Work Session

WORK SESSION MEETING MINUTES MARCH 2, 2026 PUBLIC OFFICIALS Present: Council President April R. Jackson, Council Vice President Sharon C. Dashiell, Councilwoman Angela M. Blake, Councilwoman Michele R. Gregory and Councilwoman Melissa D. Holland IN ATTENDANCE Mayor Randy Taylor, City Administrator Nick Rice, Housing and Community Development Director Muir Boda, Homeless Services Manager Christine Chestnutt, Finance Director Sandy Green, Department of Infrastructure and Development Director Nick Voitiuc, Permits and Inspections Manager Chad Goblinger, Department of Infrastructure and Development Deputy Director Judy Kuntz, City Planner Betsy Jackson, Associate Planner Henry Pearson, City Clerk Julie English and City Solicitor Ashley Bosche CALL TO ORDER The City Council convened in Work Session on March 2, 2026 at 6:47 p.m. in the Government Office Building Council Chambers, Room 301, located at 125 N. Division Street. PRESENTATION • Salisbury Historic Sign Project Ms. Aleta Davis from the Preservation Trust of Wicomico County presented a proposal to install historic markers in Salisbury through partnerships with local and regional organizations, outlining plans for an initial phase of three city sites that included Camp Wallace, Humphreys Lake, and Handy’s Landing. She emphasized the importance of preserving local history, promoting heritage tourism and engaging the community. She noted funding challenges, grant requirements, and the intent to expand the project in the future. • Housing First Mr. Boda and Ms. Chesnutt presented the “Housing First Plus” program redesign, outlining a three-tier model that includes transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and a new eviction debt assistance and expungement initiative. Ms. Gregory emphasized ongoing accessibility challenges and brainstormed some ideas of how to make units more accessible. Ms. Dashiell asked about interns helping with case management. Ms. Chesnutt noted that they usually don't have the interns for a long period of time and that they just hired a new case manager. Ms. Holland thanked the Housing and Community Development team as she toured Ann Street and was blown away by it all. RESOLUTION 1  • Resolution Acceptance and Surplus of Forfeited Vehicles Captain Felts presented a resolution requesting authorization for the city to accept two forfeited vehicles, declare them surplus, and sell them at public auction, with proceeds supporting police fleet maintenance. The council gave consensus to move the resolution forward. • Resolution Declaring Official Intent to Reimburse Project Costs – Westside Community Center Ms. Green presented a resolution declaring the city’s official intent to reimburse up to $350,000 in eligible Westside Community Center project expenditures from future FY26 bond proceeds. The resolution did not authorize bond issuance now but preserves the city’s ability to reimburse prior costs once financing occurs. The council gave consensus to move this resolution forward. • Approval of Substantial Amendment to FY2020 CDBG-CV Annual Action Plan Ms. Green presented a resolution to approve a substantial amendment to the city’s FY2020 CDBG -CV annual action plan. The amendment reallocated unspent COVID-19 funds— $7,046.86 for the Village of Hope emergency meals program and $172,874.88 for Lake Street Park improvements—and authorized submission to HUD along with all required certifications and compliance measures. The council reached consensus to move the resolution forward. ORDINANCE • Authorization of General Obligation Bonds, Bond Anticipation Notes, and Refunding Bonds FY2026 Capital Projects Ms. Green presented the ordinance for the FY2026 bond, which authorizes up to $3 million in general obligation borrowing to fund the FY26 capital improvement plan. She noted that projects included neighborhood infrastructure, the Naylor Mill Road Bridge, zoo and facility improvements, Popular Hill, and the Westside Community Center. The ordinance allowed for the use of bond anticipation notes and refunding bonds, pledges the city’s full faith and credit for repayment, and provides flexibility in structuring and issuing the debt, with specific terms to be approved by the council at the time of issuance. • Electrical Permit Ordinance Mr. Voitiuc and Mr. Goblinger presented an ordinance to allow the city to handle electrical permits for projects within city limits. Currently, the county issues these permits, and the city did not track them or collect the associated revenue. By becoming the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) for electrical permits, the city would improve tracking, ensure proper oversight, and capture revenue currently going to the county estimated at $50,000–$ 80,000 annually. Mayor Taylor noted that all inspections would be conducted through a third-party system, so no additional city staffing was required. Council members expressed support for closing this gap and using existing systems to streamline the process. Council gave consensus to move the ordinance forward. • Accept Donation from Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore Ms. Kuntz requested Council to formally accept a generous donation of approximately $26,000 from the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore. She stated that the funds were designated to support the city’s pedestrian and bridge restoration project. 