[0:10] Good evening everyone and welcome to the

[0:11] Bladensburg Town Council meeting for

[0:13] Monday, July 13, 2026. We are now called

[0:16] to order. At this time, we'll begin

[0:19] tonight's meeting with the opening

[0:20] prayer by Council Member Dixon.

[0:25] » Thank you, Madame Mayor. Father, we

[0:27] thank you. Thank you for bringing us

[0:29] here, bringing us together this evening.

[0:31] Grant us wisdom, discernment, and

[0:33] humility as we serve our community. Help

[0:36] us to listen with open minds and speak

[0:38] with respect and make decision that

[0:41] promotes justice, unity, and the

[0:43] well-being of all residents, guide our

[0:45] leaders, protect our officers in Jesus

[0:47] name. Amen.

[0:49] >> Thank you, Council Member Dixon. For

[0:51] » Thank you, Council Member Dixon. For

[0:51] those who are able, please stand for the

[0:53] pledge of allegiance.

[0:56] Okay.

[0:58] I pledge algiance to the flag of the

[1:01] United States of America and to the

[1:03] republic for which it stands, one nation

[1:07] under God, indivisible, with liberty and

[1:10] justice for all.

[1:20] » Thank you everyone. At this time, the

[1:22] next item on tonight's agenda is

[1:25] approval of the agenda. Is there a

[1:27] motion to approve?

[1:28] >> That's a move.

[1:30] » That's a move.

[1:30] >> Motion's been made by council member

[1:31] » Motion's been made by council member

[1:31] Dixon. Is there a second?

[1:34] >> Second.

[1:34] » Second.

[1:34] >> Seconded by council member McBride. In

[1:37] » Seconded by council member McBride. In

[1:37] terms of corrections for the agenda,

[1:39] what we discussed previously was the

[1:42] addition of summer recess under um

[1:47] presentations to add patriotic committee

[1:50] and then updates from our

[1:52] representatives. I believe I saw Miss

[1:53] Gloria from Diana Fenel's office and

[1:56] Vanessa from Senator Augustine's office.

[1:58] And

[2:01] you're with Augustine as well. Okay. So,

[2:03] we'll do that. And then

[2:06] looking ahead to page two under

[2:09] financial business, adding item B for

[2:12] community grants allocations and then

[2:14] item C for council discretionary funds.

[2:18] So, council, would those amendments be

[2:20] acceptable?

[2:22] >> Okay. All right. So, with that, I'll

[2:25] » Okay. All right. So, with that, I'll

[2:25] call for the motion. I'm sorry. I'll

[2:27] call for the vote. All in favor, let it

[2:29] be known by the saying of I. I. Any

[2:32] nays? The eyes have it. The revised

[2:36] agenda is approved. At this time, again,

[2:39] we'll jump right into presentations,

[2:41] beginning with Miss Renee Green from

[2:43] Patriotic Committee.

[2:48] And as you're coming up, I want to say a

[2:50] special thank you for supporting our

[2:51] Independence Day event and sweating all

[2:54] the sweat equity you paid out there.

[3:03] So that leads into exactly what I was

[3:05] going to say.

[3:08] So for my patriotic report tonight, I

[3:11] want to thank um Ray Jeff and give him a

[3:15] shout out.

[3:18] I for planning another incredible

[3:22] fireworks celebration.

[3:24] you know, he started planning that in

[3:26] February. So, that kind of gives you an

[3:29] idea of how much work goes into that.

[3:32] But that was such a great way to

[3:35] celebrate the 250th anniversary of our

[3:38] country

[3:42] and it was over 100 degrees that night.

[3:48] So, uh, it takes so many people to make

[3:53] event like that successful and the heat

[3:56] added to the challenge on everyone. So,

[3:59] I want to thank everyone who assisted

[4:02] and the I think there was about a

[4:04] thousand people that showed up.

[4:07] Um, I also want to uh thank the mayor

[4:11] James

[4:13] and the town council, the staff, police,

[4:16] the fire department, public works,

[4:18] especially. Oh my goodness. Sean from

[4:22] code enforcement. He was riding around

[4:24] the whole time with a cooler of ice and

[4:27] water, making sure everyone was okay,

[4:29] too. It was just incredible. Um, it

[4:34] really was. and everyone had a wonderful

[4:38] time. I think uh you know I'm surprised

[4:40] no one passed out. The only issue was a

[4:42] little dog that got lost.

[4:47] And uh I want to thank um I was at the

[4:49] table at the um town table handing out

[4:53] all kinds of wonderful gifts and prizes

[4:56] and t-shirts and t-shirts and um

[5:01] uh clocks everything. And you know what?

[5:05] It was a tough night. Uh, but I had the

[5:08] police and I had the explorers assisting

[5:11] me.

[5:15] » Yeah.

[5:17] So, I mean, I couldn't believe it. I had

[5:21] like 30 people helping me and there was

[5:23] a line of about 30 people wanting gifts.

[5:26] So, it worked out just fine.

[5:29] So, um, happy 250th anniversary to the

[5:33] country and thank you.

[5:38] » Thank you so much, Miss Green. We

[5:40] appreciate your support with all of our

[5:42] patriotic uh, activities and for always

[5:44] being a partner and again for putting in

[5:47] all that sweat equity with us and

[5:49] >> put rolling up your sleeves and being

[5:51] » put rolling up your sleeves and being

[5:51] ready to work. We appreciate you.

[5:53] >> Well, I do too.

[5:55] » Well, I do too.

[5:55] >> Thanks.

[5:57] » Thanks.

[5:57] at this time. Thank you. At this time,

[6:00] we'll hear from Delegate Diana Fenel's

[6:03] office.

[6:06] >> Okay. Oh, okay.

[6:08] » Okay. Oh, okay.

[6:08] She punted to Senator Augustine's

[6:11] office. So, I guess we'll get the whole

[6:12] district 47 update. That works for us.

[6:23] » Good evening everyone. My name is

[6:24] Vanessa and I'm chief of staff for

[6:27] Senate Senator Augustine and I'm very

[6:29] happy to present Helina Miss Gana who is

[6:32] our community liaison. So if you want to

[6:35] tell them a little bit about yourself.

[6:38] >> Good afternoon everyone. I'm Helena. I

[6:40] » Good afternoon everyone. I'm Helena. I

[6:40] am from Chillm sorry I'm from Chillm

[6:43] Maryland.

[6:45] >> I'm just short the words. I'm from

[6:48] » I'm just short the words. I'm from

[6:48] Chillum Maryland. I live in New Carol.

[6:50] I'm part of the community and I'm very

[6:52] happy to be here.

[6:57] » Hello everybody. I'm Gloria. I'm from

[6:59] Delegate Fenel's office and I'm just up

[7:02] here with her.

[7:04] >> Okay. And we're happy that we're out of

[7:08] » Okay. And we're happy that we're out of

[7:08] session and everything. So, you know,

[7:09] we're here always just to be here as a

[7:11] resource. So, if there's anything that

[7:13] you want to report to us or anything

[7:14] that we can help you with, whether it's

[7:16] like, you know, State Highway, Pepco,

[7:18] like whatever's going on, let us know

[7:19] how we can be a support to you guys. Um,

[7:23] so I think that's kind of the gist of it

[7:24] all. Our cookout will come in a few

[7:27] months, but I'll give you updates once

[7:29] we solidify everything.

[7:31] >> Thank you. And Vanessa, just a heads up

[7:33] » Thank you. And Vanessa, just a heads up

[7:33] before you take your seat for the

[7:35] September meeting. We did have to push

[7:38] the SHA presentation from tonight's work

[7:40] session to the 5:30 meeting. So I was

[7:43] texting with Senator earlier. Okay. He

[7:45] will he committed to being here because

[7:47] it involves a state agency. So I'll just

[7:49] make sure we send it to both you and him

[7:51] when we send the Zoom link over to you.

[7:53] >> Awesome. Thank you so much.

[7:54] » Awesome. Thank you so much.

[7:54] >> Thank you. Thanks for being here. And

[7:56] » Thank you. Thanks for being here. And

[7:56] Helena, it's nice to meet you. We look

[7:58] forward to working with you.

[8:00] >> Thank you.

[8:05] So that concludes the presentations for

[8:07] this evening. So we'll now move into

[8:10] item six for the approval of the meeting

[8:12] minutes for Monday, June 8th. Council,

[8:14] is there a motion to approve?

[8:16] >> So move.

[8:17] » So move.

[8:17] >> Moved by council member Brown. Is there

[8:19] » Moved by council member Brown. Is there

[8:19] a second?

[8:20] >> Second.

[8:21] » Second.

[8:21] >> Seconded by council member McBride. Any

[8:23] » Seconded by council member McBride. Any

[8:23] comments or questions regarding the

[8:25] minutes? Hearing none, I'll call for the

[8:28] vote. All in favor, let it be known by

[8:30] the saying of I. I. I. Any nazs? The

[8:33] eyes have it. The minutes are approved.

[8:36] At this time, we'll move into item

[8:37] seven, which is public comment where we

[8:39] hear from town residents. Mr. Reinhardt

[8:41] will turn it over to you to call the

[8:43] names.

[8:44] >> Good evening, mayor and council. We have

[8:46] » Good evening, mayor and council. We have

[8:46] uh several people signed up. And again,

[8:48] if you're a town resident, please go up

[8:49] to the microphone. Um, you have three

[8:51] minutes. If you're not a town resident,

[8:53] just let us know and we can just check

[8:54] you off the list. Uh, the first one up

[8:56] is Miss Susan McCutchen.

[9:08] » Start to bring my own microphone. Do it

[9:10] from the I come every time. Hi, Susan

[9:12] McCutchen and I live in Bladensburg on

[9:14] Spring Road. There's so many salient

[9:17] issues I don't even know where to start.

[9:20] First of all, I'm very concerned about

[9:23] the piling on from the federal

[9:25] government, about uh piling on to blue

[9:28] states, about anybody who wants to do

[9:32] anything to make the situation more

[9:36] humane and and reasonable and um

[9:39] transparent for immigration. is heavy

[9:42] weight coming on to the government of

[9:44] Maryland as one of the many blue states

[9:46] who are being harassed by the federal

[9:48] government about funding and threatened

[9:51] etc. And it's it's very frustrating and

[9:54] I know we have a lot of concerned people

[9:56] who want to do something and be right

[9:58] including our council and I do and uh uh

[10:01] Mr. Wood has been wonderful back. We

[10:03] have been uh corresponding and

[10:06] especially uh Anna has been been

[10:08] corresponding but we have been talking

[10:09] about all the the different issues and

[10:12] angles of what is happening and I'm so

[10:15] pleased that we're going to be on the

[10:17] sep that that she I hope will be on the

[10:19] September agenda. I know on the

[10:20] September agenda, but to speak about

[10:23] different uh thoughts that that the

[10:26] community has and openness in the

[10:28] community and the and the acting chief

[10:30] as well. And it's been very open and I

[10:33] appreciate that. That's something I do

[10:34] appreciate about Bladensburg, willing to

[10:36] listen and to to hear what's being said.

[10:40] And it doesn't mean automatically

[10:41] everything is going to happen the way

[10:43] people want it because it maybe can't

[10:45] for whatever reason, but at least be

[10:47] reasonable. listen. And that is what I

[10:49] see in this council and I've seen this

[10:51] for many years for many other issues. I

[10:54] have a I want to bring up about voting.

[10:56] Please pay attention to well I'm on

[10:58] everybody's email about webinars and

[11:01] zoom calls etc. but about voting um

[11:05] issue webinars and zooms. There's a lot

[11:08] that's out there because there's been

[11:10] from the top there's a very much the

[11:12] pressure as we all know about trying to

[11:15] stop people from voting or making it

[11:17] difficult for people to vote and we have

[11:19] to we have to we can't sit out. can't we

[11:24] we can't be so discouraged that we don't

[11:26] go out to vote that we don't pay

[11:28] attention to what's going on and look to

[11:30] the tricks and things that are going on

[11:33] because it's it's very sinister just as

[11:35] sinister as ICE is just as sinister as

[11:37] many of these things are. So, there's so

[11:39] much going on and um I'll add on to it.

[11:42] Hypers scale data centers and the lack

[11:44] of transparency with the Prince George's

[11:46] County Council that is disgusting in its

[11:49] lack of transparency appointing people

[11:52] who should not be appointed to a

[11:55] planning board who have had no no idea

[11:59] about what to do with a planning board

[12:01] because they have no experience. And it

[12:03] seems to be at the behest of powers that

[12:06] be, which is just as bad locally as it

[12:09] is statewide and as it is federally

[12:11] people appointed who should not be and

[12:14] they need to be more transparent and we

[12:16] have to demand that. But anyway, thank

[12:18] you.

[12:18] >> Thank you, Miss McCutchen.

[12:20] » Thank you, Miss McCutchen.

[12:20] >> Thank you,

[12:22] » Thank you,

[12:22] >> mayor. Our next person signed up is Miss

[12:24] » mayor. Our next person signed up is Miss

[12:24] Anna Greenstone.

[12:34] Hi, Mayor James, council, town staff.

[12:38] Um, I'm Anna Greenstone, a resident of

[12:40] Bladensburg, and I'm returning tonight.

[12:43] Um, and I'm still asking for you to take

[12:46] more action regarding ISIS presence and

[12:49] operations in Bladensburg. I'm really

[12:52] appreciative that you all have welcomed

[12:53] this dialogue that we have been in touch

[12:55] as Susan said um and that as a consern

[12:59] concerned group of residents we've been

[13:01] able to meet with the town administrator

[13:02] and Chief Fishorn um and that this issue

[13:07] has been added to September's work

[13:09] session. Thank you. Um however, it is

[13:12] important that we see some concrete

[13:13] action and change before September. um

[13:16] you've expressed interest in creating a

[13:18] document to share some of the policies

[13:20] that Bladensburg PD does have in place

[13:22] already to protect and support residents

[13:24] in case of in the case of an ICE

[13:26] encounter or detainment. Um and we'd

[13:29] like to know like what is your goal for

[13:31] when when that will be complete? Um,

[13:34] you've expressed interest in appointing

[13:35] a staff member as a community liaison

[13:38] who could work closer with concerned

[13:40] residents and I'd like to know when will

[13:43] that decision be made of who that person

[13:45] will be. There are so many other ways to

[13:48] take action even if you remain against

[13:51] limiting ISIS access to certain

[13:54] properties in town. Um, we have ideas

[13:56] and we'll bring them to you in

[13:58] September. Um, but we'd love to see more

[14:01] proactive problem solving also from the

[14:03] government now. Um, more ideas and

[14:06] action toward rebuilding trust with

[14:08] residents, toward reducing chances for

[14:11] residents to be harmed. This bears

[14:13] repeating. Federal immigration agents

[14:15] under this administration are not

[14:17] consistently operating in reasonable

[14:19] ways or safe ways.

