North College Park Community Association (NCPCA) Meeting Minutes, May 14, 2026

Attendees:

In person:

Kamthorn Clary (president), Arelis Pérez (vice president) Todd Reitzel (secretary), Michelle Bailey Hedgepeth (City staff), Jacob Hernandez (City Councilmember), Susan Huemmrich, Justin Leary, Shannon Olive (City staff), Laura Reams (City staff), Jacob Sosa (County Council District 1 Office), Kenny Young (City staff).

Online (names written as they appear in chat):

Melissa Peterson (treasurer), Celia Anklesaria, John Krouse, Maria Mackie (Mayor Pro Tem).

Minutes taken by:

Todd Reitzel, secretary 

Call to Order

Clary called the meeting to order and reviewed the agenda. Huemmrich moved to approve the agenda, Pérez seconded the motion, and the agenda was unanimously approved.

Minutes

The group reviewed the April 9 meeting minutes. Pérez moved to approve them, and Huemmrich seconded the motion.

President Report

Clary noted the NCPCA Coffee Social series at Proteus Brews; the final one before the NCPCA summer break will be June 7. 

Clary reported on the successful North College Park Cleanup Day and gave special recognition to Pizza Roma for donating pizzas. He also reported on the successful Hollywood Vision Walk.

NCPCA’s Hey Hollywood event will be May 30, 1pm-4pm, at Edgewood Road and Rhode Island Avenue, and will include yoga, martial arts, ice cream, and other refreshments. If anyone wants to offer other talents to this event, please email NCPCA.

Clary highlighted the City’s Tree and Landscape Board, which advises City staff on landscape issues and encourages residents to adopt practices that promote and protect healthy trees, shrubs and ground covers. It consists of 9 resident members, each on 3-year terms, plus the City Arborist, and meets every third Monday.

Vice President Report

Pérez noted that tomorrow is Bike to Work Day with a pit stop at City Hall 6:30am-8:30am. Saturday, May 16, is the City’s last cleanup event this spring, at Public Works 7:30am-12noon. Graphic novelist Gareth Hinds will talk and provide a live demonstration on May 21 7-8pm at City Hall.  The City’s Memorial Day Ceremony will be May 25 11am at the College Park Veterans Memorial.

Reclaiming Our Space: The Story of Lakeland will be on exhibit at the College Park Aviation Museum May 16 through May 30. Lakeland Community Day will be May 16 11am-3pm including music, activities, and food.

Treasurer Report

Peterson reported SECU checking balance of $1,155.98 and savings balance of $336.73. After a mail delivery problem, we received a new bank debit card. Zoom, Bluehost, and Mailchimp invoices have been paid. We will need a card for the next treasurer. Peterson filed our required annual report with the State of Maryland before the April 15 deadline.

Secretary Report

Reitzel reported that the April 13 NCPCA Update email went to 193 recipients and had a 37.5% open rate.

Development Committee

Clary reported that Purple Line testing happened the week of March 23. The Development Committee director Justin Leary reported that the Trolley Trail bridge over Paint Branch is closed for repair. The County expects the repairs to be completed by May 28.

Events Committee

Clary reminded the group that Hollywood Farmers Market is Saturdays 10am-2pm. The season’s next Friday Night Live will be June 12 6-8:30pm. The Spring Street Fair will be May 17 12-4pm. WISE Connect activities for seniors are routinely updated at www.wisecities.us.

Open Committee Position Nominations and Vote

Peterson will be vacating the Treasurer position but is willing to serve through the June meeting, and Huemmrich has expressed willingness to serve. Clary nominated Huemmrich as Treasurer, and Reitzel seconded the motion. Huemmrich shared that she is a 22-year resident who has been a professional in health care and later manager of Gailes’ Violin Shop, and is now retired. She volunteers for the USGS Bee Lab and is a member of the City’s Board of Election Supervisors. The group unanimously elected Huemmrich as Treasurer.

