Town of Williamsport Mayor & Town Council  Work Session Meeting Minutes -I May 6,2024  On April 15, 2024, the Mayor & Town Council for the Town of Williamsport held a Regular Session. Those members of the elected body who were present included Mayor William Green, Assistant Mayor Dennis Grove, Councilman Jim Braswell, Councilman Charles Brown, Councilman Earle Pereschuk, Councilman Ben Tinsley, and Councilperson Margaret Yaukey. Town employees in attendance were Chad Rooney, Town Manager, Ed Kuczynski, Town Mayor Green called the meeting to order at 6:30pm and asked for a moment of silence and then Mayor Green presented the proposed changes to the areas of the Town Charter referencing the election of the Mayor & Town Councilpersons by the Election Board of Supervisors. The Town Attorney explained the intent of the proposed changes is to allow time for the Board of Election Supervisors to have enough time to properly send out and receive mail in ballots and remove antiquated language referencing conventions as therel has not been a convention ofj parties in some time. The changes will require candidates to submit their petition no later than the first Monday of February as outlined in Section 35 and delete Section 36. Councilman Pereschuk requested consideration to also remove language forcing a candidate already holding an elected position for the town to resign or forfeit their seat in order to run for another office. This was agreeable to Councilman Tinsley who noted he researched the topic and found varying approaches by other municipalities. Councilman Braswell identified a desire to force candidates to have some skin in the game should they desire to run for another office. Councilman Brown explained when Mayor Green ran for his office, he was forced to resign and did not like having to do SO. Mayor Green agreed, but explained that following a verbal justification for the purpose and intent of this requirement, he was in favor of1 keeping the language as is. The Town Attorney proposed to the dais to approve the amendments as presented and allow for the new item tol be discussed at a later meeting. The Mayor and Councilpersons consented this would be agreeable. The Ordinance/Resolution will be presented at next week's Regular Session for consideration to move Mayor Green presented proposed modifications to Parking, Stopping, Standing Within the Corporate limits of the Town of Williamsport Ordinance - particularly Section 3 changing the applicable dates to be Monday through Friday, from 9am to 5p and Section 4 - requiring a permitted vehicle to be owned by aj property owner within Town Center who has resided at their location for one year. Following al lengthy discussion, a consensus to: move this Ordinance change to next week's Regular Session for consideration for introduction with a change for a resident to live at their property for four years and resident ofTown Center was the consensus. Mayor Green then presented the proposed Ordinance 2024-03 FY 25 Budget General Fund, Water/Sewer Fund, Electric Fund. The Town Manager noted there are two public hearings scheduled for next week for the utility rates and budget. It will be at Town Council's discretion to  Attorney, and Linda Kuczynski, Town Planner.  led the Pledge of Allegiance.  forward.    formally introduce the Ordinances as presented at the Regular Session following the public Mayor Green briefly outlined the presentation of Chris Simms, Smart Utility Management, regarding the urgency for a decision by Town Council to either lock in ai much higher rate perkWh than is currently contracted or use the market to set thei rate on ai monthly basis for aj period oftime which will allow for lower rates than a long-term contract. The item will be moved for formal The contracts for the Washington County Resident/Community Deputy Agreement werep presented and will require some action by the Town Council during thei regular session. It was proposed and incorporated into the proposed FY 2025 budget documents. The finalized proposed budget will Councilperson Yaukey requested an update of Main Street. Mayor Green outlined the hire of Christine Anderson including her credentials and quick response to learning her position. Mayor Green floated the idea of switching meeting times from 6:30pm for Work Session and 7:00pm for Regular Session to afternoon meetings. Hes stated the times could be changed to either 1:00pm or 4:00pm. A consensus for June, July, and August meetings was to hold one monthly Selena Wilkes, Port 44, asked for a status ofthe road improvement project. The Mayor and Town Manager explained the project will conclude on North Conococheague Street "the Hill" and proceed next week with patching along Potomac Street and Conococheague Street with the mill and overlay likely being completed in the next two weeks. As this is a fluid project, set dates and  hearings.  action to next week's regular session.  be sent to the' Town Council on Tuesday.  meeting beginning at 4pm.  times for specific locations cannot bej provided at this time. Mayor Green adjourned the meeting at 8:03pm.  Respectfully7 Tendered, R  Chad P. Rooney Town Manager