[14:21] Um,

[14:23] since our meeting, ICE has killed

[14:25] Lorenzo Salgado Aruo in Texas, who, as

[14:28] you likely know, was not even the target

[14:30] of ISIS search. He didn't deserve to die

[14:32] regardless, but he was not even the

[14:34] target of ISIS search. And in recent

[14:36] weeks, ICE has become increasingly more

[14:38] aggressive and intimidating toward

[14:41] lawful community observers in Prince

[14:42] George's County. Um, and that includes

[14:45] recklessly speeding on our roads,

[14:48] recording observers, following them to

[14:50] their homes as intimidation tactics. And

[14:54] so from Human Rights Watch, I'll just

[14:57] add that in the 500 days since Trump's

[15:00] inauguration in 2025, 52 people have

[15:04] died in ICE custody in the US. And the

[15:06] rate of deaths is the highest level that

[15:08] it's been in 10 years. And so I just ask

[15:11] that we continue to take more action now

[15:14] um hopefully to prevent a death like

[15:16] Lorenzo's from happening in Bladensburg

[15:18] or Prince George's County. Thank you,

[15:26] » Mayor. The next person signed up is

[15:27] Foster Gettys.

[15:41] Uh, this is my first time giving um a

[15:45] statement, so just bear with me. I think

[15:47] I've got this thing on.

[15:49] Um, also worth noting I am um

[15:52] Bladensburg resident and I'm a Word One

[15:56] um constituent.

[15:58] Um, I've been seeing lately online on

[16:01] the town's Instagram page that the

[16:03] police department has been making many

[16:05] efforts to court trust from community

[16:08] through initiatives like walks with a

[16:10] cop, coffee with a cop, and notice

[16:13] notably ice cream with a cop on Friday.

[16:16] um while at the same time undermining

[16:18] that trust by allowing ICE to park in

[16:20] the police station lot.

[16:23] The jurisdiction of that lot and who can

[16:25] park there is not clear or well

[16:27] understood by community members. When

[16:29] ICE parks there, it gives the loud

[16:31] impression that the Bladensburg Police

[16:33] Department and the town administration

[16:35] support and welcome ICE into the

[16:37] community. It creates the perception of

[16:39] collaboration whether or not that that

[16:41] may be actually happening. When ICE

[16:44] agents are allowed in the police

[16:45] department with doors held open, it says

[16:47] loud and clear to anyone watching, "We

[16:49] support ICE in our neighborhoods, parks,

[16:51] and municipal buildings." It says, "We

[16:54] will take action to support ICE." Even

[16:56] an action as simple as holding the door

[16:58] open for an agent while taking no action

[17:00] to support and protect residents. When

[17:03] Bladensburg police are seen as casually

[17:05] chatting with ICE agents in public, it

[17:07] tells resident onlookers that

[17:08] Bladensburg police like and support

[17:10] these guys, approve of what they're

[17:12] doing, and like how they're doing it. It

[17:14] tells residents that Bladensburg police

[17:16] is on ICE's side. Public's perception is

[17:19] an incredibly important aspect of trust.

[17:22] Will you signal to Bladensburg residents

[17:24] that you're on their side? Laws that

[17:27] prevent local police collaboration with

[17:29] ICE and bar the use of certain

[17:30] properties or facilities by them have

[17:32] already been passed by Maryland and

[17:34] Prince George's County. I'm wondering

[17:36] what will Bladensburg do. The president

[17:39] has already been set. As we know, the

[17:41] Maryland Community Trust Act was passed

[17:43] this spring. The word trust is in the

[17:45] title. PG County also passed its own

[17:47] law, the Community Safe Spaces Act.

[17:50] Section 2553. The purpose is clearly

[17:53] stated in the Community Safe Spaces Act

[17:56] to uphold the county's values of equity,

[17:58] inclusiveness, dignity, and justice for

[18:00] all. Maintain community trust by

[18:03] separating county services from federal

[18:05] law immigration enforcement, and limit

[18:07] the use of county property for federal

[18:09] immigration enforcement purposes to

[18:11] enhance public trust. A legal challenge

[18:14] to the Community Trust Act, the Maryland

[18:16] law, was filed in July on July 9th by

[18:19] the Justice Department. If the state of

[18:21] Maryland is successfully sued, what laws

[18:23] will there be left to protect our

[18:24] residents? We must pass our own. We must

[18:28] show our residents that they can trust

[18:30] their police department, the mayor, and

[18:32] the council to look out for them. Right

[18:34] now, we know that the Bladensburg Police

[18:35] Department cannot collaborate with ICE

[18:37] because of the law handed down by the

[18:38] state. But should that law disappear,

[18:41] what will Badensburg police do then? I

[18:44] just have a little bit left. Can I

[18:46] >> quickly please?

[18:47] » quickly please?

[18:47] >> Yes, of course. Yes. Yeah. Sorry, this

[18:49] » Yes, of course. Yes. Yeah. Sorry, this

[18:49] is my first time. Um, even an action to

[18:53] do nothing and not intervene is a choice

[18:55] and the residents of Bladensburg are

[18:57] taking note. Bl Mayor James may say no

[19:00] to designating Bladensburg as a

[19:02] sanctuary city, decrying it as

[19:03] performative action. If so, then I

[19:05] implore you to take some action. Any

[19:07] other action to show the most vulnerable

[19:09] residents of our town that the city is

[19:11] looking out for them and they can trust

[19:12] you. Community trust initiatives like

[19:15] ice cream with the cop could be a step

[19:16] forward. Will you let the presence of

[19:18] ICE take you 10 steps back? Thank you.

[19:23] >> Thank you, Miss Gettys. Next person,

[19:25] » Thank you, Miss Gettys. Next person,

[19:25] Sean,

[19:26] >> Mr. Steve Whites.

[19:35] Yeah, I'm Steve Whites. I live on Tilden

[19:38] Road. Uh we have a storm water drain

[19:41] going throughout the uh town, carry the

[19:45] the u storm water that drains from the

[19:48] streets and so forth. But those uh storm

[19:51] water drains are are now clogged up with

[19:54] uh debris and they're overgrown uh vines

[19:57] and trees uh clogging it up. But the

[20:00] biggest concern I have is uh there's

[20:04] several uh uh gates that are unlocked

[20:07] and sections of fence that are down and

[20:10] children and teens are down there

[20:12] playing in the uh storm water drain and

[20:14] I'm concerned that that someone's going

[20:16] to get hurt or trapped there in the

[20:18] drain. So, uh, you know, I've talked to,

[20:22] uh, some a couple of council members and

[20:25] and the police chief and, uh, in the

[20:27] past, we've tried to go with 311. It's

[20:30] very difficult to get them to do

[20:32] anything. And, uh, so I I appreciate the

[20:36] police chief and and Roger are are going

[20:39] to contact uh, the county and try to get

[20:42] them out here to to straighten it out

[20:44] before we have any problems with

[20:46] flooding or people getting hurt. But uh

[20:50] also uh the last time they were out here

[20:53] in 2020, we had a a blood in Bladensburg

[20:57] and that was the last time the storm

[20:59] water drains were cleaned out. We had 20

[21:01] foot trees and vines growing in there

[21:04] and it is pretty bad, but they did do a

[21:07] good job once you get them out here. So

[21:09] appreciate, you know, the help from the

[21:11] police and code officer and I would

[21:14] encourage anyone that sees any drains

[21:17] clogged up in the streets or throughout

[21:19] the town, notify the town so that could

[21:22] be taken care of. Uh the other concern I

[21:25] have is um a neighbor said her car was

[21:29] uh hit hit and totaled by a hit-and- run

[21:32] driver. Another neighbor's car was

[21:35] recently broken into. Uh there's a

[21:38] proposal to uh keep the town vehicle at

[21:41] the mayor's residence for official

[21:44] business and meeting use, but I'm

[21:47] concerned that keeping the u the town

[21:50] vehicle at at a residence would uh

[21:53] subject it to being hit or vandalized.

[21:56] I'd rather see the the vehicle kept at

[21:58] the police station where it's more

[22:00] secure. And I think it should be

[22:02] available to the council members too if

[22:05] they want to if they need it for uh town

[22:08] meetings or or business sign up and

[22:11] reserve it and and keep a record of

[22:14] where you're going, the mileage and so

[22:16] forth. I think it should be available to

[22:18] to all the council members to use. So,

[22:22] um you know, thank you very much.

[22:25] >> Thank you, Mr. Whites. It's good to see

[22:27] » Thank you, Mr. Whites. It's good to see

[22:27] you. We were wondering where you've been

[22:29] all these many months.

[22:33] The uh next person signed up is Mr.

[22:35] Marlon Cruz.

[22:41] Good evening everyone. Good evening,

[22:43] town of Bladensburg. My name is Marlon

[22:44] Cruz and I'm a resident of Ward 1 on

[22:47] Quincy Street. Thank you so much for the

[22:49] opportunity to speak to in front of you

[22:51] all. I am here to share my concern over

[22:53] the federal enforcement in the town of

[22:55] Pladensburg and around the town of

[22:58] Pladensburg.

[22:59] Um

[23:01] I will continue to seek some action from

[23:04] the town of Bladensburg. I know that it

[23:06] is very difficult to act. Uh we are our

[23:08] own municipal government though. Let's

[23:10] remember the reason why governments

[23:12] exist because people like us form them.

[23:15] Um talents are incorporated right by

[23:18] people who are want to incorporate them.

[23:21] And so that's why the beauty of the

[23:23] United States. I work with people who

[23:24] are from the UK and so they are very

[23:27] impressed by the way that in the United

[23:28] States that you can get things done

[23:31] simply by wanting to do them right. So

[23:33] it's it's very uh it it sort of made me

[23:36] grateful for for where I am and and

[23:38] where I live and the democracy that we

[23:42] still are latching on to as hard as

[23:43] possible. So, I really implore that we

[23:45] are able to act um and like some of my

[23:49] fellow neighbors have shared the the

[23:52] terrible statistics that are continuing

[23:54] to happen and then and they continue to

[23:56] to occur. Um so, I will continue to

[23:59] fight no matter how tired I am and I

[24:02] will continue to

[24:04] organize within the community and show

[24:06] the demand and the need for action and

[24:10] that's really what I was asking for.

[24:12] Thank you so much for your openness to

[24:14] meet with me. I hope that we can

[24:16] continue to meet and continue to chat. I

[24:19] um will continue to work hard as well.

[24:21] No matter what needs to be done um on my

[24:25] end, I'm

[24:27] trying my best to collaborate with the

[24:29] town of Plinsburg. Thank you so much.

[24:32] >> Thank you, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Reinhardt.

[24:35] » Thank you, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Reinhardt.

[24:35] >> And mayor, our last uh person signed up

[24:38] » And mayor, our last uh person signed up

[24:38] is the Honorable Walter James.

[24:40] >> Thank you.

[24:47] Good evening everyone.

[24:48] >> You have a comment?

[24:52] » Oh, there. Oh, there we go. Good evening

[24:53] everyone. Uh, Walter James, a resident

[24:56] of Bladensburg residing on Doris Court

[24:59] here in the town of Bladensburg. Uh,

[25:00] thank you mayor and council for this

[25:01] opportunity. Before I get started, I

[25:03] just want to say to the mayor and

[25:04] council, thank you so much for your

[25:06] responsible and conscious leadership uh

[25:08] in moving our town forward. Uh, and I do

[25:11] want to congratulate the mayor on her

[25:12] elevation uh to MML president. And this

[25:14] is not only a promotion

[25:17] I believe this is not only a promotion

[25:19] for the mayor, but it's a promotion for

[25:20] the town of Bladensburg. And I believe

[25:22] that where they say uh the waves waves

[25:25] rises all ships. You know, I'm probably

[25:27] messing up that that quote, but it's

[25:29] something that is not just a promotion

[25:30] for the mayor, but it's a promotion for

[25:32] the town as a whole. So, I rise in

[25:35] support of a resolution to amend the

[25:37] personnel ma uh manual as it relates to

[25:40] take-home vehicle take-home vehic

[25:41] vehicles access for for the elected

[25:44] officials. Uh I do support uh the mayor

[25:47] having a take-home vehicle. Many of you

[25:48] know I've sat in that seat for 12 years.

[25:51] uh and there's an unexpected

[25:53] uh unre unwritten I should say unwritten

[25:55] rule as it relates to the roles and

[25:57] responsibility of the mayor that come

[25:59] from lo from the residents that come

[26:01] from uh all echelons echelons of

[26:04] government whether that's the county

[26:05] that's the state or the federal level.

[26:07] Uh there's immediate response. This is

[26:09] not a personal benefit to the mayor. uh

[26:12] this is a a a a measure that's put in

[26:14] place by a resource by the municipal

[26:16] government that allows the mayor to

[26:18] serve the residents effectively whenever

[26:20] and wherever it's needed. So I encourage

[26:22] the council to really consider this when

[26:24] it comes to not this is not a personal

[26:26] benefit to an individual. Uh this is

[26:29] something for that position of the mayor

[26:31] who is in in a position to respond

[26:33] whenever residents need it. So thank you

[26:35] so much.

[26:37] >> Thank you Mr. James.

[26:41] Right. Mayor, I was just advised um Miss

[26:45] Vanessa from Malcolm Augustine office

[26:47] would like to she signed up to speak

[26:49] also, but

[26:51] >> Sorry, I didn't know.

[26:54] » Sorry, I didn't know.

[26:54] >> Did you have

[27:05] Sorry. Part of the reason we came now I

[27:08] know. Now I won't do it again.

[27:11] But I'm very grateful for you guys being

[27:13] so open. And uh part of the reason we're

[27:16] also here is because Senator Augustine

[27:18] just also wants to echo what the

[27:19] community members are saying. Um you

[27:22] know, we're here to instill that public

[27:24] trust. And I know you guys do everything

[27:26] that you can, you know, to support our

[27:28] local residents and everything. And I

[27:29] just know that within our community,

[27:31] just being Hispanic and like my family,

[27:33] like my extended family, I see the fear

[27:35] that they face every day. like you know

[27:38] you go out and you don't know if you're

[27:39] going to come back and I feel like

[27:41] there's already this fear of law

[27:44] enforcement as a whole and now it's just

[27:47] been exacerbated with everything going

[27:48] on in the federal government that I

[27:50] think that you know when anything comes

[27:52] down like domestic violence the smallest

[27:54] things that you can think of now that

[27:56] there's no trust it's really hard for

[27:58] people to come and speak about the

[28:00] smallest things ever because there like

[28:02] the trust is gone and you know once the

[28:04] trust is gone you truly do have to

[28:05] rebuild it And it's not it's not

[28:07] something that comes overnight. It comes

[28:09] with action, right? So that's something

[28:11] we just really want to echo and just

[28:12] like um we had partners from Megaark

[28:16] reach out to us because, you know,

[28:17] they're very important to our community.

