TOWN Of HAH - GAFTONSVILN 1892 Meeting Minutes of Town Council on February 4, 2025 As reviewed, approved, and accepted by the Town Council on March 4, 2025 There being a quorum, Mayor Charles Hendricks called the regular meeting of the Town Council to order at 7:31 p.m. The meeting was held using video conferencing. Council Members Charles Bradsher, Tom Burke, Amy Koval, and Christina Pellegrino were present. Town Treasurer Angela Hoffman, Town Clerk Mary Burke, Assistant Clerk James Schneider, Planning Commission Chair Brendan Deyo, Historic District Commission Chair Jennifer Sizemore, and approximately seven residents or guests were also present. Minutes: The minutes of the Town Council Meeting held January 7, 2025, were approved as submitted. Treasurer's Report Treasurer Hoffman reported that the town's assets at the end of December totaled $4,152,574. The town's gross income in December was $75,389, of which property taxes brought in $62,345. The town's expenses totaled $31,568, with the main components being the accounting fees of $6,092 paid to the auditor, payroll expenses of $5,356, and the waste collection of $6,515. The only thing that's a little bit unusual is the repairs and maintenance. Work was done on the Town Hall chimney, for which the town made a payment of $3,385. The town's overall net income in December was $43,821. Council Member Pellegrino made a motion to accept the Treasurer's Report subject to audit. Council Member Bradsher seconded the motion. Unanimously approved. Historic District Commission Report Jennifer Sizemore, Historic District Commission (HDC) Chair, reported that the HDC met in January and decided to change the HDC's meeting dates. HDC Work Sessions will be held as needed on the second Thursday of the month via Zoom, and the monthly HDC Meeting will be held on the fourth Thursday of the month via Zoom. Mayor Hendricks stated that proposed amendments to the HDC parts of the Zoning Ordinance are being typed up for presentation to the Town Council. Chair Sizemore observed that the HDC has a vacancy and solicited suggestions of anyone who may be interested in serving on the HDC. Mayor Hendricks added that there is a vacancy on the Board of Appeals, and he solicited suggestions for someone willing to fill that vacancy as well. www.laylonsvile-mdas Post Office Box 5158 0 Laytonsville, Maryland 20882 e Office 301-869-0042 1 Town Hall e 21607 Laytonsville Road e Laytonsville, Maryland Planning Commission Report Brendan Deyo, Planning Commission Chair, reported that the Planning Commission had not met in the last month but will hopefully meet next week if Wallace Montgomery is ready to walk us through its report on the completed Community Survey. After that, the Planning Commission will hold an in-person visioning session. Unfinished Business Update on the Community Survey Mayor Hendricks reported that a total of 133 Survey Monkey surveys and 14 paper surveys had been received. These came from 121 residents, 9 businesses or institutions in town, and 17 other respondents. Wallace Montgomery's initial data analysis was based on the Survey Monkey results and did not distinguish between residents and non-residents. We have asked for an analysis of the responses of town residents and other stakeholders, which Wallace Montgomery is now compiling. The mayor expressed the hope that this report will be completed in the next few days and given to the Planning Commission in time for a Zoom meeting next Wednesday. Council Member Burke asked if we have a date set for the in-person meeting for drafting vision statements. Mayor Hendricks responded that Chair Deyo hoped to have this session on February 19 at Town Hall. Planning Commission Chair Deyo stated that Wallace Montgomery recommended an in-person meeting for drafting vision statements. Mayor Hendricks stated that Michael Bayer of Wallace Montgomery is hoping to expand data collection by conducting interviews with business stakeholders. He is not sure ifl Mr. Bayer feels that not enough information was submitted from businesses. Chair Deyo stated that this is the first time he has heard about such interviews and that, ifthis is done, we may need to reschedule the meeting to draft the vision statement until after the interviews are completed. He added that he believes that if we open up the survey opportunity for some people, we should open it for everyone. We can listen to Wallace Montgomery's recommendations, but ultimately what matters is not what Wallace Montgomery wants, but what the Town ofLaytonsville wants to do. Council Member Koval agreed and asked if we are sure that additional information is needed from business owners. Mayor Hendricks responded that he did not know why Mr. Bayer had made this suggestion. Chair Deyo asked why additional interviews or data gatherings are even being considered. Mayor Hendricks responded that he is just reporting that Wallace Montgomery is recommending this. Chair Deyo stated that he will try to find the rationale behind this and report back to the Town Council. Council Member Burke stated that if additional data gathering is done, then we will have two different sets of data, and this will only make things murkier. Mayor Hendricks added that we want the data to be primarily from the residents oft the town. Chair Deyo encouraged all Town Council members to attend the next Planning Commission meeting, where the only thing on the agenda will be the Community Survey. 2 Update on the Town Hall Porch Roof Replacement Permit Application Mayor Hendricks stated that Historic District Commission approval is needed to move forward with the porch roof replacement. He summarized the latest proposal for replacing the porch roof ofTown Hall with black EPDM, a rubberized covering. Black is the primary color in which this material is produced, and he understood that it could be painted. He has learned that there is a barn-red color available, which would add $1,000 to the cost. He asked if' Town Council members would like him to pursue painting the black EPDM material or to look into the barn-red EPDM. Council members encouraged the mayor to explore the barn-red EPDM, being concerned that paint would fade and that the cost of successive paintings would easily justify the initial cost difference. HDC Chair Sizemore stated that the HDCjust wants the porch roof's color to match that of the main roof. The HDCis concerned about aesthetics. New Business Announcement of 2025 Town Election Mayor Hendricks announced that this year's municipal election will take place on May 5, 2025. The time for candidates to file for the election is from Friday, March 7, 2025, to Friday, March 21, 2025. Mayor Hendricks' seat, Council Member Koval's seat, and Council Member Burke's seat will be up for election. Town residents who are registered to vote in the county or who register to vote with the town clerk may vote in this election. Three election judges will be needed, and the town is looking for individuals willing to serve. Consideration and Approval of Resolution #01-25,a Resolution to Adopt the Montgomery County Hazard Mitigation Plan of 2024 Mayor Hendricks reported that this plan has been discussed at previous Town Council meetings. He said that the questions that have arisen have been answered and that it would behoove the town now to adopt this resolution SO that it can apply for federal support if a disaster occurs. Mayor Hendricks made a motion to approve Resolution #01-25. Council Member Koval seconded the motion. Unanimously approved. Discussion of Maryland Senate Bill 324 Mayor Hendricks brought this bill to the Town Council because the Maryland Municipal League had made it a priority legislative goal and Senator Craig Zucker had inquired about Laytonsville's position on it. The bill, if enacted, would authorize counties and municipalities to levy a tax of up to 3 percent on food and beverage sales for consumption on the premises at restaurants, bars, and snack bars. The mayor did not think the town would want to levy this tax. He expressed the view that, ift the bill passed, Montgomery County would levy it but explained that the town could prevent it from being charged in Laytonsville. Each Council member commented on the bill, and none supported it. No formal Council action was taken. Resident's Forum No comments were offered. 3 Adjournment Council Member Koval made a motion to adjourn at 8:56 p.m. Council Member Pellegrino seconded the motion. Onanimously approved. Respectfully submitted, James-Schnehder, Assistant Clerk Town ofLaytonsville 4