Month: December 2013 Page 1 of 4

On the last day of year 2013, I thought I should give a summary of what the City Council accomplished over the past year. Some of the items below continued from the year 2012. Thanks to my colleagues on the Council, City manager and staff for working on these items

(1) Strategic Plan 2010 – 2015

The Council continued its work on the 5 year long Strategic Plan .Worksessions and Public Forums were held for FY 2013 and FY 2014 Action Plan. The Council updated the status on FY 2013 Action Plan and Year-End Summary. It also held worksessions and Public Meeting for FY 2014 Action Plan

(2) Senior Survey

The City conducted Senior survey with surveys given to all seniors in Attick Towers and Spellman House in 201. The results tabulated then presented and discussed with City Council. This process has been made into an annual process. City staff met with Attick Towers Residents to discuss the survey and other issues

(3) Technology

Year 2013 saw a number of improvements in the area of technology. City staff addressed issues related to parking payment system. The City also made an upgrade on the infrastructure and A/V Upgrades. Staff also perfected presentation panel in Council Chambers for public meeting. It is in the middle of finalizing contract for the secondary internet connection from Davis Hall. It also evaluated an applicant tracking system. Finally, it worked on City’s  website Redesign initiative. This included (a) Created community group to participate in the process; received input from group about website. (b) Worked with consultant to design homepage; presented homepage to Council for input. (c) Created a sitemap; received input from community group and Council about how to better organize the sitemap; continuing to refine it. (d) Created a website and social policy to help clarify staff roles and responsibilities for content updates. (e) Preparing materials to implement a City Facebook page to be rolled out with or after the live date of the new website. (f) Took photos at community events and in different neighborhoods around the City.

(4) Energy and the Environment

The Council continued to Purchase Renewable Energy Credits. It accepted as an EPA Green Power Community (in partnership with the University of Maryland). It celebrated the GPC accomplishment at College Park Day and published a press release. The City is still listed as a member of the EPA Green Power Leadership Club. It achieves membership in Maryland Green Registry. The staff prepared a 3-year action plan for the Sustainable Maryland Certified program  . The Council put together the Sustainable Maryland Certified Green Team. It continued to seek ways to reduce energy consumption for general operations. The current plan is to consolidate printers in certain departments.. The staff also collected staff survey responses about work commutes and public transportation. They created a survey through CBE subgroup to find out ways to increase business participation in recycling and added questions to the bi-annual resident survey about sustainability efforts. The City partnered with the Chesapeake Conservancy. It maintained Green Power webpage which explains how residents and businesses can pursue clean energy. The City applied for and received a grant through the Maryland Energy Administration for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects

(5) Partnership with University of Maryland

The City has a number of joint initiatives with the University of Maryland. The City negotiated for renewal of Shuttle-UM MOU for resident ridership. The ridership of Shuttle-UM has been increased . The City has worked with the UMD for expanded concurrent jurisdiction. It has also worked with the University to get them to expand the Student Code of Conduct beyond campus. The City has worked with the UMd for the ITGA-UMD-College Park video. It has also implemented the Bike Share program together. The City – UMD’s joint initiative CPCUP (College Park City University partnership) worked hard for the University District 2020 Vision. Aftr opening the College Park Academy, it is now doing the location search for the College Park Academy.

(6) Economic Redevelopment

The City has been supporting the College Park Neighborhood Business Alliance (CPNBA). It has expanded support for the College Park Farmer’s Market at City Hall. It continued working on the grant funds to local businesses through the City’s Commercial Sign Grant Program. The City has created the Commercial Tenant Improvement program to help businesses make necessary site improvements. It advertised and promoted “Free Parking Saturdays” effort Downtown. The City hired a consultant to conduct research for the Marketing Plan. Worked with the consultant to conduct focus groups and interviews for project to create the new tagline and logo. It began marketing campaign displaying the new tagline and logo with information to encourage people to move to College Park. Campaign promoted in the Washington Post Express, the Diamondback, on Google, Pandora Online Radio, as well as on a general webpage through the City’s website. The City also finished Trolley Trail in Old Town

Bill Gardiner

The City has recently hired the former Hyattsville Mayor, Bill Gardiner as the Assistant City Manager. He will begin work on January 13, 2014.

The City Council decided to create the post of Assistant City manager and set aside salary for this new position in its 2014 budget. The City currently has a City manager, but the new position will help supplement the City manager’s work and some other administrative task.

Bill grew up in LaPlata, Maryland and attended Wake Forest University (B.A., Politics) and the University of Maryland (M.A., Urban Planning). He started his local government career as a planning / economic development intern for Terry Schum in the late 1990s! Bill has more than 10 years of experience in economic development at the Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation, where he was Director for Business Resource and Project Analysis. Bill was responsible for new business development, project management, research, and collaboration with M-NCPPC and the federal government.

In 2003, Bill was elected to the first of two four-year terms as Mayor of the City of Hyattsville. As chief executive of the City, he worked closely with City Council, staff, community organizations, and other government entities to modernize services and policies and increase investment. Bill has completed the MML Academy of Leadership, and has been a member of ICMA.

After completing his second term in 2011, Bill relocated to Santiago, Chile, where his wife, Anita, had accepted a faculty position in the School of Education of Catholic University. In Chile, Bill worked as a grant writer and editor for an international non-profit, and completed academic editing and translations for professors. Bill and Anita are looking forward to returning to the area.

We are excited to have Bill joining the City’s executive team. With all his experience he will be able to hit the ground running. We’ll formally welcome him at our Council meeting on January 14, 2014.