[28:20] Um and this was regarding something that

[28:22] was going on in Baltimore City where

[28:23] there was ICE in the parking lot and

[28:25] everything. And so what we did is

[28:28] through another uh contact from a

[28:30] different senator uh we said, "Hey, do

[28:33] you think the police can uh like the

[28:35] city police can stay in the station so

[28:37] maybe like they can, you know, move

[28:39] their cars or something?" And that did

[28:41] end up happening. And you know, most of

[28:42] them once they saw more police presence

[28:44] and there wasn't that,

[28:47] you know, not sure how to describe it,

[28:50] but they did move out. Um, so it it

[28:53] really does start with the small

[28:55] actions. So we just want to echo what

[28:57] the community is saying and thank you so

[28:59] much.

[29:00] >> And Vanessa, briefly I spoke to the

[29:02] » And Vanessa, briefly I spoke to the

[29:02] senator at MML about this and asked for

[29:06] specific support that was over a month

[29:08] ago just to let him know this is a

[29:10] rising concern and we need to understand

[29:12] from his office the state response. As a

[29:16] municipal government, we can't outweigh

[29:18] the federal government. of course

[29:20] >> they we don't have jurisdiction over

[29:21] » they we don't have jurisdiction over

[29:21] them. And so my ask and I'll just

[29:24] mention this to you as well is

[29:26] separately if we can just continue that

[29:28] conversation in terms of the legislation

[29:30] because there are bills that were passed

[29:32] but they don't take effect for several

[29:34] months.

[29:34] >> Yes.

[29:35] » Yes.

[29:35] >> And so the community is like why aren't

[29:36] » And so the community is like why aren't

[29:36] you doing anything? We can't violate

[29:38] state policy. We can't violate federal

[29:40] policy. And so this really has to stop

[29:43] being an us versus them and really us

[29:46] coming together and understanding in

[29:49] light of decisions that have been made

[29:50] by the state. What can we legally do?

[29:53] Okay.

[29:53] >> As I said to the resident um Mr. Cruz on

[29:56] » As I said to the resident um Mr. Cruz on

[29:56] Friday, there are residents in our

[29:58] community that ICE doesn't have their

[30:00] information and there's certain actions

[30:02] that if we take them, we're now putting

[30:04] those residents at risk. So they're not

[30:06] just coming for the person on their

[30:07] checklist, but we've now opened it up

[30:09] for the folks that they didn't know were

[30:11] here. This is a very sensitive issue and

[30:14] we cannot afford to put more people in

[30:16] jeopardy and we also can't afford to put

[30:19] our town in position where now we're the

[30:21] ones being sued. Our budget is a drop

[30:24] in, not even a drop in the bucket to a

[30:26] federal administration. Our budget's a

[30:28] joke to them. And so what I'm asking for

[30:30] through you is some serious support in

[30:33] how we move this forward.

[30:34] >> Of course. So, I know Senator Augustine

[30:36] » Of course. So, I know Senator Augustine

[30:36] can't be here because he's out of out of

[30:38] town. Uh, but I know this is definitely

[30:41] I think this is a good start. You know,

[30:42] this is how it all starts. You know,

[30:44] community comes up and we all this is

[30:46] really how we collectively come together

[30:48] so we can move together because you

[30:51] know, we're never separate in this

[30:52] issues. We collaborate all the time. So,

[30:54] I'm just thankful that you gave me the

[30:56] time

[30:57] >> for sure everything.

[30:58] » for sure everything.

[30:58] >> And I also want to bring balance too.

[31:00] » And I also want to bring balance too.

[31:00] This isn't all over Bladensburg. We've

[31:02] had these instances with our police

[31:05] parking lot because it is public

[31:07] property

[31:08] >> and there's been issues, you know, um

[31:10] » and there's been issues, you know, um

[31:10] with the fire department that was also

[31:12] brought up. And so I don't want to

[31:14] generalize this to make it seem like

[31:16] ISIS running through every corner of

[31:18] Bladensburg. That's simply not true. I

[31:20] want to deal with the facts along with

[31:22] the council and the community and again

[31:24] just make sure that we are knowledgeable

[31:26] about what the state efforts are and

[31:28] what responsibilities and what options

[31:32] we have and I'm not just picking on you.

[31:34] I sat down with Governor Moore 3 weeks

[31:36] ago and had the same conversation. So

[31:38] I'm asking

[31:39] >> for help and we'll follow up

[31:41] » for help and we'll follow up

[31:41] accordingly. Okay.

[31:42] >> Of course. Thank you so much.

[31:43] » Of course. Thank you so much.

[31:44] >> Thank you for being here.

[31:46] » Thank you for being here.

[31:46] All right. So that concludes public

[31:49] comment and um in moving down the agenda

[31:53] we or first let me just thank all of our

[31:56] residents who came out to express your

[31:58] public comments. We do value your time

[32:00] and appreciate you coming out and we'll

[32:02] be following up as we have been as you

[32:04] heard tonight. There's already been

[32:06] meetings to addressing some of these

[32:07] issues. Some issues don't get solved in

[32:10] one conversation, but if you're

[32:12] committed to the process, then we

[32:13] welcome that opportunity to continue

[32:15] working with you. Um, Mr. Whites, I know

[32:18] we saw the email. Things are already in

[32:20] motion, so we'll continue following up

[32:23] with you accordingly as well. We do not

[32:25] have any items under unfinished

[32:27] business. So, at this time, Mr. uh Wood,

[32:30] if you could do a work session review,

[32:32] we'll turn it over to you.

[32:36] Thank you, Mayor. Good evening, Mayor,

[32:37] council, residents. Um so at the 5:30

[32:42] work session um a number of topics were

[32:46] discussed. uh 5 52nd Avenue update. Um

[32:50] as the mayor stated, uh we had to push

[32:52] that to September. We did um just have

[32:55] an update on um the joint effort and

[32:58] again I'll say at this session um the

[33:01] fantastic collaboration between SHA um

[33:04] and uh Bladensburg public works

[33:06] department and code for and police

[33:08] department for um assistance and really

[33:11] cleaning up that stretch. Um, it is now

[33:14] safe um and and certainly um much more

[33:19] uh

[33:22] more beautiful I guess I would say um

[33:24] than it was before. Um so just a major

[33:27] thank you to all those that uh worked on

[33:30] that effort. uh Porttown bus operations.

[33:33] Um I think I got some clear directive

[33:35] there um from uh the council on uh

[33:39] working with Comar Manor uh to put

[33:42] together a plan uh for the town to uh

[33:46] officially take over uh all operations

[33:48] for the Porttown bus and and give us a

[33:52] little bit of leeway on uh what the next

[33:54] steps will be and we'll be bringing that

[33:55] back uh before council. Um the PAL

[33:59] project just kind of did a general

[34:00] overview of the work that was done in

[34:03] partnership with uh the University of

[34:05] Maryland and what the next steps will

[34:08] be. Um as well as uh sharing the

[34:10] renderings with council and hopefully um

[34:13] getting a digital version to put up

[34:15] online. Um the gloves up, guns down. Uh

[34:19] the chief uh did uh a great job

[34:23] providing an overview of the uh weekl

[34:27] long camp that's coming up uh end of

[34:29] July and then the year-long mentorship

[34:31] program that is going to be uh taking

[34:34] place um in collaboration both with the

[34:38] county and with um a number of other

[34:41] municipalities and and nonprofit

[34:43] partners. Um, so we're extremely excited

[34:46] about that. Um, the grants and

[34:49] scholarship program discussion, uh, that

[34:53] is something that will be taken up a

[34:55] little bit later on with the amended

[34:56] agenda. Uh, but just reviewing a number

[34:59] of applicants that applied for a $2,000

[35:03] grant um, from the

[35:07] uh, from the town. and the pilot uh

[35:11] discussion. Uh we got some clarity on

[35:15] that with regards to um the agreement

[35:19] that we'll be sharing uh with Hamlet

[35:23] Woods as they finalize um the that

[35:28] project and us residents are moving in.

[35:30] Um so I think that captures

[35:35] um the work session review council. I'll

[35:38] hand it back over if there are any

[35:40] questions or highlights that I didn't uh

[35:42] mention.

[35:44] >> I think that covers everything. Council,

[35:46] » I think that covers everything. Council,

[35:46] were there any additions for the review?

[35:50] >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Town Administrator,

[35:53] » Okay. Thank you, Mr. Town Administrator,

[35:53] for that recap. Now, we're on to item

[35:55] 10, which is new business, beginning

[35:57] with the resolution amending personnel

[35:59] manual regarding elected officials's

[36:01] access to town vehicles. So, we'll turn

[36:04] it over to you.

[36:07] >> All right. Uh good evening again. Uh

[36:10] » All right. Uh good evening again. Uh

[36:10] this resolution is uh amendment to

[36:14] personnel manual regarding the

[36:15] authorization for mayor and elected

[36:17] official vehicle use. Um would you like

[36:21] me to read the whole thing?

[36:25] >> Not in its entirety. I think we you have

[36:27] » Not in its entirety. I think we you have

[36:27] the abbreviated cover sheet.

[36:31] Sorry, still flipping.

[36:35] Oh, no. It's the attachment you gave us.

[36:39] >> The Yeah,

[36:40] » The Yeah,

[36:40] >> the revised uh motion.

[36:42] » the revised uh motion.

[36:42] >> Yes.

[36:45] » Oh, yes. Sorry. And the motion to

[36:47] direct.

[36:48] >> Yes.

[36:48] » Yes.

[36:48] >> Yep. Yes. So, um in addition to the

[36:51] » Yep. Yes. So, um in addition to the

[36:51] resolution, there's a motion to direct

[36:52] the town administrator to authorize the

[36:55] provision of dedicated municipal

[36:56] municipal vehicle uh to the mayor. Um

[37:01] those go hand in hand. Uh just to

[37:03] overview, uh it's amending the personnel

[37:05] manual and then um a specific motion to

[37:08] direct uh the town administrator to make

[37:10] a um city- owned vehicle available

[37:15] um moving forward.

[37:18] >> All right. Thank you, Town Administrator

[37:20] » All right. Thank you, Town Administrator

[37:20] Wood. So, uh, council, is there a motion

[37:22] to direct t administrator Wood to

[37:26] proceed with the amendment to the

[37:28] personnel manual,

[37:30] uh, regarding personnel you, um, clause

[37:34] for elected officials use of town

[37:37] vehicles?

[37:39] Question.

[37:40] >> Once it's on the floor, we can go into

[37:42] » Once it's on the floor, we can go into

[37:42] the questions. We just need a motion and

[37:44] a second and then we can go into

[37:45] discussion.

[37:48] » Um,

[37:50] understand that

[37:54] >> you had for the overview. Did you need

[37:58] » you had for the overview. Did you need

[37:58] more clarity for Mr. Wood? He can

[38:03] um questions questions I had and

[38:09] >> when I'm first I'd like to say um good

[38:12] » when I'm first I'd like to say um good

[38:12] evening everyone. Yeah, I did bring it

[38:15] up that the mayor does a lot for the

[38:17] town of Bladensburg and I mean she's all

[38:21] over the place um when it comes to you

[38:25] know doing um being the mayor of

[38:27] Bladensburg and I I I did bring it up. I

[38:31] think she needs a car to do that. I mean

[38:35] you all see the good work that's going

[38:37] on what she's doing and I did bring it

[38:39] up and I stand by it. But I do have a

[38:43] question. Are they just in in I read

[38:45] both of them just for a year?

[38:48] >> So maybe that's what

[38:51] » So maybe that's what

[38:51] >> Great great question uh council woman.

[38:53] » Great great question uh council woman.

[38:53] So it it was amended to align and I

[38:56] apologize uh it was amended this morning

[38:58] to uh align with the personnel manual.

[39:01] So similar to other um town staff who

[39:06] it's not it will be reauthorized as part

[39:08] of the budget. So assuming those

[39:10] vehicles are available, um the the

[39:13] personnel manual essentially says that

[39:15] they have access to that. So it doesn't

[39:17] have to be authorized separately. Um and

[39:19] this sorry I apologize was amended to

[39:22] reflect that process. So when you uh

[39:25] pass the budget next year, it will be

[39:28] passed and and authorized through that

[39:30] same process. Um so it doesn't require a

[39:33] separate act every year, which is how it

[39:35] was originally written in in your

[39:38] packet. So, I apologize.

[39:39] >> Okay. But no, I just

[39:41] » Okay. But no, I just

[39:41] >> Yeah, he council member Blunt, he made

[39:44] » Yeah, he council member Blunt, he made

[39:44] those updates and put the copies up

[39:46] here.

[39:46] >> Oh,

[39:47] » Oh,

[39:48] >> to address that same question. Okay.

[39:50] » to address that same question. Okay.

[39:50] >> But also, it's clearly understood that

[39:52] » But also, it's clearly understood that

[39:52] whoever the mayor is, if there's an

[39:55] issue where we're short vehicles and the

[39:57] chief needs those vehicles or public

[40:00] works or whoever, they can be recalled

[40:02] back. So, it's a privilege as long as

[40:05] the resource is available with the

[40:07] understanding that it can be called back

[40:09] if the staff resource is a higher

[40:11] priority.

[40:12] >> Okay, I moved.

[40:15] » Okay, I moved.

[40:15] >> Moved by council member Blunt. Is there

[40:17] » Moved by council member Blunt. Is there

[40:17] a second?

[40:18] >> I second.

[40:19] » I second.

[40:19] >> Seconded by Council Member Dixon. Any

[40:21] » Seconded by Council Member Dixon. Any

[40:21] comments or questions before calling the

[40:23] vote?

[40:25] >> Yes, madam mayor.

[40:25] » Yes, madam mayor.

[40:25] >> Go ahead, Council Member Dixon. I just

[40:27] » Go ahead, Council Member Dixon. I just

[40:27] want to echo what um council member

[40:29] Blunt says in regards to the mayor

[40:32] getting a vehicle. She does a lot of

[40:34] work for the town and using your

[40:37] personal vehicle. Remember, may council

[40:39] is not employed by the town full-time.

[40:41] We have our own jobs and so for her to

[40:44] be jumping here and there, it takes

[40:46] money and gas to actually take care of

[40:51] her own vehicle as well. So I do echo

[40:54] and totally agree because you you do a

[40:57] lot for this town. You have you and you

[40:59] are doing a lot for this town. You have

[41:01] done and still doing. So I agree.

[41:07] >> Thank you, Council Member Dixon. And I

[41:09] » Thank you, Council Member Dixon. And I

[41:09] just want to clarify really this is a

[41:11] policy that's gone back to when David

[41:14] Harrington was mayor. So, it's been

[41:17] assigned to the vehicle and I appreciate

[41:19] the personal comments, but it's just

[41:20] whoever is mayor is always called upon

[41:23] the most and has to be the most flexible

[41:25] to get wherever you need to get at a

[41:28] moment's notice. And so, just want to

[41:30] call back that it's not for Kesha, it is

[41:33] for that position. Yeah. Whoever I I

[41:37] could be gone tomorrow. Whoever is in

[41:38] that position, that burden is put on

[41:41] them. And I think the town should give

[41:42] adequate resources to meet the burden.

[41:45] So, if there are no other questions,

[41:47] I'll call for the vote. All in favor,

[41:49] let it be known by the saying of I. I.

[41:51] >> I. I.

[41:54] » I. I.