Clary reminded the group that we still seek an Events Committee director.

College Park Budget Discussion

Clary welcomed City staff attending to present the proposed FY2027 city budget. Kenny Young is City Manager, and he introduced Michelle Bailey Hedgepeth (Deputy City Manager), Laura Reams (Assistant City Manager), and Shannon Olive (Director of Finance). City staff distributed to attendees a summary of the proposed budget, to be considered for adoption by City Council on May 19.

The budget estimates $31.5 million in revenues, a 5-6% increase over FY2026. Young noted that the City’s residential and commercial property tax rates are distinct. The City’s residential rate is the lowest municipal tax rate in the County and for the third year in a row is unchanged.

Olive reviewed the budget’s anticipated expenditures, including general administration, public services (including enforcement), planning, youth and family services, public works, and a contingency (reserve) fund, with total expenditures estimated at $32.4 million. This means the budget expects to use $870K from the City’s fund balance to balance the FY2027 budget. The budget projects spending $7.8 million in capital expenditures. With Duval Field requiring a lot of bandwidth in FY2026, some other projects were deferred to FY2027.

Reams reported that the budget includes new City staff positions for emergency support specialist, 

housing project manager, recreation coordinator (for programming for Duval Field and Calvert Field), engineering tech/GIS analyst, and part-time bus driver.

The proposed budget includes funding for the North College Park Community Center, one additional part-time contract police officer, an expanded public safety study, a parking study, an update to the CCTV system, a traffic study of the Edgewood Road and Rhode Island Avenue intersection, New Neighbor grants, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, Youth and Family Services groups, a tree removal assistance program, increased Spanish-language communications, and increased voter outreach for nov 2027 city election.

Clary asked how staff would grade the City’s fiscal health, and Young responded it’s very health; he noted that the City wisely invested covid pandemic funding in businesses and organizations, not staff, and this is now providing good results. Hernandez added that the City expects 3 or 4 new development projects to be completed soon. Young noted that the City doesn’t have much room for new development and so needs to be especially strategic in its use of budget resources, to ensure it aligns with residents’ needs.

Leary asked where land purchases are in the budget, and Olive noted that it’s in the FY2027-2031 Capital Improvement Program; the City continues to add funds for land acquisitions in case other opportunities arise. Leary also asked for details about the parking study, and Young noted that neighborhoods have permitted parking with a variety of parameters; so the City will study whether parameters might be more consistent, as well as the number of permits and to account for more accessory dwelling units.

Huemmrich asked what sort of voter outreach is planned, and Reams replied that staff will work with the Board of Election Supervisors on this.

Clary thanked City staff for their work and their attendance.

Unscheduled Motions

There were no unscheduled motions.

Unscheduled Announcements

Hernandez announced that the North College Park Community Center is currently in procurement bidding award phase, with community engagement planned for this summer, permitting planned for autumn, and construction planned for spring 2027. 

The City is working with the County on resources for the Edgewood Road – Rhode Island Avenue intersection, including potential public art. The City recently constructed a sidewalk in front of College Park United Methodist Church and Monarch Preschool, and on June 1 will break ground on a playground at Monarch.

July is the projected opening date for the renovated Duval Field.

Council approved $100,000 to fund the public safety study, which will include community input this summer and findings in October, to allow the City to plan for FY2028.

Reitzel noted that the College Park Community Food Bank seeks individual volunteers and volunteer groups this summer, due to students being away.

Sosa, the community liaison for the District One County Council office, reminded the group that the primary election is June 23, with early voting June 11-18. There will be a joint public hearing on Beltsville Agricultural Research Center on June 8 at 6pm, and Bike with a Cop is May 23 9:30am at Lake Artemesia.

Clary noted our next meeting will be Thursday, June 11, at 7:30pm.

Adjournment

Pérez moved for adjournment, Peterson seconded the motion, and the motion was approved unanimously.