Legislative Session

LEGISLATIVE SESSION MEETING MINUTES AUGUST 11, 2025 PUBLIC OFFICIALS Present: Council President D'Shawn M. Doughty, Council Vice President Angela M. Blake, Councilwoman Michele R. Gregory and Councilwoman Sharon C. Dashiell Absent: Councilwoman April R. Jackson IN ATTENDANCE Mayor Randy Taylor, Deputy City Administrator Allen Swiger, Procurement Director Michael Lowe, Election Board Member Stephen Feliciano, Police Chief Dave Meienschein, Colonel Howard Drewer, City Clerk Julie English and City Solicitor Ashley Bosche CALL TO ORDER The City Council convened in Legislative Session on August 11, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in the Government Office Building Council Chambers, Room 301, located at 125 N. Division Street. WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS/PLEDGE President Doughty welcomed everyone to the meeting and provided the emergency exit instructions. He then asked everyone to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. INVOCATION - Overseer Timothy Palmer - The Well President Doughty called for a moment of silence in lieu of the invocation. SWEARING IN Deputy City Administrator Allen Swiger, Procurement Director Michael Lowe, and Election Board Member Stephen Feliciano were sworn in by the Deputy Clerk of the Circuit Court. PRESENTATION • Presentation of Shadow Boxes to the family of Ryan Mitchell of the Salisbury Police Department PRESENTATION AND ADOPTION OF LEGISLATIVE AGENDA City Clerk Julie English presented the legislative agenda. President Doughty called for a motion to adopt the legislative agenda as presented. Angela M. Blake motioned and Sharon C. Dashiell seconded. The vote was 4-0. 1 AWARD OF BIDS Procurement Director Michael Lowe presented the Award of Bids. • Award of Bids 1. RFP 25-105 457(b) Plan Administration 2. RFP A-25-111 Construction Administration and Construction Inspection Services 3. ITB 26-101 Park Raw Water Main Extension President Doughty called for a motion and a second to approve the Award of Bids. Sharon C. Dashiell motioned and Michele R. Gregory seconded. The vote was 4-0. DECLARATION OF SURPLUS Procurement Director Michael Lowe presented the Declaration of Surplus. • Declaration of Surplus 1. 8 Airtraq Intubation Cameras 2. 59 Ballistic Vest Panels and 13 Trauma Panels President Doughty called for a motion and a second to approve the Michele R. Gregory motioned and Sharon C. Dashiell seconded. The vote was 4-0. RESOLUTIONS -presented by Ms. English • Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee Resolution No. 3417 appointing John Sater to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee for term ending August 2028. Angela M. Blake motioned and Michele R. Gregory seconded. The vote was 4-0. • Disability Advisory Committee Resolution No. 3418 appointing Jessica Chittams to the Disability Advisory Committee for term ending July 2028. Angela M. Blake motioned and Sharon C. Dashiell seconded. The vote was 4-0. • Disability Advisory Committee Resolution No. 3419 appointing Brian Bergen-Aurand to the Disability Advisory Committee for term ending August 2028. Sharon C. Dashiell motioned and Michele R. Gregory seconded. The vote was 4-0. • Public Art Committee Resolution No. 3420 appointing Nancy Mitchell to the Public Art Committee for term ending August 2028. Michele R. Gregory motioned and Sharon C. Dashiell seconded. The vote was 4-0. • Youth Development Advisory Committee Resolution No. 3421 appointing Shymec Edwards to the Youth Development Advisory Committee for term ending August 2028. Michele R. Gregory motioned and Angela M. Blake seconded. The vote was 4-0. 2 ORDINANCES -presented by Ms. Bosche • Amending Chapter 8.11 "The Fire Prevention Code" - Second Reading Ordinance No. 2947 amending Chapter 8.11 of the Salisbury City Code, entitled "The Fire Prevention Code", to adopt a requirement for a permit from the City Fire Marshal for wholesale and retail sale of ground-based sparkling devices within the City of Salisbury. Angela M. Blake motioned and Michele R. Gregory seconded. The vote was 4-0. • Community Needs Grant for Anne Street Village - 2nd reading Ordinance No. 2948 to accept a $500 donation from the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore to fund a garden plating at Anne Street Village. Michele R. Gregory motioned and Sharon C. Dashiell seconded. The vote was 4-0. • Salisbury Planning Commission - 2nd Reading Ordinance 2949 amending the Salisbury City Code to create a new Salisbury Planning Commission, independent from that of Wicomico County. Angela M. Blake motioned and Michele R. Gregory seconded. The vote was 4-0. • Ordinance for MOOR ORF Opioid Grant Amendment - 1st Reading Ordinance 2950 - amending the grant agreement with the State of Maryland's Office of Opioid Overdose Response from $542,000 to $623,300 and to approve a budget amendment to the grant fund to appropriate these funds for the Salisbury Fire Department. Sharon C. Dashiell motioned and Michele R. Gregory seconded. The vote was 4-0. • Ordinance - Accept Equitable Sharing Funds 1st Reading Ordinance No. 2951 - to approve a budget amendment of the grant fund budget to appropriate funds received from Wicomico County in the amount of $150,000 following the dissolution of the multi-jurisdictional Wicomico County Narcotics Task Force. Michele R. Gregory motioned and Angela M. Blake seconded. The vote was 4-0. PUBLIC COMMENT The following public comment was heard: Speaker #1 believed that the city's bicycle committee was ineffective and costly and criticized councilmembers for blindly following the previous Mayor. ADJOURNMENT/CONVENE INTO WORK SESSION The Legislative Session was adjourned at 6:26 p.m. 3  CLOSED SESSION MEETING MINUTES JULY 28, 2025 PUBLIC OFFICIALS Present: Council President D'Shawn M. Doughty, Councilwoman April R. Jackson, Councilwoman Michele R. Gregory and Councilwoman Sharon C. Dashiell Absent: Council Vice President Angela M. Blake IN ATTENDANCE Mayor Randy Taylor, Acting City Administrator Tom Stevenson, Human Resources Director Meg Caton, City Clerk Julie English, City Solicitor Ashley Bosche MOTION TO CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION The City Council convened in Closed Session on July 28, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. in the Government Office Building Council Chambers, Room 301, located at 125 N. Division Street. The Closed Session was to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluations of appointees, employees or officials over whom this public body has jurisdiction; or any other personnel matter that affects one or more specific individuals authorized by the State Government Article, § 3-305(b)(1). April R. Jackson motioned and Michele R. Gregory seconded. The vote was 4-0. DISCUSSION TOPIC • Appointment of Acting City Administrator, Deputy City Administrator, and Procurement Director Ms. Caton presented each candidate to the council. The Council interviewed each candidate and gave consensus to move forward with all three appointments. MOTION TO AJOURN AND RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION President Doughty called for a motion and a second to adjourn the closed session and reconvene into open session. April R. Jackson motioned and Michele R. Gregory seconded. The vote was 4-0. REPORT TO PUBLIC President Doughty immediately convened in open session to provide a report out. He stated that the Closed Session was to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluations of appointees, employees or officials over whom this public body has jurisdiction; or any other personnel matter that affects one or more specific individuals authorized by the State Government Article, § 3-305(b)(1). 1 ADJOURNMENT The open session adjourned at 8:45 p.m. _________________________________ City Clerk _________________________________ Council President 2