[41:54] >> Any nays? The eyes have it. The motion

[41:57] » Any nays? The eyes have it. The motion

[41:57] passes. Um, and then item B is with

[42:01] respect. Oh, sorry. Um, yeah. Yeah. And

[42:03] I know it's been passed and everything

[42:05] and and like you said just for

[42:06] clarification with the public. It's like

[42:08] if there's a need that arises and you

[42:10] know and it needs uh the police

[42:13] department or whatever they need need

[42:15] the vehicle it can be you know recalled

[42:18] and we put back into

[42:20] uh into yeah and into the into the

[42:23] fleet. Yeah.

[42:27] >> And then for a separate motion regarding

[42:30] » And then for a separate motion regarding

[42:30] the resolution for amendments to

[42:32] personnel manual regarding authorization

[42:35] for mayoral and elected official vehicle

[42:37] use. Is there a motion to approve?

[42:43] » That's a move.

[42:44] >> Moved by council member Dixon. Is there

[42:46] » Moved by council member Dixon. Is there

[42:46] a second?

[42:47] >> I have second.

[42:48] » I have second.

[42:48] >> Seconded by council member Blunt. Any

[42:51] » Seconded by council member Blunt. Any

[42:51] comments or questions? Again, this is

[42:53] now making the personnel policy

[42:55] consistent with the vote the council has

[42:57] taken. But any comments or questions

[43:00] before the vote? I do have a comment. I

[43:03] just hope if there ever become an a

[43:06] mayor that if that may work as good as

[43:09] you have done, they don't get that car.

[43:13] It is there's the recall provision in

[43:15] there and it's not in fine print either.

[43:19] So if it's not used right, that is in

[43:22] there. Any other comments or questions

[43:24] before calling the vote hearing? None.

[43:26] All in favor, let it be known by the

[43:28] saying of I. I.

[43:29] >> I.

[43:30] » I.

[43:30] >> Any naysay? The eyes have it. Thank you

[43:33] » Any naysay? The eyes have it. Thank you

[43:33] all so much. The next item under new

[43:36] business is the resolution declaring

[43:38] surplus equipment and authorizing its

[43:40] disposal. Town administrator Wood, we'll

[43:43] turn it over to you for the

[43:44] presentation.

[43:48] Thank you, madame mayor, council.

[43:52] Just position. Okay.

[43:54] Sorry.

[43:56] Oh, all right. Here we go.

[43:59] Um, this is a resolution

[44:03] uh authorizing the disposition of three

[44:05] surplus Bladensburg Police Department

[44:07] vehicles through a municipal auction

[44:09] vendor. Um,

[44:13] would you like me to read the whole

[44:15] resolution or?

[44:16] >> Uh, no. The abbreviated work. It was

[44:18] » Uh, no. The abbreviated work. It was

[44:18] posted. So, according to the town

[44:20] attorney, you can read the abbreviated

[44:22] notation

[44:24] >> unless you really want to. I do not want

[44:26] » unless you really want to. I do not want

[44:26] to get in the way of you reading a good

[44:28] resolution tonight.

[44:29] >> While I really appreciate that offer,

[44:31] » While I really appreciate that offer,

[44:31] Madame Mayor, I will politely pass.

[44:40] U and if there are any questions, I will

[44:46] happily defer to the chief on the

[44:49] specifics of the vehicles. Um but uh

[44:53] they are um

[44:56] no longer vehicles that we're able to to

[44:58] utilize at this point. Um Chief, are

[45:00] there any specifics that you wanted to

[45:02] mention about why we're surplusing them?

[45:04] Yeah. And even if you could just take a

[45:06] step back to because some people may not

[45:08] recall. I think it was this time last

[45:10] year or sometime in 2025.

[45:13] Um at the time Major Dickerson was

[45:15] helping to get rid of the old vehicles.

[45:17] So just to give people an understanding

[45:19] of why this is even necessary would be

[45:22] helpful.

[45:23] >> Okay. Good morning, Mayor and Council.

[45:25] » Okay. Good morning, Mayor and Council.

[45:25] Uh these are we're trying to update our

[45:27] fleet and these are vehicles that are

[45:30] two of them are 9 years old with high

[45:32] mileage over 100,000 miles. the

[45:34] maintenance cost on them is not worth

[45:36] getting the vehicles fixed. The other

[45:38] one is a 2015, so it's 11 years old. We

[45:41] don't want to have a bunch of our older

[45:43] vehicles just sitting around town. We're

[45:45] paying for, you know, we have insurance

[45:47] and all that on them. So, it's something

[45:48] that we want to get rid of and use the

[45:50] money when we go to purchase new

[45:51] vehicles.

[45:56] » Thank you, Chief.

[45:58] And uh so with that, Mr. would if you

[46:00] want to just read the um opening text

[46:04] and then I'll call for the vote for the

[46:06] resolution.

[46:08] >> And we actually need the number. I

[46:10] » And we actually need the number. I

[46:10] noticed that wasn't there

[46:13] >> at the top of

[46:14] » at the top of

[46:14] >> Oh, sorry.

[46:15] » Oh, sorry.

[46:15] >> For section 10, item B.

[46:17] » For section 10, item B.

[46:17] >> Yeah.

[46:18] » Yeah.

[46:18] >> Yep. Resolution number

[46:19] » Yep. Resolution number

[46:19] >> Oh, sorry. So, it's not on my

[46:23] » Oh, sorry. So, it's not on my

[46:23] >> Yeah, I see it on council member Brown's

[46:25] » Yeah, I see it on council member Brown's

[46:25] packet. It's just not on my That's fine.

[46:27] All

[46:27] >> good. Sorry. Item A here.

[46:31] » good. Sorry. Item A here.

[46:31] >> I don't know how.

[46:31] » I don't know how.

[46:32] >> It's all good.

[46:33] » It's all good.

[46:33] >> What in the world? Okay.

[46:36] » What in the world? Okay.

[46:36] So, yes. Uh, resolution number 02-2027,

[46:42] resolution authorizing the disposition

[46:44] of three surplus Bladensburg Police

[46:46] Department vehicles through a municipal

[46:48] auction vendor. Um

[46:51] and whereas the town of Bladensburg

[46:54] uh owns and maintains a fleet of

[46:56] vehicles for use by the Bladensburg

[46:59] Police Department and conduct of uh town

[47:02] of town business. And whereas the town

[47:04] admin administrator has identified three

[47:06] police vehicles that are no longer

[47:08] suitable for continued service due to

[47:10] age, mileage, and cost of repairs

[47:12] relative to the current value and

[47:15] further described below.

[47:17] Sorry.

[47:20] Oh, okay. Um,

[47:24] and where's the vehicles proposed for

[47:27] disposition are the following three

[47:29] vehicles?

[47:30] Um, is that good?

[47:33] >> That is perfect. Thank you so much, Town

[47:36] » That is perfect. Thank you so much, Town

[47:36] Administrator Wood. So, with that,

[47:37] council, is there a motion to approve

[47:39] resolution number 02-2027?

[47:44] » Moved by council member Blunt. Is there

[47:46] a second?

[47:46] >> Second. Seconded by council member

[47:48] » Second. Seconded by council member

[47:48] Brown. Uh now is there are there any

[47:51] comments or questions before calling the

[47:53] vote?

[47:55] No. Hearing none, I'll call the vote.

[47:57] All in favor, let it be known by the

[47:59] saying of I.

[48:00] >> I.

[48:01] » I.

[48:01] >> Any nays? The eyes have it. Thank you,

[48:04] » Any nays? The eyes have it. Thank you,

[48:04] TA Wood, and thank you, Chief, for being

[48:07] prudent and just removing those

[48:09] resources and not wasting money,

[48:11] ensuring them, and certainly not putting

[48:13] money into um repairing those vehicles

[48:15] when the value is as much as what it is

[48:18] to repair them. So, we appreciate the

[48:21] foresight there. The other item under uh

[48:24] section 10 is item D regarding summer

[48:27] recess, and this was amended in the

[48:30] agenda this evening. Council, is there a

[48:32] motion to approve summer recess for the

[48:34] month of August?

[48:36] >> So moved.

[48:36] » So moved.

[48:36] >> Moved by council member Brown. Is there

[48:38] » Moved by council member Brown. Is there

[48:38] a second?

[48:39] >> Second.

[48:40] » Second.

[48:40] >> Seconded by council member McBride. Any

[48:42] » Seconded by council member McBride. Any

[48:42] comments or questions before calling the

[48:44] vote?

[48:46] Hearing none. All in favor? Let it be

[48:48] known by the saying of I. I. Any nays?

[48:52] The eyes have it. Thank you so much,

[48:54] council. I'm sure the staff will

[48:56] appreciate that break from us, but um

[48:59] we'll still be responsive as always to

[49:01] our constituents concerns during that

[49:03] time.

[49:04] >> Is it not on?

[49:05] » Is it not on?

[49:05] >> Oh no, you're on uh point of order.

[49:07] » Oh no, you're on uh point of order.

[49:07] Madam Mayor, I think we missed the

[49:11] resolution amending the personnel manual

[49:13] to establish foreign language

[49:15] proficiency bay.

[49:16] >> I breezed right past B. My apologies.

[49:19] » I breezed right past B. My apologies.

[49:19] Let me go back.

[49:21] Uh now I realize my error. They were in

[49:24] the same I think I had them in the same

[49:26] tab. So I overlooked it. That's my

[49:28] fault.

[49:29] >> Um

[49:29] » Um

[49:29] >> you did. I was like

[49:31] » you did. I was like

[49:31] >> she was like wait no this is an

[49:33] » she was like wait no this is an

[49:33] important one because staff in the all

[49:35] hands meeting brought this up. The

[49:37] importance of recognizing the skill set

[49:40] for bilingual skills and being

[49:44] adequately compensated. So, um, I

[49:47] definitely want to thank you, town

[49:49] administrator, but also want to thank

[49:51] Chief Ferscorn, because right after that

[49:53] meeting, you took action putting pen to

[49:56] paper to write out things that could

[49:58] help us to make sure that we put a good

[50:01] plan in place. So, the staff feels that

[50:03] they're being heard when they bring

[50:04] these issues and concerns to us. So, uh,

[50:07] once again, town administrator Wood, if

[50:09] you want to read the full resolution,

[50:11] you are welcome to, or you can read the

[50:13] preamble and then we'll call for the

[50:15] vote.

[50:16] >> I will read the preamble, Madame Mayor.

[50:21] » I will read the preamble, Madame Mayor.

[50:21] Uh resolution 012027,

[50:25] a resolution establishing a bilingual

[50:27] pay differential policy for the town

[50:29] employee and authorizing the development

[50:32] of and implementing standard operating

[50:36] procedure. Um if there are questions

[50:39] again I will um hand that over to the

[50:41] chief but I know this was discussed at

[50:43] the June 8th work session. Um and the

[50:48] only other highlight um that I would

[50:52] make is um in the resolution it clearly

[50:55] identifies that uh the funding as the

[50:58] chief said would be um coming from uh

[51:02] traffic enforcement uh measures

[51:04] specifically

[51:07] » and and you're good with that chief

[51:09] pulling from your budget. Just want to

[51:11] make sure.

[51:12] >> Yes. So, it's mostly involving public

[51:14] » Yes. So, it's mostly involving public

[51:14] safety with police and dispatch.

[51:16] >> Okay.

[51:17] » Okay.

[51:17] >> So, that can come out from there.

[51:19] » So, that can come out from there.

[51:19] >> Mr. Hall, you have a question about it.

[51:20] » Mr. Hall, you have a question about it.

[51:20] >> Yeah. I think

[51:24] » Yeah. I think

[51:24] >> I was just reading your face.

[51:26] » I was just reading your face.

[51:26] >> Yeah. I think when when it first came

[51:28] » Yeah. I think when when it first came

[51:28] up, I was just I was wondering was this

[51:30] for town employees period? And what what

[51:34] I think we had a discussion is you you

[51:38] have to be able to translate to

[51:40] residents as well, not just being able

[51:42] to partially translate. Is that what I'm

[51:45] I mean is that what I'm hearing or

[51:47] >> um correct and what was proposed to the

[51:51] » um correct and what was proposed to the

[51:51] council at the last work session was

[51:53] that you have to be certified. So I

[51:56] can't come to you and say I'm fluent in

[51:58] Yoruba without being able to prove it.

[52:01] And so with HR there will be um a test

[52:06] that is administered you know through a

[52:07] third party company but you'll have to

[52:09] det based on your skill set you'll be

[52:12] placed in basic or more advanced. So

[52:14] some people may be conversational but

[52:16] they might not be able to help you fill

[52:18] out a police report because they're not

[52:20] fluent in the language. And so you'll be

[52:23] the amount of compensation will be tied

[52:25] to wherever you're certified either at a

[52:27] basic or advanced level. Does that help

[52:30] explain it?

[52:32] >> Yeah. But what I what I just kind of

[52:34] » Yeah. But what I what I just kind of

[52:34] heard if I'm not mistaken is I kind of

[52:36] heard like is what you just said is like

[52:39] police department.

[52:40] >> No, it's for all staff,

[52:41] » No, it's for all staff,

[52:41] >> right? But what we're saying was be able

[52:43] » right? But what we're saying was be able

[52:43] to translate, you know, police stuff

[52:46] now.

[52:46] >> No, no, no. Our front were facing. So

[52:49] » No, no, no. Our front were facing. So

[52:49] I'm thinking about

[52:50] >> like some of the bilingual folks. Again,

[52:54] » like some of the bilingual folks. Again,

[52:54] I don't want to call names because it's

[52:55] personnel matter, but if some of the

[52:57] guys are able to communicate with the

[53:01] staff proficiently, they're eligible.

[53:04] It's not just for the police department.

[53:06] >> Right. Okay. I just want to make sure

[53:07] » Right. Okay. I just want to make sure

[53:07] because I know we had spoke about it

[53:10] earlier at one of our staff meetings and

[53:12] everything. And that's why I want to

[53:13] make sure, but I this is the first time

[53:14] me hearing it that it was passed or

[53:16] anything like that. So, I

[53:17] >> about to be make sure

[53:18] » about to be make sure

[53:18] >> in like two minutes hopefully.

[53:20] » in like two minutes hopefully.

[53:20] >> Don't Don't jinx it, Mr. Hall.

[53:22] » Don't Don't jinx it, Mr. Hall.

[53:22] >> Right. I I just want to make sure that

[53:24] » Right. I I just want to make sure that

[53:24] we're we're around the board with it as

[53:26] well. Okay.

[53:27] >> Cuz that's the goal is really

[53:31] » Cuz that's the goal is really

[53:31] enhancing our customer service and being

[53:33] able to speak to people in a language

[53:35] that they're comfortable with

[53:37] >> makes the staff more relatable

[53:39] » makes the staff more relatable

[53:39] >> and honestly it helps people to feel

[53:41] » and honestly it helps people to feel

[53:41] more comfortable opening up. And so I

[53:44] see you your team on the front lines of

[53:46] that communication with residents

[53:49] >> and they should be able to benefit from

[53:51] » and they should be able to benefit from

[53:51] that, you know, too by again testing,

[53:54] being certified and compensated

[53:56] accordingly.