2 • Specialty Shop Ordinance  Ms. Betsy Jackson requested amending the city code to broaden the definition of “specialty shop,” which was previously limited to antiques, collectibles, and certain handicrafts. The new definition would allow retail stores selling a specialized line of merchandise related to a specific category or brand, while excluding adult entertainment, cannabis dispensaries, and alcohol/tobacco sales, with no outdoor storage permitted. The Planning Commission reviewed the amendment, held a public hearing, and unanimously recommended approval. Council reached consensus to move the ordinance forward. • Pollinator Pathways Mr. Pearson requested Council to accept a $20,000 grant for a pollinator garden program led by the Green Team. He added that the program would install pollinator gardens throughout the city and provide education and outreach to encourage community participation. Council gave consensus to move the ordinance forward. At this time, a video was shown in recognition of Black History Month. Ms. Dashiell thanked Mr. Voituic for showcasing his department and having them present the work they were doing in their department. COUNCIL DISCUSSION • Appointment Process Council discussed revising the process for filling council vacancies. They agreed that if a vacancy occurred with more than 12 months remaining in the term, a special election should be held, while vacancies under 12 months would be filled by appointment. They emphasized transparency by having candidates introduce themselves publicly, while sensitive personal information could be reviewed in closed session with guidance from Human Resources. Tie-breaking procedures were debated, with some suggesting the Mayor should break ties, though others preferred alternatives to maintain legislative independence. The consensus was to draft a proposal based on the agreed- upon timeline and open appointment process, with further discussion needed on tie-breaking and public engagement. • Rules of Order Council discussed revisions to the rules governing public comment, agenda items, speaking time, and meeting schedules. Ms. Holland recommended changing the existing language for public comment saying it was vague; her proposed revision clarified that individuals had three minutes to speak, the council president may warn anyone whose conduct materially disrupts the meeting, and removal was based solely on disruptive behavior. Disruptive conduct would include speaking beyond the allotted time after warning, shouting, interrupting others, threatening behavior, or preventing the council from conducting business. They discussed the agenda items section and while the mayor or city administrator may request items to be added, the council president cannot deny them arbitrarily and must provide a legitimate reason for any denial. The council also discussed the four-minute speaking limit for council comment with consensus leaning toward removing the strict time limit to allow flexibility. Council considered shifting from weekly to the second and fourth Monday of the month and moving routine items such as grants, surplus vehicles, and donations directly to legislative sessions. Further discussion was needed to finalize 3  the schedule and agenda consolidation. It was determined that Ms. Holland would send Ms. Bosche the language for the changes to the resolution. • Code of Conduct Ms. Holland raised concerns about sharing internal city emails on social media, particularly when the sender’s name and contact information were visible. While acknowledging that the information was technically public record, several members emphasized that emails from staff, the Mayor, or department heads should not be posted directly to platforms like Facebook. Instead, summaries in the council’s own words, without including staff names, were preferred. The discussion also noted the lack of a formal rule on this issue in the current code of conduct, which had not been updated since 2007. Ms. Holland asked Council to consider adding language to clarify appropriate handling of city emails, possibly within the rules of order. PUBLIC COMMENT (Agenda Items Only) The following public comments were heard: • Speaker #1 suggested that for short-term appointments, the mayor should break tie votes, and the code of conduct should include enforceable consequences to deter violations. • Speaker #2 stressed using GIS to show city investments, clarified that council vacancies involved elections not hiring, and distinguished code of conduct from rules of order. • Speaker #3 emphasized the importance of decorum, recommending the council to model respectful debate by focusing on ideas, not individuals. ADMINISTRATION COMMENTS Mr. Rice thanked the Field Operations crew for their hard work during recent storms, noted the Zoo’s reopening after storm damage, and highlighted upcoming events like Third Friday, Salisbury University’s Centennial, and Hops on the River. He expressed appreciation to Sandy, the finance team, and city departments for their efforts on the budget review. Mayor Taylor echoed Mr. Rice’s comments and reflected on the challenges of a long delayed City park project that started construction in late December amidst harsh weather. COUNCIL COMMENTS Ms. Blake did not have any comments. Ms. Dashiell encouraged volunteers for the Mission of Mercy dental event, invited support for the Humane Society’s new building, thanked a constituent for helping dig out her car after the snow, praised the collaboration of the administrative branch with the city council, and promoted Rock and Roll Revival at Bennett High School. Ms. Gregory discussed the recent Save Our Services rally, highlighting the Developmental Disabilities Administration’s $300 million funding cut which would heavily impact self-directed care families. She commended the Eastern Shore legislators for their advocacy, and encouraged the public to follow Dom Sessa (“girl in the pink wheelchair”) on social media for guidance on contacting legislators and staying informed. 4 Ms. Holland shared that the Truth Committee would resume community meetings starting in March and encouraged public attendance. She noted the park issues, including tree damage and ramp replacement, which would be addressed by the contractor. Ms. Jackson condemned a racially offensive video, mourned the passing of civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson, emphasized that Black history was American history and promoted National Vietnam Veterans Day. She praised city employees for rescuing vulnerable senior residents during an emergency and highlighted the need for better emergency planning for disabled residents. ADJOURNMENT The Work Session adjourned at 9:00 p.m. _________________________________ City Clerk _________________________________ Council President 5