Diwali / Veteran's Day Highlights & Pics
Laurel Police Department
Yesterday, I was pleased to be with the Laurel Police Department for their awards ceremony honoring officers and citizen employees who have helped make Laurel a safer place over this past year and a half. To be honest, it was quite an experience to hear story-after-story of how our officers over different times of the year placed themselves in danger or proactively acted to apprehend threats or also saved lives around town. Whether pursuing armed suspects in the woods, negotiating down someone who was in hiding, rendering life-saving first aid to a father who was wounded, going undercover to breakup a crime ring, or the support functions rendered with excellence that make it possible – thank you to all who protect and serve us!
Diwali Festival at BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
On November 2, I was able to visit the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir to help mark the Diwali Festival (translated, ‘festival of light’) which is an annual Hindu celebration of the conquest of light over darkness. It was a good opportunity to connect with members of a different faith, learn about their commitment to serving the community, and celebrate the rich tapestry of our area.
Veteran’s Day Flag Placements
Lastly, in the beautiful weather of this past Monday on November 11, I joined with residents from around town to help place flags at the gravestones of U.S. military veterans reposed at historic Ivy Hill cemetery here in town. It was a reminder of the many who have served, both past and present, to preserve for us today our freedoms, and at no small cost to themselves. This selflessness is what makes our society possible, and we deeply thank them for their service.
(Photo credit: City of Laurel)
Meet the new PG Education Board Member Andorful on Nov 20 in Laurel
In the just-completed election, a new PG County Board of Education member was elected to represent our district, District 1 – Dr. Tiffini Andorful. And she’ll be coming to Laurel on Wednesday, Nov 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the Laurel Branch Library hosted by our PG County Councilmember Tom Dernoga.
From the event description:
Council Member Dernoga invites you to join him for a community conversation at the Laurel Branch Library, which will take place after a Meet & Greet with Dr. Tiffini Andorful, District 1 School Board Member Elect. Light refreshments will be served to anyone that RSVPs by filling out this form. Please do not forget to submit any questions you have for the Council Member ahead of time by recording them at the bottom of this form.
This is a great opportunity for parents, students, teachers, and other interested folks to come out and learn and share firsthand with our elected school officials – For more details and the link to RSVP, check out the event registration page.
Spread Thanksgiving Blessings with Blessing Baskets
Thanksgiving is approaching quickly and is a great time of year to reflect on all the many true blessings we have that are so easy to forget in the hustle-and-bustle of day-to-day – things like food, shelter, family, community, health, freedom, faith, and more.
From that well of thankfulness, it’s only natural to want to give and share – The original Thanksgiving itself was in its ideal form a coming together of peoples to share what they had in the common fellowship of life. Your church and many of our Laurel-based non-profits have great outlets to link arms with community to do so, and I also wanted to share about a newer one organized by Mike Mondy and The Moving in Maryland Group of Keller Williams Realty: Laurel Blessing Baskets.
The Laurel Blessing Baskets drive encourages folks to assemble a laundry basket of goods for a Thanksgiving meal (and optionally, some helpful home items) to help families in need. You can assemble and/or drop-off your basket of goods on Wednesday, Nov 20 from 4 p.m. - 9 p.m. at KB Karnival Hall located at 555 Main Street (drive around to the backside off Main Street) where others will also be mingling. And if you’re unable to make it but still want to be a part, you can also contribute to the drive’s GoFundMe campaign.
“A thankful heart is a happy heart” ❤️ - I guarantee finding a way, small or big, to bless someone this Thanksgiving will help make your family’s Thanksgiving all the more full as well. 🙂🦃
Honor Veterans by Placing Flags Today at 2 p.m. at Ivy Hill
If you’re free this afternoon, I’d encourage you to consider taking an hour to mark Veteran’s Day by helping place flags on graves at the Ivy Hill Cemetary. 🇺🇸 You’ll be joining with others in our community helping to honor veterans for their service and expressing our thanks as a community for their sacrifice that has made possible the freedoms we enjoy today as a nation.
Thank you to all who have served! - We treasure your service. 🫡❤️🙏
PG County Fire Dept Reallocation Impact - Community Meeting this Thu, Nov 14
You may already be aware, but there’s a significant reallocation happening within PG County Firefighters. This coming Thursday, Nov 14, the PG County Council is hosting a Public Meeting to address questions, share information, and listen to residents about impacts happening to their communities.
The gist of the changes surround how fire services are provided: Historically, paid professional fire firefighters from the County would be assigned to fire houses in different cities and towns where they would be supplemented by local volunteers - Paid staff covered certain hours while volunteers covered the other hours. PG County has been reallocating firefighters, pulling them out of many local volunteer firehouses and moving them to County firehouses, affecting the coverage of certain areas and the response times experienced. (E.g., It’s part of why you’re seeing more of neighboring fire trucks coming to Laurel than in years past.)
To learn more about the impact and share concerns, join with other residents from around the County at the Largo County Administration Building this Thursday where PG County Fire Chief Tiffany Green will join Council Members to discuss staffing and the reallocation plan. You can also sign up to speak.
(UPDATE after event: Here’s a link to watch a recording of the meeting.)
The Laurel Independent, Nov 2024 edition out
Just finished perusing my copy of November 2024 edition of The Laurel Independent and here’s a few of the highlights:
- Details around a cascade of special elections at the PG County level.
- Mayor’s reflections on his first year in service.
- Results of the paper’s survey on what readers are looking for from local journalism.
- Highlights of ‘native gardening’ program by Laurel for the Patuxent.
- Updates to Old Town’s Walking Tour program.
- Great list of upcoming events like: Fall leaf vacuuming program, Breakfast with Santa & Holiday Parade + Illumination on Dec 7, LARS annual Turkey Trot on Nov 28,
- And much, much more!
Check out articles on Streetcar Suburbs News website and a full digital, flippable version should be posted soon to their Streetcar Suburbs News Issuu page — Physical copies also come via mail and are available in many hotspots around town.🔥And consider donating in support of local journalism, it’s needed!
Small business retailers apply by Nov 8 to be in Passport Book
Small Business Saturday is coming up later this month on Saturday, Nov 30 — But tomorrow, Friday, Nov 8 is the deadline for small business retailers in Laurel to submit their information to be part of the *Passport Book Program.
That’s the book residents can pickup on Nov 30 at the Quill Lot (along with a nice hot beverage) ☕️ and then get their book stamped at the various spots listed around town for a chance to win prizes. So if you’ve just opened a new shop, or you’ve been around and looking to help spread the word, this can be a great way to accomplish!
To have your business included in the Passport Book, email sparveen@laurel.md.us or reach out to the Economic and Community Development team.