[53:57] >> All right. That's that's

[54:00] » All right. That's that's

[54:00] >> looking out for everybody.

[54:01] » looking out for everybody.

[54:01] >> Oh yes, ma'am. That's all. Yes, ma'am.

[54:03] » Oh yes, ma'am. That's all. Yes, ma'am.

[54:03] Thank you very much, Mayor.

[54:04] >> Of course. Town administrator, anything

[54:07] » Of course. Town administrator, anything

[54:07] else you wanted to add there?

[54:09] >> Uh, no. No matter.

[54:11] » Uh, no. No matter.

[54:11] >> All right.

[54:13] » All right.

[54:13] And so

[54:16] the last resolution was 02207.

[54:21] So this um resolution for the bilingual

[54:25] pay doesn't have a number in here. Are

[54:27] we to assume it's 03-2027?

[54:30] Our third resolution of the new fiscal

[54:32] year.

[54:37] » Just want to make sure.

[54:37] >> Yes, madam mayor. 0 Yes. 03. Okay.

[54:40] » Yes, madam mayor. 0 Yes. 03. Okay.

[54:40] >> There's zero. Yeah. 03. Okay, perfect.

[54:42] » There's zero. Yeah. 03. Okay, perfect.

[54:42] So, council, is there a motion to

[54:44] approve resolution uh 03-2027

[54:49] uh establishing a bilingual pay

[54:51] differential policy for town employees?

[54:54] >> So, move.

[54:55] » So, move.

[54:55] >> Moved by council member Brown. Is there

[54:57] » Moved by council member Brown. Is there

[54:57] a second?

[54:58] >> Second.

[54:59] » Second.

[54:59] >> Seconded by council member McBride. Any

[55:01] » Seconded by council member McBride. Any

[55:01] further comments or questions regarding

[55:03] the resolution?

[55:06] I do want to thank you all for being at

[55:08] the all hands meeting and hearing staff

[55:10] uh concerns because this definitely

[55:12] speaks to the fact that again we heard

[55:14] some of the concerns and we're working

[55:16] with the leadership to address them. So

[55:18] council thank you for your support. With

[55:20] that I'll call for the vote. All in

[55:22] favor let it be known by the saying of

[55:24] I.

[55:25] Any nays? The eyes have it resolution

[55:28] 032027 passes. And now I believe that

[55:32] concludes all items under new business.

[55:35] Is that right, Mr. Wood? Just double

[55:36] checking.

[55:37] >> Uh, yes. Under

[55:40] » Uh, yes. Under

[55:40] new business.

[55:45] » Yes.

[55:45] >> Okay.

[55:46] » Okay.

[55:46] >> Yes, ma'am.

[55:46] » Yes, ma'am.

[55:46] >> Great.

[55:48] » Great.

[55:48] >> We're now on to financial business,

[55:50] » We're now on to financial business,

[55:50] beginning with the resolution accepting

[55:52] the $300,000 municipal town hall grant

[55:55] award. Um, Vanessa, please thank Senator

[55:58] Augustine for his support with these

[56:00] resources along with Delegate Fenel. I

[56:02] know Miss um Gloria Albright left, but

[56:05] we appreciate the delegation support and

[56:07] helping us modernize this facility. Um

[56:11] town administrator Wood, over to you.

[56:14] I'm trying to be gentle here.

[56:19] » Uh good evening. Yes. Um and just for

[56:22] clarification, I'm sorry, these the

[56:24] resolution numbers are out of order

[56:26] because it's how I wrote them, not Yeah.

[56:28] in the in the packet. Sorry. Um, so this

[56:31] is resolution number 01. Um, it's first

[56:34] one I wrote. Uh, a resolution of the

[56:36] mayor and council, I'm sorry, a

[56:39] resolution of the mayor and council of

[56:40] the town of Bladensburg authorizing the

[56:42] execution of a state of Maryland capital

[56:44] projects grant agreement for the

[56:46] Bladesburg Municipal Center. Um this

[56:48] grant uh as the mayor stated um uh

[56:52] allocates $300,000

[56:55] um for the continued development um and

[56:58] design efforts um for a uh new municipal

[57:03] center. Um this is the next step in the

[57:07] process. Uh once uh this assuming this

[57:11] passes um happens uh then it will be

[57:15] able to go before um the Department of

[57:18] General Services uh and and author and

[57:21] ultimately we'll be able to begin uh

[57:23] drawing down money hopefully here in the

[57:26] next uh couple of months. So um the this

[57:30] covers outlays that uh the town has

[57:32] already put out um for work and services

[57:35] uh rendered and help us take the next

[57:37] steps. um in in the process

[57:42] >> and also thanks to Neighborhood Design

[57:44] » and also thanks to Neighborhood Design

[57:44] Center because they've been a partner in

[57:46] this project up till now. So, we

[57:48] couldn't have gotten this far without

[57:50] them.

[57:51] >> Yes. So, council, is there a motion to

[57:54] » Yes. So, council, is there a motion to

[57:54] approve resolution 01-2026

[57:58] uh authorizing the execution of a state

[58:00] of Maryland capital projects grant

[58:02] agreement for the Bladensburg Municipal

[58:04] Center project?

[58:05] >> So move. Moved by council member Blunt.

[58:07] » So move. Moved by council member Blunt.

[58:07] Is there a second?

[58:09] >> A second.

[58:10] » A second.

[58:10] >> Seconded by council member McBride. Any

[58:12] » Seconded by council member McBride. Any

[58:12] comments or questions before we call the

[58:15] vote?

[58:16] >> Everyone's jumping up and down on the

[58:18] » Everyone's jumping up and down on the

[58:18] inside. It's been a long time coming.

[58:20] All in favor? Let it be known by the

[58:22] saying of I.

[58:24] >> I. Any nays? The eyes have it. The

[58:26] » I. Any nays? The eyes have it. The

[58:26] resolution passes. Thank you so much. We

[58:29] look forward to the next steps.

[58:34] >> Um So, continuing under financial

[58:39] » Um So, continuing under financial

[58:39] business, we also have to allocate the

[58:41] community grants which are offered at

[58:43] 2,000 per community organization and

[58:47] we're authorizing up to six grants to

[58:52] close out the FY 2026 budget year. As

[58:56] Mr. Tanelli often calls July, this is

[58:59] the 13th month of the year where he's

[59:02] closing everything out. And so that's

[59:04] why there's a a bit of a delay with

[59:06] this. Um, per the discussion in the

[59:10] council work session, the council had

[59:12] consensus around providing a grant to

[59:15] Carrison. As many of you know, they help

[59:17] immigrant communities um deal with

[59:20] paperwork issues and other um counseling

[59:23] regarding um all matters of immigration

[59:26] services. So we want to continue to

[59:28] support them. We've also identified

[59:31] Anacostia Watershed Society, Eco City

[59:34] Farms, End Time Harvest Ministry, We

[59:36] Lead by Example, and Good Intentions

[59:38] Foundation as the other recipients. So,

[59:42] um, with that, there was agreement

[59:44] around them. Council, we just need a

[59:46] formal motion to approve the grants for

[59:50] again Carrison, Anacostia Watershed

[59:53] Society, Eco City Farms, End Time

[59:55] Harvest Ministries. We lead by example

[59:57] and good intentions. Is there a motion?

[1:00:00] >> So move.

[1:00:01] » So move.

[1:00:01] >> Moved by council member McBride. Is

[1:00:03] » Moved by council member McBride. Is

[1:00:03] there a second?

[1:00:04] >> Second.

[1:00:04] » Second.

[1:00:04] >> Seconded by council member Brown. Any

[1:00:06] » Seconded by council member Brown. Any

[1:00:06] comments or questions regarding the

[1:00:08] allocations of the grants? Hearing none.

[1:00:11] All in favor, let it be known by the

[1:00:13] saying of I. I.

[1:00:14] >> I. Any nays? The eyes have it. Thank you

[1:00:17] » I. Any nays? The eyes have it. Thank you

[1:00:17] all so much and congratulations to all

[1:00:19] the grant recipients for the FY2026

[1:00:23] fiscal year. The next item under

[1:00:25] financial business is allocation of

[1:00:28] council discretionary funds which are

[1:00:31] $500. Again, closing out the fiscal year

[1:00:34] for 2026.

[1:00:35] Um, according Oh, Council Member Dixon,

[1:00:38] I will need your recommendation. I'll

[1:00:41] run through the others while you think

[1:00:43] about yours. Um, but Council Member

[1:00:45] McBride requested hers go to Eco City

[1:00:48] Farms. Council member Brown requested

[1:00:51] that hers go to Royal Institute.

[1:00:54] Council member Blunt requested that hers

[1:00:57] be split between GATS um which is Deacon

[1:01:01] Barbara Gibbons organization that

[1:01:03] focuses on senior services and the other

[1:01:06] half going to End Time Harvest

[1:01:08] Ministries.

[1:01:09] And then for mine, I want to contribute

[1:01:12] my 500 to Royalty Institute as well.

[1:01:14] They were a good community grant

[1:01:16] recipient last year and we just didn't

[1:01:18] have enough um to go around to everyone.

[1:01:21] Um council member Dixon, who would you

[1:01:23] like your to go to?

[1:01:27] >> Okay.

[1:01:29] » Okay.

[1:01:29] >> All right. So, with that, council, is

[1:01:31] » All right. So, with that, council, is

[1:01:31] there a motion to approve?

[1:01:34] >> It didn't I hit it. It just didn't want

[1:01:36] » It didn't I hit it. It just didn't want

[1:01:36] to cooperate. I guess it said, look,

[1:01:38] it's 8:00. I'm done. I'm not working.

[1:01:41] Sorry, guys. Jeez. Um, so with that,

[1:01:44] council, is there a motion to approve

[1:01:46] the following discretionary fund

[1:01:48] allocations for Mayor James to Royalty

[1:01:50] Institute, for council member Brown, to

[1:01:53] Royalty Institute, for council member

[1:01:55] McBride, to Eco City Farms, and to

[1:01:57] council member Blunt to split her

[1:02:00] allocations between Gats and End Time

[1:02:02] Harvest Ministries. Is there a motion?

[1:02:04] >> I moved.

[1:02:05] » I moved.

[1:02:05] >> Moved by Council Member Blunt. Is there

[1:02:07] » Moved by Council Member Blunt. Is there

[1:02:07] a second?

[1:02:08] >> Second.

[1:02:09] » Second.

[1:02:09] >> Seconded by Council Member McBride. Any

[1:02:12] » Seconded by Council Member McBride. Any

[1:02:12] comments or questions before calling the

[1:02:14] vote? Hearing none. All in favor, let it

[1:02:17] be known by the saying of I. I. Any

[1:02:20] nays? The eyes have it. Thank you so

[1:02:22] much. The council discretionary

[1:02:25] uh alloc allocations have been made and

[1:02:27] council member Dixon, if you could just

[1:02:29] get with Mr. Tanelli because he's going

[1:02:32] to be closing everything out this month

[1:02:34] and we can just approve it retroactively

[1:02:36] at the September meeting.

[1:02:38] >> Just we don't want trouble with the

[1:02:39] » Just we don't want trouble with the

[1:02:39] auditors. So please

[1:02:41] >> I'm still thinking to David Elementary.

[1:02:44] » I'm still thinking to David Elementary.

[1:02:44] So thinking

[1:02:46] >> mic's not on.

[1:02:49] » mic's not on.

[1:02:49] >> Okay.

[1:02:51] » Okay.

[1:02:51] All right. So that completes all of the

[1:02:54] items under uh financial business,

[1:02:57] right? Uh didn't miss anything. So

[1:02:59] again, I know we made some changes.

[1:03:01] We're now on to item number 12, which is

[1:03:04] staff reports. And uh Mr. Telli is not

[1:03:08] here, but I know Mr. would you said you

[1:03:09] would give his report.

[1:03:11] >> Yes, thank you mayor. Um yeah the um as

[1:03:15] » Yes, thank you mayor. Um yeah the um as

[1:03:15] you articulated earlier uh this is the

[1:03:18] 13th month. Um so he is or we are um

[1:03:24] working on finalizing everything. Um I

[1:03:27] know in the past uh a report for June um

[1:03:31] hadn't been done just because it

[1:03:32] fluctuates so much um between June and

[1:03:36] closing out. Um so there will be uh

[1:03:38] obviously a final report um in August

[1:03:41] for the months of June and July um that

[1:03:44] will reflect um all of the machinations

[1:03:47] but uh so far we are uh on target to uh

[1:03:53] uh to meet our revenue projections and

[1:03:55] and we'll be in the black. Um

[1:04:01] yes.

[1:04:02] So thank you mayor.

[1:04:05] >> All right. Thank you. And next we have

[1:04:07] » All right. Thank you. And next we have

[1:04:07] public safety. So does Chief Fresh Corn

[1:04:10] get vetos extra time? Only kidding. Sean

[1:04:14] is going to start hitting the button. I

[1:04:16] know. I know.

[1:04:21] » Good evening, mayor and council. I just

[1:04:23] want to go over some highlights of my

[1:04:25] report. Uh as you see, the violent

[1:04:27] crimes was up 33%, but we have such

[1:04:30] small numbers in the town. If it goes up

[1:04:32] by three or four and when it went up by

[1:04:34] four, it looks like a big difference,

[1:04:36] but it's really not a huge difference.

[1:04:38] But it still year to date is down. Our

[1:04:40] property crimes is down uh year-to date

[1:04:43] 26%.

[1:04:45] We're still having trends with theft

[1:04:47] from autos and attempt theft from autos.

[1:04:49] We have made um some arrests. We have

[1:04:52] details going to try to apprehend

[1:04:54] people. A lot of times it's one or two

[1:04:56] people that can make a big impact. uh we

[1:04:58] have identified a juvenile that's a

[1:05:00] resident in town that has been

[1:05:01] responsible for several events. So

[1:05:04] sometimes it's just catching the person

[1:05:06] responsible and it'll end uh the trend

[1:05:08] that we have. We had a lot of recent

[1:05:11] initiatives. You can look at my report

[1:05:13] online. Upcoming events, uh we have the

[1:05:16] citizen police academy that's ongoing.

[1:05:17] We have about nine people in that. We

[1:05:20] have we just had the Explorer leadership

[1:05:22] conference and I'm proud to say that our

[1:05:23] explorers took the lead down there in

[1:05:26] doing a lot of mentoring with the other

[1:05:27] explorers. Did a great job.

[1:05:31] We have coffee with a cop coming up at

[1:05:33] the library uh at 10:00 a.m. on the

[1:05:36] 16th. We have ice cream with a cop

[1:05:38] that's also coming up on the 17th. Um,

[1:05:41] and then we have the boxing camp that's

[1:05:43] going through July 21st to the 31st and

[1:05:46] that's going to be down at the um,

[1:05:49] Salvation Army on Edmonston.

[1:05:52] The stop sign cameras were approved by

[1:05:54] the county. We've talked to the vendor.

[1:05:57] Uh, so we're going to initially start

[1:05:59] with three or four cameras. We're

[1:06:01] looking at different locations. We had

[1:06:02] all the studies done. It's just a matter

[1:06:04] of having them installed now. So, in the

[1:06:07] near future, we'll have them installed

[1:06:09] and on on problem areas. We're putting

[1:06:11] them in areas where violation rates are

[1:06:13] high, the highest for public safety

[1:06:15] because we don't want anybody to get

[1:06:16] injured.

[1:06:17] Um, we are looking for officers and a

[1:06:20] dispatcher. So, we currently have three

[1:06:22] officers positions and a dispatcher

[1:06:24] position. So, I encourage residents if

[1:06:26] anyone's interested or knows someone

[1:06:27] that's interested, have them apply.

[1:06:32] Um, we get our new our two new patrol

[1:06:34] vehicles hopefully next week. That's

[1:06:36] been taking forever to get them

[1:06:37] upfitted, but I've beenounding them

[1:06:40] every every week for the last couple

[1:06:41] months. So, hopefully in the ne next two

[1:06:43] weeks we have them. Um, some notable

[1:06:46] incidents. Uh, we've we made an arrest

[1:06:49] on a first-degree assault involving a

[1:06:51] weapon, uh, someone pointing a weapon.

[1:06:53] There's some other ones in there. You

[1:06:54] can look at my report online to see

[1:06:56] those. And then um some of the goals

[1:06:59] that we have, we need to increase

[1:07:01] staffing. We have uh you know that

[1:07:03] impacts staffing a lot when we're just

[1:07:05] down a couple people. So if you know

[1:07:07] anyone that wants to apply, please

[1:07:08] encourage them. That's all I have.

[1:07:12] >> Thank you, Chief. And um

[1:07:15] » Thank you, Chief. And um

[1:07:15] I think it was in Mr. was report not

[1:07:18] referenced in here, but there were a

[1:07:20] couple folks who spoke to us tonight

[1:07:22] about immigration concerns. And I want

[1:07:24] to just give you an opportunity to share

[1:07:27] what you had explained to the residents

[1:07:29] on the call. I guess it was two Tuesdays

[1:07:31] ago. It'll be two weeks from tomorrow

[1:07:34] actually. Um because there's information

[1:07:37] out there, but I want people to

[1:07:38] understand from your perspective um the

[1:07:41] other side of the situation.

[1:07:44] >> Yeah. So, I have kind of a unique uh

[1:07:47] » Yeah. So, I have kind of a unique uh

[1:07:47] position in which, you know, I I lived

[1:07:49] in Guatemala for three months. My wife's

[1:07:52] Spanish, she doesn't speak English. I've

[1:07:54] been through the immigration thing a lot

[1:07:56] with with dealing with immigration, with

[1:07:58] having her family members deal with

[1:07:59] them. So, I understand the fear that

[1:08:02] they have. There's limitations that our

[1:08:04] department has, and I know that the

[1:08:05] county has recently passed um

[1:08:07] legislation dealing with allowing ice on

[1:08:10] their parking lots and allowing them in

[1:08:12] their public spaces. The town of

[1:08:13] Bladensburg doesn't have that. If

[1:08:16] they're parked in our parking lot, it's

[1:08:17] not that we're collaborating with them

[1:08:19] because we don't we don't help them

[1:08:21] serve immigration um deportation orders,

[1:08:24] civil orders. If it's a criminal matter

[1:08:26] or if it's an officer safety issue, then

[1:08:28] of course we'll get involved. We don't

[1:08:30] want anybody to get hurt. Uh we we want

[1:08:32] the same things that you all want. We we

[1:08:34] don't want ICE stopping people just

[1:08:37] because of the way they look. There

[1:08:38] should be some kind of reason that

[1:08:39] they're stopping them, that they're

[1:08:40] going after a particular person. Um, we

[1:08:44] don't want them violating people's

[1:08:45] rights. The county did pass the uh the

[1:08:48] law with the masks um that law

[1:08:51] enforcement are not supposed to wear

[1:08:52] masks and we have brought that up when

[1:08:54] we've seen them. Look, the the county

[1:08:56] has this law. You're not supposed to

[1:08:57] wear masks. Whether they're going to

[1:08:59] listen to us or not, we're in a kind of

[1:09:01] difficult position because we don't want

[1:09:03] to interfere with with what they're

[1:09:05] doing. Uh, and sometimes, you know,

[1:09:07] people will call and say they see ice in

[1:09:09] our parking lot and it might be one of

[1:09:11] our canine officers because they wear

[1:09:13] they wear the same type of uniform. It's

[1:09:14] a green uniform. So, they may confuse

[1:09:16] them and we've had people follow some of

[1:09:18] our officers thinking that they were ICE

[1:09:20] when they were actually undercover

[1:09:21] officers. So, that's dangerous for them.

[1:09:24] We don't want that to happen. Um, but I

[1:09:27] just want you to understand that if if

[1:09:30] we're doing anything with with ICE, it's

[1:09:32] it's to assist any of the immigrants.

[1:09:35] Like one time they they brought someone

[1:09:37] to the station, they wanted to use the

[1:09:38] bathroom. I authorize that because I

[1:09:40] don't want them to have to drive them

[1:09:41] all the way to Baltimore or wherever

[1:09:43] they're going and have them suffer when

[1:09:44] we can we can look out for them and have

[1:09:46] them use the bathroom here. So, we have

[1:09:49] very uh limited um interaction with

[1:09:51] them. We don't know when they're in

[1:09:52] town, where they're going to go. They

[1:09:54] don't tell us about any of their

[1:09:55] operations that they're doing. We just

[1:09:57] want to make sure that when they do have

[1:09:59] interactions that um they're not

[1:10:01] violating people's rights and we have a

[1:10:04] duty to intervene if there's something

[1:10:06] that's going on that's criminal. Um

[1:10:09] hopefully that's not going to happen,

[1:10:10] but that's our stance. Um there's not

[1:10:13] much we can do about moving them off of

[1:10:15] We've had them on the fire department

[1:10:16] parking lot, which is private property.

[1:10:18] On private property, they're not

[1:10:19] supposed to be there. if if someone

[1:10:21] doesn't want them there, they can tell

[1:10:22] them to leave because it's private

[1:10:23] property. Um, through this research, I

[1:10:26] found out that um the postmaster was

[1:10:28] concerned because they were on the post

[1:10:30] office property, and I initially thought

[1:10:32] that was federal property, but it's

[1:10:33] actually private property owned by the

[1:10:36] um it's leased to them. It's owned by

[1:10:37] the by the fire department, so it's

[1:10:39] private property. So, I encourage if

[1:10:42] someone if someone has uh ice out there

[1:10:44] and they're wearing masks and they don't

[1:10:46] think that they're ice, they can always

[1:10:47] call the police department and we can go

[1:10:48] and confirm. Uh other than that, we

[1:10:50] we're not we're not transporting anyone

[1:10:52] for them. We're not pulling people over

[1:10:54] for them to serve immigration civil

[1:10:56] warrants. We're not doing any of that.

[1:10:58] So that's the stance with the police

[1:10:59] department.

[1:11:01] >> Thank you so much, Chief, for just

[1:11:04] » Thank you so much, Chief, for just

[1:11:04] enlightening everyone

[1:11:13] before Mr. Gray yell. Sorry, the button

[1:11:16] did not depress. But thank you for that

[1:11:18] overview. Um, and just laying everything

[1:11:21] out there because I knew about the

[1:11:23] situation with the person who needed to

[1:11:25] use the bathroom, but what public

[1:11:27] members were saying is, "Oh,

[1:11:29] Bladensburg's cooperating with ICE when

[1:11:31] that wasn't the case. It was the humane

[1:11:33] thing to do to let the person use the

[1:11:35] restroom." And it's just one small

[1:11:37] example of how one small thing can be

[1:11:41] distorted and turned into a different

[1:11:42] narrative that is not correct. And so I

[1:11:45] appreciate you just explaining from your

[1:11:48] perspective what has been done, what the

[1:11:50] town will do. Um, and particularly want

[1:11:53] to note the duty to intervene because

[1:11:55] that general order was passed in, I

[1:11:58] think it was 2021 following the George

[1:12:01] Floyd murder and the prior chief, you

[1:12:04] know, talked with the council about that

[1:12:06] and just really holding officers

[1:12:08] accountable. If you see someone who's a

[1:12:10] law enforcement officer crossing the

[1:12:12] line, you have a duty to intervene. And

[1:12:14] if not, you will be held responsible to

[1:12:16] the full extent of the law. That is our

[1:12:18] expectation. But again, we will continue

[1:12:22] doing our part, doing our research to

[1:12:24] figure out if there are other methods

[1:12:25] that we can take as well. But thank you

[1:12:27] for that.

[1:12:28] >> I'd like to add one more thing. Um, also

[1:12:30] » I'd like to add one more thing. Um, also

[1:12:30] in our previous discussion, uh, there

[1:12:32] was an idea of having a liazison for the

[1:12:34] police department for concerns with

[1:12:36] immigration. I thought that was a great

[1:12:38] idea. I've since spoken to Sergeant

[1:12:40] RmIrez who's in our community action

[1:12:42] team and she's going to be the liaison.

[1:12:44] She's bilingual. She speaks Spanish. So,

[1:12:46] if there's any concerns, they can reach

[1:12:48] out to her. Um, if it's something that's

[1:12:51] more important or urgent or an

[1:12:52] emergency, they can always call the the

[1:12:54] communications dispatcher and we can

[1:12:56] send someone out if need be.

[1:12:59] >> Thank you.

[1:12:59] » Thank you.

[1:12:59] >> And I appreciate you doing that. I

[1:13:02] » And I appreciate you doing that. I

[1:13:02] wasn't writing you about it only because

[1:13:03] I understood the staffing issues,

[1:13:06] particularly with patrol and understand

[1:13:09] this issue is important, but the

[1:13:11] day-to-day operations still have to go

[1:13:13] on and needed to give you time to work

[1:13:15] through that. So, thank you for

[1:13:16] designating someone and also someone who

[1:13:18] is bilingual and knows the community.

[1:13:21] She grew up here um and now works here.

[1:13:23] So, I don't think you could have picked

[1:13:25] a better person to serve in that role.

[1:13:27] Um so, that completes the public safety

[1:13:30] update. Now, we're going to have code

[1:13:32] enforcement from the time enforcer over

[1:13:35] here.

[1:13:38] » Good evening, mayor and council. Um, I I

[1:13:40] have a very brief report uh this week,

[1:13:42] I'm sorry, this month. Um, our main

[1:13:45] focus this month has been focused on

[1:13:46] business license renewal throughout the

[1:13:48] town of Bladesburg, which is a very,

[1:13:50] very, very time consuming thing. Um, we

[1:13:53] have just shy of about 200 businesses.

[1:13:55] So, we pay visits to each and every

[1:13:56] business in town. Um and so far we're

[1:14:00] probably about 80% with the returns of

[1:14:03] the uh businesses coming in. Um

[1:14:07] we uh we're continuing with apartment

[1:14:09] inspections. I I will admit it did slow

[1:14:11] down for the month of June just because

[1:14:13] of the business licensing. Um we've had

[1:14:17] uh 85 abandoned vehicles in the town of

[1:14:19] Blaesburg. Uh we were able to uh assist

[1:14:22] public works with several um different

[1:14:25] functions throughout the community. And

[1:14:27] again, big shout out for the uh

[1:14:29] fireworks crew. Everything went good.

[1:14:31] Heat was horrible, but we made it

[1:14:33] happen. That's my report.

[1:14:37] Thank you, Mr. Reinhardt. We appreciate

[1:14:39] your support as always. And um town

[1:14:42] administrator, I'll hold the clerk uh

[1:14:45] update for your TA update since you're

[1:14:48] kind of wearing both hats and go to

[1:14:50] public works next if that's okay.

[1:14:53] >> All right.

[1:15:02] Good afternoon, mayor, council, and

[1:15:04] residents and audience right here. Um

[1:15:08] um this this month of June, uh public

[1:15:10] works did multiple multiple job tasks as

[1:15:14] one of them. Um we have a lot of stuff

[1:15:15] going at the Boswick House where we have

[1:15:17] an architect just um trying to look

[1:15:20] underneath the structure of the barn.

[1:15:22] And as we rolled around there to try to

[1:15:24] look underneath the structure, we

[1:15:25] noticed probably about a ton literally

[1:15:29] of old wood. So nobody could get in

[1:15:31] through there. So the guys took like a

[1:15:33] half a day and loaded up the truck. So

[1:15:36] he was able to get in there the next

[1:15:37] day, which was a a short notice, but

[1:15:40] guys was able to do as we as they always

[1:15:43] do um you know, work immediately. And

[1:15:46] also we assist um code with um a lot of

[1:15:49] cleanup in industrial areas. It's just

[1:15:52] going a little bit getting a little bit

[1:15:54] out of control, but we had to do a whole

[1:15:58] whole run for about about a half a day,

[1:16:00] you know, with all the guys. And we

[1:16:02] picked up we probably had at least two

[1:16:05] truckloads of of debris and everything

[1:16:07] that we loaded up from down there. And

[1:16:09] while we was cleaning up down there

[1:16:11] where a lot of people were hang up

[1:16:12] underneath the railroad tracks down

[1:16:14] there, I noticed it was a couple of no

[1:16:16] parking signs that was missing.

[1:16:18] Evidently, they may have took them down

[1:16:19] or may hit him and stuff like that. So

[1:16:22] guys, we installed it another no parking

[1:16:25] sign. That way you can have three no

[1:16:28] parking signs in the middle. I mean, you

[1:16:29] know, in the middle so there's no no

[1:16:31] confusion of is no parking right here.

[1:16:34] And hoping that that'll help some of the

[1:16:36] cars stay from out there. And also um

[1:16:41] excuse me due to the heavy buses on you

[1:16:43] know 58 they're not just the heavy buses

[1:16:45] it's just traffic period you know we had

[1:16:47] to um

[1:16:49] remove a old crosswalk

[1:16:52] and try to put another one down on the

[1:16:54] um concrete. This is not asphalt that

[1:16:56] we're putting it down. We have a

[1:16:57] concrete little valley for to help the

[1:16:59] waterway come through and a lot of

[1:17:02] material just don't want to stick to

[1:17:04] concrete. So every year we have to kind

[1:17:06] of like redo it every year. And I want

[1:17:08] to give a guys a heads up because this

[1:17:11] year was the first time that we

[1:17:13] res-craped the whole, you know,

[1:17:15] crosswalk and then added more paint

[1:17:17] down. And I was proud proud to see that.

[1:17:20] And matter of fact, the paint that I

[1:17:21] used was from um a company that I've

[1:17:25] I've learned from from MML, you know, um

[1:17:28] Seal Master. I never used them before,

[1:17:30] but they have a great product that all

[1:17:33] my white white paint that we were using

[1:17:34] in town, like the cross bars and all

[1:17:36] that, we'll start using that because it

[1:17:38] lasts longer and is more durable. And

[1:17:41] when we put down anything or as y'all

[1:17:44] know, we have so much painted curves,

[1:17:48] stop bars, crosswalk in town, you know.

[1:17:50] So, actually, we go through probably

[1:17:52] about $7,000 worth of white paint and

[1:17:54] and yellow paint throughout the town.

[1:17:56] So, if there's anything that we can get

[1:17:59] that's more durable that can, you know,

[1:18:02] we don't have to come back every year to

[1:18:04] repaint it is a whole lot better on on

[1:18:06] on our staff because, as y'all know, we

[1:18:09] have so much that we try to do with

[1:18:11] seven people. And I I want to take my

[1:18:13] hats off to them guys as well and myself

[1:18:15] as well for constantly digging and

[1:18:18] grinding with with, you know, doing what

[1:18:20] we have to do. You know,

[1:18:21] >> we definitely appreciate it. And um

[1:18:24] » we definitely appreciate it. And um

[1:18:24] Junth um I want to um thank um Salomon

[1:18:28] and Mr. Conrad Watson for uh assisting

[1:18:32] everybody with the painting of the uh

[1:18:34] benches out here. And as y'all know, we

[1:18:36] already have um installed two of them

[1:18:40] benches. One is right here on 53rd in

[1:18:43] Annapolis where bus shelter was knocked

[1:18:45] down a long time ago and we had some

[1:18:47] requests for another bench right there.

[1:18:50] And also on 58th

[1:18:53] um right across from the what is that?

[1:18:55] Oh, I apologize. The new condos up

[1:18:58] there. Uh

[1:19:00] >> yeah, Bladen Bladen's condos is a bench.

[1:19:03] » yeah, Bladen Bladen's condos is a bench.

[1:19:03] Somebody broke one of the benches that

[1:19:05] we did last year. So, we was able to put

[1:19:08] this bench and these benches that we're

[1:19:09] making now is a little bit more sturdier

[1:19:11] than the ones we had. And also, I want

[1:19:14] to give our hats off to the guys again

[1:19:16] for being so creative. You know, I I

[1:19:18] know y'all see some little sculptures

[1:19:20] out front and um different little things

[1:19:22] that um the guys are just being creative

[1:19:27] and some of this is part of what

[1:19:30] I've learned when we went to Ohio for

[1:19:32] the um American in Bloom, you know. So,

[1:19:35] some of this stuff and none of this

[1:19:37] stuff that we got um cost anything. This

[1:19:40] was recyclable. I'm sorry. Time up.

[1:19:44] >> Not to interrupt you, but you know

[1:19:48] basically the rest of it is is is is on

[1:19:51] the report.

[1:19:52] >> I apologize.

[1:19:53] » I apologize.

[1:19:53] >> One question though for you and the team

[1:19:55] » One question though for you and the team

[1:19:55] is could we install some cameras to

[1:19:57] catch the dumping in the business area?

[1:20:00] >> We look okay.

[1:20:01] » We look okay.

[1:20:01] >> We we we looking into that right now.

[1:20:03] » We we we looking into that right now.

[1:20:04] Yes.

[1:20:04] >> I was going to say to answer that, mayor

[1:20:06] » I was going to say to answer that, mayor

[1:20:06] and council, yes, we do have some uh

[1:20:07] trail cameras that we are relocating

[1:20:09] throughout town. Um, so we are going to

[1:20:13] be in the process of making working with

[1:20:15] our detectives to get that taken care of

[1:20:18] and squared away.

[1:20:19] >> Perfect.

[1:20:20] » Perfect.

[1:20:20] >> Thank you both. And Mr. Hall, please

[1:20:22] » Thank you both. And Mr. Hall, please

[1:20:22] thank the team for all their hard work.

[1:20:24] We definitely appreciate them.

[1:20:25] >> One thing I just want to echo, I know I

[1:20:27] » One thing I just want to echo, I know I

[1:20:27] don't have the time. I'm sorry, but the

[1:20:30] collaboration with SHA, I mean, I just

[1:20:33] want to take my hats off to my guys.

[1:20:34] >> Yes. you know, for working two straight

[1:20:39] » Yes. you know, for working two straight

[1:20:39] six hours, you know. Yeah. We didn't get

[1:20:42] a lunch break. Neither neither neither

[1:20:44] neither park got a lunch break. So,

[1:20:47] today we went back out there and thanks

[1:20:49] to the town, we we I I we fed him. Yeah.

[1:20:51] >> Nice. But thank you for the

[1:20:53] » Nice. But thank you for the

[1:20:53] collaboration there because as I said to

[1:20:56] Senator Augustine, the issue is if we

[1:20:58] just say we're not going to help you

[1:21:00] with anything,

[1:21:01] >> this infrastructure project is going to

[1:21:03] » this infrastructure project is going to

[1:21:03] fall to the bottom of their priority

[1:21:05] list. And so that effort that you guys

[1:21:07] took being out there getting that area

[1:21:10] cleared, cleaning it up goes so long in

[1:21:14] terms of that relationship and goodwill

[1:21:16] building. So thank you. Thank you. Thank

[1:21:18] you. And um just know Senator sees it.

[1:21:21] He told you when he saw you that he

[1:21:24] appreciated all the work that you guys

[1:21:25] are doing and so just know he's an

[1:21:27] advocate and he's pushing on SHA from

[1:21:30] his side to help support us. So we truly

[1:21:32] appreciate that.

[1:21:33] >> Absolutely. We just got we got some more

[1:21:34] » Absolutely. We just got we got some more

[1:21:34] work to do but as they see the way that

[1:21:37] we come in there then I think they they

[1:21:39] everybody going to fall in line too.

[1:21:41] >> Agreed. Agreed.

[1:21:43] » Agreed. Agreed.

[1:21:43] >> All right. Uh so last but certainly not

[1:21:46] » All right. Uh so last but certainly not

[1:21:46] least, Mr. Town Administrator Woodclerk,

[1:21:49] over to you.

[1:21:52] Uh good evening. I'll be uh fairly

[1:21:55] brief. Um but do want to just echo um

[1:21:58] what an awesome team we have uh all

[1:22:00] around the board. Um so speaking of uh

[1:22:04] where Pel kind of left off, um we have

[1:22:08] our American and Bloom judges coming uh

[1:22:11] July 20th and 21st. Uh this will be a

[1:22:14] great two-day opportunity to showcase um

[1:22:17] our community, a lot of the great work

[1:22:19] um that the guys have been doing all

[1:22:20] around town. Um we've developed a pretty

[1:22:24] robust uh itinerary that will engage the

[1:22:28] community um staff uh council. Um

[1:22:33] and so we're we're really excited about

[1:22:35] it. Um obviously a big tip of the cap to

[1:22:37] Ray as well who's been spearheading um

[1:22:40] that effort. Um he was showing me little

[1:22:45] recycled bees today that I think y'all

[1:22:47] put out. Anyways, it's been I've I've

[1:22:50] learned a lot. Um but it's a great

[1:22:53] program to to say the least. Um next uh

[1:22:57] conversation I think we've talked about

[1:22:58] a great deal. Um but I do just want to

[1:23:01] thank um a number of community residents

[1:23:04] that we had the opportunity to speak

[1:23:06] with a couple of weeks ago, the chief

[1:23:08] and myself. Um and and to reiterate I

[1:23:12] think what Miss uh Greenstone spoke

[1:23:13] about um earlier today um with regards

[1:23:18] to immigration immigration and customs

[1:23:20] enforcement. Um I think the meeting was

[1:23:22] very productive. Um but more importantly

[1:23:25] it was honest and collaborative. Um, I

[1:23:28] think we had a pretty open dialogue

[1:23:30] about the concerns um that a number of

[1:23:33] our community members were feeling um

[1:23:36] and discussed several meaningful actions

[1:23:38] that the town can take. Um I think the

[1:23:40] chief articulated one already which was

[1:23:44] um around um the community liaison. Um,

[1:23:47] we're finalizing kind of aformational

[1:23:50] one-pager that's going to go out uh via

[1:23:53] social media and on the website just uh

[1:23:55] articulating it is okay if you don't

[1:23:58] know if somebody is an agent or you feel

[1:24:00] unsafe, please call our officers. You

[1:24:03] know, we will go out. Um, and then

[1:24:05] highlighting a lot of the work that the

[1:24:07] CAT team and a number of other community

[1:24:09] members have done to reestablish

[1:24:11] relationships and trust that we've

[1:24:12] talked about. And so we talked about

[1:24:14] that, but also that ongoing dialogue and

[1:24:16] communication. I know we have um or

[1:24:19] we're going to try and have a meeting

[1:24:20] scheduled in in August um to kind of

[1:24:23] talk about what we are doing and what we

[1:24:27] um will continue to do and that this is

[1:24:29] uh not something that's going to be

[1:24:30] solved uh overnight, but um it's going

[1:24:33] to be an iterative process, but um the

[1:24:36] town council uh staff are committed to

[1:24:40] it just as we know our residents are.

[1:24:42] So, uh, thankful for that, uh, meeting.

[1:24:45] And then, um, just kind of looking

[1:24:47] forward, it's crazy, but it's already

[1:24:49] here. Um, FY28 grant planning, um, is is

[1:24:53] upon us. Um, so we'll be working through

[1:24:57] that. Um, and I'll share more with that

[1:25:01] um, at our retreat uh, council. So,

[1:25:04] yeah.

[1:25:05] >> Thank you, Mr. Wood, for all your hard

[1:25:07] » Thank you, Mr. Wood, for all your hard

[1:25:07] work. Uh at this time we'll transition

[1:25:10] to mayor and council reports beginning

[1:25:12] with ward one with council member Trina

[1:25:14] Brown.

[1:25:17] Thank you mayor. I um first of all would

[1:25:21] like to thank all the residents you know

[1:25:23] who participated

[1:25:25] uh this evening and um then for the ones

[1:25:27] who are online watching us online and uh

[1:25:30] to the mayor and the council. you know,

[1:25:32] this right here. We're wrapping up our

[1:25:34] um our our about to go on on break for

[1:25:37] for one month. So, but I definitely want

[1:25:40] to thank our staff uh for just all the

[1:25:42] tremendous amount of work that you all

[1:25:44] do all year long. I mean, um out there

[1:25:49] that day in the heat, I mean, and not

[1:25:52] that day because I think public works,

[1:25:54] it's like, you know, our public works

[1:25:56] department and the police department,

[1:25:57] you know, you and code enforcement, you

[1:25:59] go work in the heat every day. every

[1:26:02] every day. So, you know, that that

[1:26:04] doesn't go unnoticed and we just can't,

[1:26:06] you know, say enough thank yous, you

[1:26:08] know, because we we we um we know that

[1:26:11] uh that that you're here to do a do a

[1:26:12] job, but you all do it and you all do it

[1:26:14] well and you you all you all do it with

[1:26:18] um with commitment, respect, dedication,

[1:26:22] and and perseverance. So, um we thank

[1:26:25] you all so very much. Um I've attended a

[1:26:29] lot of meetings, a lot of um activities

[1:26:32] and things that have happened here in

[1:26:34] the town this year. So I just want to um

[1:26:37] to want the residents to uh to stay

[1:26:40] safe, to stay hydrated, and to also know

[1:26:44] that we are here for you all. We did

[1:26:46] have another one of our um community

[1:26:49] meetings this past Saturday that was uh

[1:26:52] was attended. So, we had some things

[1:26:53] that some follow-up um items that came

[1:26:56] out of our community meetings. So, we

[1:26:58] are here for the comm community. We will

[1:27:00] continue to listen to the community. We

[1:27:02] will continue to work with the

[1:27:03] community. And is our hope that the

[1:27:05] community continues to work with us as

[1:27:07] well because we as we the council

[1:27:11] members, we live here in this town as

[1:27:13] well. So, it's not like we pack up and

[1:27:15] we go, you know, we go home somewhere

[1:27:17] else. So, we live in this town as well.

[1:27:19] We want all we want all of our residents

[1:27:22] to be safe. Um, and we also uh want to

[1:27:27] to to want also want to thank our police

[1:27:29] department because we actually, you

[1:27:30] know, we do have a very awesome police

[1:27:32] department. Um, as as I said, you know,

[1:27:35] we we we live here. We we raising our

[1:27:37] families here. You know, we um um we we

[1:27:40] go to sleep here at night. And so, we do

[1:27:42] want to thank our our police department

[1:27:45] for doing a wonderful job in serving and

[1:27:47] protecting. And um so um also once again

[1:27:52] congratulations to you Mayor James on

[1:27:54] your presidency

[1:27:56] uh with um MML and I'm sure that it's

[1:27:58] going to be a very exciting time for for

[1:28:02] you this year. You know let us let us

[1:28:04] know what you need, you know, to be here

[1:28:06] to support and then once again happy 250

[1:28:09] 50th anniversary.

[1:28:12] >> Thank you, Council Member Brown.

[1:28:13] » Thank you, Council Member Brown.

[1:28:13] >> Thank you so very much. Yes. Thank you.

[1:28:15] » Thank you so very much. Yes. Thank you.

[1:28:16] >> Have a safe summer. Be safe. Stay

[1:28:18] » Have a safe summer. Be safe. Stay

[1:28:18] hydrated.

[1:28:19] >> Yes, please.

[1:28:20] » Yes, please.

[1:28:20] >> All right. Over to you, Council Member

[1:28:22] » All right. Over to you, Council Member

[1:28:22] Dixon. Also for Ward One.

[1:28:28] » Thank you, Madame Mayor. Good evening,

[1:28:29] everyone. Good evening, residents. Um,

[1:28:34] first I want to start off by saying

[1:28:35] congratulation to our mayor James on

[1:28:39] rising to MML president. Congratulation.

[1:28:42] Wish you all the best in the new role. I

[1:28:45] know you're going to do great. Um, all

[1:28:48] right. Let me get into my

[1:28:51] >> Yes, that's

[1:28:53] » Yes, that's

[1:28:53] control.

[1:28:54] >> Okay, let me get into my Okay, so first

[1:28:58] » Okay, let me get into my Okay, so first

[1:28:58] I attended the MML conference and um

[1:29:02] also the CRF meeting. Um at this year

[1:29:06] meeting they provide an update on the

[1:29:08] current infectious um disease threat

[1:29:11] that including the Ebola rising that's

[1:29:13] going on now the outbreak. I attend the

[1:29:16] county executive and municipal mayor's

[1:29:19] meeting where you provide updates from

[1:29:22] your town and the issues that the town

[1:29:24] is facing and what we need help with. Um

[1:29:29] fourth of July celebration I attend that

[1:29:31] as well was a great event. Um, I just

[1:29:34] want to say thanks to the staff for

[1:29:37] putting it together. Um,

[1:29:41] I sat on the blading zone meeting just

[1:29:44] in support to our residents. Also, um, I

[1:29:48] attend the MML committee orientation. I

[1:29:51] am a MML engagement and outreach

[1:29:54] committee member. Now, um the COG

[1:29:58] meeting, my community walk just to hear

[1:30:02] what resident has to say, their

[1:30:04] concerns. Um

[1:30:06] oh, and also meeting with myself and

[1:30:09] Mayor James, meeting with Mr. Martin

[1:30:11] Cruz on the issues of ICE um that is

[1:30:14] present in our community. Thank you,

[1:30:18] Sean. I gave you back some time,

[1:30:21] a whole minute.

[1:30:23] Thank you, Council Member Dixon. Now

[1:30:25] we'll transition to W two beginning with

[1:30:27] council member Carol McBride.

[1:30:32] » Good evening everyone. Um

[1:30:36] first of all I want to say thank you um

[1:30:40] to our Bladensburg Fire Department. I

[1:30:43] experienced something during the Fourth

[1:30:45] of July event of heat exhaustion. Never

[1:30:48] experienced it in my life. And um just

[1:30:51] so happened that somebody took notice

[1:30:54] that I didn't look right and they pulled

[1:30:58] me inside and just so happened that um

[1:31:01] what's her chief fire department chief

[1:31:03] um

[1:31:05] >> sum chief sum was right there and then

[1:31:08] » sum chief sum was right there and then

[1:31:08] he had the other was to come in and put

[1:31:10] ice packs on me. So I'm I'm truly

[1:31:12] grateful for that because I never

[1:31:14] experienced and didn't know what it felt

[1:31:15] like but I was glad people were alert.

[1:31:19] Um,

[1:31:21] and let's see. I attended the um, well,

[1:31:25] I was late attending, but the little

[1:31:27] police cadetses um,

[1:31:30] awards ceremony and I did go in. I had

[1:31:33] the opportunity to corre congrat what am

[1:31:35] I getting tongue tied? Congratulate

[1:31:37] them.

[1:31:40] Um I also was asked by um and I want to

[1:31:44] say um

[1:31:47] that pastor rout Theodore routs who

[1:31:50] moved his church

[1:31:53] to the um

[1:31:57] >> Salvation Army.

[1:31:59] » Salvation Army.

[1:31:59] Well, he moved back to Bladensburg

[1:32:03] to the word of God church with his

[1:32:06] grandfather where he originally never

[1:32:08] mind uh belonged. And so I want to say

[1:32:12] uh thank you and welcome back pastor

[1:32:14] Rouse. Um

[1:32:16] he also had a um

[1:32:21] a prayer breakfast with council member

[1:32:23] Blunt's residence and um he asked me to

[1:32:27] come as the church mother. So I did

[1:32:30] attend

[1:32:32] and only to visit um didn't have any

[1:32:36] words to say. Uh

[1:32:38] and so I'm I'm just grateful for what

[1:32:41] I'm allowed to do in the town of

[1:32:43] Bladensburg. Thank you, Mayor James.

[1:32:45] Cong congratulations.

[1:32:47] >> Thank you

[1:32:48] » Thank you

[1:32:48] >> on your position. Um,

[1:32:51] » on your position. Um,

[1:32:51] I'm just glad glad to be here. Glad I'm

[1:32:54] at the end of the year. Have a safe

[1:32:56] summer, everyone, and enjoy yourself.

[1:32:58] Please stay safe.

[1:33:01] >> Thank you, Council Member. Thank you,

[1:33:03] » Thank you, Council Member. Thank you,

[1:33:03] Council Member McBride, for your report.

[1:33:06] Now, we'll continue with W two with

[1:33:07] Council Member Blunt.

[1:33:10] >> Hello. Hello. Hello.

[1:33:14] Well, um, first I'd like to thank, um,

[1:33:18] the officers for coming into the Emerson

[1:33:21] House building and arresting someone who

[1:33:24] just got out the next day when he got

[1:33:27] arrested, but I know they did their job

[1:33:29] is the courts have to do better. And I'm

[1:33:32] working on that. Um,

[1:33:34] I'm also working on what is that thing?

[1:33:38] What is that thing called? Squatters.

[1:33:40] Okay,

[1:33:40] >> that that thing is unreal.

[1:33:43] » that that thing is unreal.

[1:33:43] So, I'll be going into the court system

[1:33:45] to find out how that operates and bring

[1:33:48] that back to um department heads in

[1:33:50] Bladesburg and to any um other building

[1:33:53] cuz having squatterers cuz we have two

[1:33:57] and unfortunately management companies

[1:34:00] lose money and the whole nine yards. But

[1:34:02] I will be doing my study on that um

[1:34:06] squatted thing and bringing that back so

[1:34:08] that we'll know how to be aware and how

[1:34:10] not to get um played and victimized and

[1:34:14] mainly as family members a lot of times.

[1:34:16] So, but anyway, that's a whole another

[1:34:18] story. Also, I finally um finalized the

[1:34:22] the department heads to that I would

[1:34:25] like to come out to Bladensburg and talk

[1:34:27] to the seniors

[1:34:29] um about issues that they're dealing

[1:34:31] with when trying to get services from

[1:34:35] the departments um that is put there to

[1:34:38] help them poor service. We have poor

[1:34:42] service in PG County and sorry I must

[1:34:45] say um to help this to help seniors is

[1:34:47] very poor and they need the help. Other

[1:34:49] than that um I graduated I passed all my

[1:34:52] class classes and not pass but MML. So

[1:34:56] we'll be graduating later on.

[1:35:00] So, um I'm I'm really excited about that

[1:35:03] and I thank um

[1:35:06] um I I really like to say thank you to

[1:35:08] my job for allowing me to come in and

[1:35:10] work and now I'm in a position

[1:35:14] and to politics. Me and politics. Wow.

[1:35:18] But again, um thank

[1:35:24] all I have to say. I know this end of

[1:35:25] summer. Um I understand the heat

[1:35:28] exhaustion. It happens um too many

[1:35:31] people. We don't you don't know that

[1:35:33] it's going to happen, but just be

[1:35:34] careful and drink plenty of water. Also,

[1:35:37] I have not seen ice. Um myself, I have

[1:35:40] not witnessed anything, but perception

[1:35:43] is everything and everybody perceptions

[1:35:46] are different. So, if we lolly gagging

[1:35:50] out there with someone we potentially

[1:35:51] think is out here to harm our residents

[1:35:53] in any kind of way, yeah, we would

[1:35:55] probably think it. Um but allow us allow

[1:35:58] people to have what their perceptions

[1:36:00] are and also bring it back to the

[1:36:01] council. As you can see that they're

[1:36:03] already meeting with officials

[1:36:05] pertaining to ICE and what and what they

[1:36:08] here for. Um my grandson work from

[1:36:11] homeland security homeland whatever that

[1:36:14] homeland security office. I called him

[1:36:17] and asked how did that work and

[1:36:19] unfortunately they have they have rights

[1:36:21] too and hopefully they're not um here

[1:36:24] harming anyone but again and we hoping

[1:36:27] that I don't know how it works but like

[1:36:29] the mayor I trust um that they're

[1:36:32] working with officials to try to see how

[1:36:34] we can

[1:36:36] that did that thing ring on me

[1:36:38] >> oh I'm sorry but again um but yeah I'm

[1:36:41] » oh I'm sorry but again um but yeah I'm

[1:36:41] I'm real I'm real sorry but everybody

[1:36:43] have a job to do but I hope they do it

[1:36:46] um

[1:36:47] respect just keeping respect and um and

[1:36:50] perception again is everything and

[1:36:51] everybody perceptions are different and

[1:36:53] again when you hear from us again I'll

[1:36:56] be seeing the seniors at the senior

[1:36:57] gathering um again Ray Jeffrey is

[1:37:00] putting together I took that 110 but the

[1:37:03] senior gather is September so again um

[1:37:06] that's are they playing the music for me

[1:37:08] okay I'm done I'm done thank you

[1:37:16] That's you, Mr. Weiss. Okay,

[1:37:17] >> Mr. Weiss. Wow. He played the music. Oh,

[1:37:21] » Mr. Weiss. Wow. He played the music. Oh,

[1:37:21] man.

[1:37:22] >> Oh, man.

[1:37:23] » Oh, man.

[1:37:23] >> Mr. Weiss. You when you come back,

[1:37:25] » Mr. Weiss. You when you come back,

[1:37:25] that's why you come back. Okay. All

[1:37:27] right.

[1:37:28] >> Bring the music. Thank you.

[1:37:30] » Bring the music. Thank you.

[1:37:30] >> Thank you, Council Member Blunt. I will

[1:37:32] » Thank you, Council Member Blunt. I will

[1:37:32] try to be brief as well. June was a very

[1:37:35] busy month. Um, I have my full written

[1:37:38] report there. The bulk of it focuses on

[1:37:40] a lot of meetings that took place during

[1:37:42] MML and prior to uh but one thing I want

[1:37:46] to call out is the Prince George's

[1:37:48] Gateway Development Authority. We did

[1:37:50] meet in June. Bladensburg hosted Senator

[1:37:53] Augustine was here and was delegate so

[1:37:55] was delegate Ivy. And um we've had some

[1:37:58] leadership changes within the authority.

[1:38:00] And so it's just really important for us

[1:38:02] to understand while we're codified just

[1:38:05] like West North and Baltimore, we have

[1:38:07] some very distinct differences. And so

[1:38:10] state funding has been issued to the

[1:38:11] authority. However, we don't have the

[1:38:14] same level of um decision making as the

[1:38:19] uh authority in Baltimore. And that is

[1:38:21] not to put our legislators down. It's

[1:38:23] just the reality of how they constructed

[1:38:25] that law. And so as such, we just needed

[1:38:28] to do some level setting with

[1:38:30] expectations to show that we will make

[1:38:32] decisions in accordance with what our

[1:38:34] authority is. We can't be looked at and

[1:38:36] judged by the West North development.

[1:38:39] But um for those who aren't aware, that

[1:38:41] money is really to help us revitalize

[1:38:44] these inner beltway communities that

[1:38:46] tend to get less of the state funding.

[1:38:47] And so I think that's going to be a huge

[1:38:49] help to us. Um, jumping to MML really

[1:38:53] quickly, was honored to become president

[1:38:55] during the uh, closing session, but one

[1:38:58] of the honors that the administration

[1:39:00] extends is you get a sort of closed door

[1:39:02] meeting with the governor. And so during

[1:39:04] that time, as I mentioned earlier, uh,

[1:39:07] there were a range of issues that we

[1:39:08] covered, ICE also being one of them,

[1:39:10] because we know that he is not on our

[1:39:12] president's favorite list, and as such,

[1:39:14] that puts Maryland in a certain

[1:39:16] category.

[1:39:18] And my best advice is we will do what we

[1:39:21] can, but the reality is midterms matter.

[1:39:23] Elections have consequences. And if you

[1:39:25] really want to change this, then you

[1:39:27] need to show up

[1:39:28] >> and vote come November because that is

[1:39:31] » and vote come November because that is

[1:39:31] how you shift this. It's a federal issue

[1:39:33] that's becoming a local issue and we

[1:39:36] can't solve it all on our own. Um, I do

[1:39:40] want to call out some of the things that

[1:39:41] comproller Leman shared with us and I

[1:39:44] think it's important to note. um she has

[1:39:47] totally transformed that controllers's

[1:39:48] office and um has reconstructed the

[1:39:52] unclaimed property program and because

[1:39:55] of her leadership $121 million has been

[1:39:58] returned to its rightful owners. If you

[1:40:00] are in the state of Maryland and you

[1:40:02] think you might have money out there

[1:40:03] that's been left to you and you need

[1:40:05] help claiming it, that website is

[1:40:07] www.claimitmd.gov

[1:40:10] gov and you need to really go on there

[1:40:13] to see um you know what resources may

[1:40:16] have been left to you or a family

[1:40:18] member. Um throughout the event it was

[1:40:21] great to have visibility not just from

[1:40:23] the governor but the lieutenant governor

[1:40:25] and the cabinet secretaries and so there

[1:40:27] were some tremendous conversations that

[1:40:29] I think are going to help us on all of

[1:40:31] our fronts from Boswick House to the

[1:40:33] municipal center. So I just look forward

[1:40:35] to the followup that comes from there.

[1:40:36] And really quick, uh, president or mayor

[1:40:39] privilege, um, I noticed the handout

[1:40:41] that was supposed to be attachment

[1:40:43] number one didn't come through. So, I'll

[1:40:45] reprint that for the council, but it's

[1:40:47] the civility pledge from um, National

[1:40:51] League of Cities. So, their board signed

[1:40:53] the civility pledge for a a code of

[1:40:55] conduct for retreat, how we treat each

[1:40:58] other as elected officials, how we

[1:40:59] engage respectfully. And so, I do want

[1:41:02] to encourage the council to read the

[1:41:04] pledge. I printed copies when I realized

[1:41:06] it wasn't here and I'll give them to you

[1:41:08] after the meeting. But I think we should

[1:41:10] talk about this at the board retreat and

[1:41:12] sign on to it as a public stance for how

[1:41:14] we're going to not just treat each other

[1:41:16] but how we're going to conduct ourselves

[1:41:18] as community leaders. So with that, that

[1:41:20] concludes my report. Again, it's written

[1:41:22] and included with the staff reports.

[1:41:24] That brings us to the end of our agenda

[1:41:26] for tonight. Council, is there a motion

[1:41:28] to adjurnn?

[1:41:29] >> I moved.

[1:41:30] » I moved.

[1:41:30] >> Moved by council member Blunt. Is there

[1:41:31] » Moved by council member Blunt. Is there

[1:41:31] a second?

[1:41:32] >> Second. seconded by council member

[1:41:34] » Second. seconded by council member

[1:41:34] Brown. Any comments or questions before

[1:41:36] we adjourn?

[1:41:37] >> Have a comment.

[1:41:39] » Have a comment.

[1:41:39] >> Um I just want to Can you hear me?

[1:41:42] » Um I just want to Can you hear me?

[1:41:42] >> Yes. Um thank you, Madame Mayor. I want

[1:41:44] » Yes. Um thank you, Madame Mayor. I want

[1:41:44] to say thanks to the police department.

[1:41:46] I had a breakin at my house. Um well,

[1:41:50] it's it's a car that was broke into my

[1:41:52] driveway and I didn't call 911. We

[1:41:55] called straight to Blazburg police

[1:41:57] station and they came in less than like

[1:41:59] a minute and you know took care of it.

[1:42:01] chief got all the videos and stuff and I

[1:42:04] just want to say thank you.

[1:42:06] >> Thank you Sean for getting that raccoon

[1:42:08] » Thank you Sean for getting that raccoon

[1:42:08] out the street.

[1:42:10] >> Thank you for those comments. So with

[1:42:12] » Thank you for those comments. So with

[1:42:12] that council I'll call for the vote. All

[1:42:14] in favor say I.

[1:42:15] >> I. Any nays? We no nays. We are journ.

[1:42:19] » I. Any nays? We no nays. We are journ.

[1:42:19] See you all in September. Happy summer.

[1:42:21] All right. Byebye. Thanks.

Council Meeting July 13, 2026

Agenda

Transcript