Legislative Session — Salisbury, MD
Date: 2025-09-22

LEGISLATIVE SESSION
 MEETING MINUTES
 SEPTEMBER 22, 2025



 PUBLIC OFFICIALS

Present: Council President D'Shawn M. Doughty, Council Vice President Angela M. Blake,
Councilwoman April R. Jackson, Councilwoman Michele R. Gregory and Councilwoman Sharon C.
Dashiell
 IN ATTENDANCE

Mayor Randy Taylor, Acting City Administrator Tom Stevenson, City Clerk Julie English,
City Solicitor Ashley Bosche
CALL TO ORDER

The City Council convened in Legislative Session on September 22, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. in the
Government Office Building Council Chambers, Room 301, located at 125 N. Division Street.
WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS/PLEDGE

President Doughty welcomed everyone to the meeting and provided the emergency exit instructions. He
then asked everyone to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance.
INVOCATION - Overseer Timothy Palmer - The Well

Overseer Timothy Palmer from The Well was called forward to provide the Invocation.

PRESENTATIONS

 • Proclamation - World Duchenne Awareness Month

 Councilwoman Gregory presented Adith Thummalapalli with a proclamation for Duchenne
 Awareness Month. He shared that Duchenne was a condition he had lived with his entire life
 and emphasized the importance of raising awareness.
PRESENTATION AND ADOPTION OF LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

City Clerk Julie English presented the legislative agenda.

President Doughty called for a motion to adopt the legislative agenda as presented. April R. Jackson
motioned and Sharon C. Dashiell seconded. The vote was 5-0.
AWARD OF BIDS

Presented by Procurement Director Michael Lowe.

 • Award of Bids
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 Mr. Lowe asked to table the first Award of Bid due to a delayed bid that he received over
 the weekend.

 1. ITB 26-105 Elevated Water Tank Recoating at Salisbury University
 2. ITB A-26-107 Zinc Pyrophosphate for Corrosion Control

 President Doughty called for a motion and a second to approve the Award of Bids. April R.
 Jackson motioned and Michele R. Gregory seconded. The vote was 5-0.

 President Doughty then asked for a motion and a second to table ITB 26-105. Michele R.
 Gregory motioned and Sharon C. Dashiell seconded. The vote was 5-0.
DECLARATION OF SURPLUS

 • Declaration of Surplus

 1. Various surplus weapons for Salisbury Police Department
 2. Surplus of two vehicles (units 20 and 1603) for the Salisbury Police Department
 3. Various equipment and vehicles for Field Operations (9 units)

 President Doughty called for a motion and a second to approve the Declaration of Surplus.
 April R. Jackson motioned and Sharon C. Dashiell seconded. The vote was 5-0.
RESOLUTIONS

Presented by Ms. English

 • Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee

 Resolution No. 3424 - appointing Tom Horton to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
 for term ending September 2028. April R. Jackson motioned and Angela M. Blake seconded. The
 vote was 5-0.
ORDINANCES

Presented by Ms. Bosche

 • Budget Amendment for Union Negotiations - 2nd Reading

 Ordinance No. 2952 - authorizing a budget amendment for the Mayor to appropriate funds for
 the FY2026 general fund, water and sewer fund, parking fun, and storm water fund for additional
 salaries and fringe associated with the union negotiations. Angela M. Blake motioned and April
 R. Jackson seconded. The vote was 5-0.

 • Budget Amendment for Lawsuit Funds - 2nd Reading

 Ordinance No. 2953 - authorizing a budget amendment to transfer PFAS settlement proceeds
 from the water sewer fund to the water sewer capital project fund Angela M. Blake motioned and
 April R. Jackson seconded. The vote was 5-0.

 • Drug Court Grant - 2nd Reading

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 Ordinance No. 2954 - to accept grant funds from the Office of Problem-Solving Court's
 discretionary grant adult drug court program to provide overtime reimbursement to police
 officers conducting curfew and contract compliance checks on clients in the City of Salisbury.
 Sharon C. Dashiell motioned and Michele R. Gregory seconded. The vote was 5-0.
 • Budget Amendment for North Prong - 2nd reading

 Ordinance No. 2955 - authorizing the Mayor to appropriate funds for land acquisition for the
 North Prong Park project using reallocated proceeds of the public improvement bonds of
 2024. Michele R. Gregory motioned and Angela M. Blake seconded. The vote was 5-0.

 • Ordinance to add the International Property Maintenance Code to Title 15 of the Salisbury
 City Code - 1st reading
 Ordinance No. 2956 - amending Title 15 of the Salisbury City Code, entitled "Building and
 Construction" to add the adoption of and reference to the International Property Maintenance
 Code. April R. Jackson motioned and Sharon C. Dashiell seconded. The vote was 5-0.
PUBLIC COMMENT

The following public comments were heard:
 Speaker #1 was excited for the Folk Festival and thanked City staff.
 Speaker #2 thanked the City for restoring Carroll Street bike lanes and asked where rail trail
 funds were going to provide safe routes for cyclists.
 Speaker #3 questioned the secrecy around city parking lots and their lawsuits and
 proposed forming an affordable housing task force.
 Speaker #4 recommended the City not approve townhouse zoning for N. Schumaker Pond,
 citing that overdevelopment would cause harm to the community.
 Speaker #5 urged Pemberton Manor to take accountability for ignoring tenants’
 recertification needs and was not in favor of 287g.
 Speaker #6 was not in favor of 287g, thanked City staff for the Folk Festival and asked Council
 for transparency.
 Speaker #7 suggested posting ordinances and public input online, adopting a state property
 maintenance code for a nonprofit instead of the international code, and making contracts
 related to 287g public.
 Speaker #8 stressed the need for housing, was against 287g, and advocated for residents to be
 heard.
 Speaker #9 encouraged the council to reject 287g.
 Speaker #10 warned that 287g would displace local officers under federal control.
ADJOURNMENT/CONVENE INTO WORK SESSION

The Legislative Session was adjourned at 6:43 p.m.




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 CLOSED SESSION SUMMARY
 MEETING MINUTES
 SEPTEMBER 8, 2025



 PUBLIC OFFICIALS

Present: Council President D'Shawn M. Doughty, Council Vice President Angela M.
Blake, Councilwoman April R. Jackson and Councilwoman Sharon C. Dashiell

Absent: Councilwoman Michele R. Gregory

 IN ATTENDANCE

Mayor Randy Taylor, Acting City Administrator Tom Stevenson, Human Resources Director Meg
Caton, Deputy City Administrator Allen Swiger, City Clerk Julie English, City Solicitor Ashley
Bosche
MOTION TO CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION

The City Council convened in Closed Session on September 8, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. in the
Government Office Building Council Chambers, Room 301, located at 125 N. Division Street.

President Doughty called for a motion and a second to go into Closed Session. The Closed Session was
to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation,
removal, resignation, or performance evaluations of appointees, employees or officials over whom this
public body has jurisdiction; or any other personnel matter that affects one or more specific individuals
authorized by the State Government Article, § 3-305(b)(1). April R. Jackson motioned and Angela M.
Blake seconded. The vote was 4-0.
DISCUSSION TOPIC

 • Appointment of City Administrator

 Ms. Caton presented the candidate, Nick Rice, to the Council. The Council interviewed Mr. Rice.
 Mr. Stevenson exited the meeting at 6:20 p.m. Ms. Blake asked for a motion and a second to take
 a 5-minute recess. Ms. Dashiell motioned and Ms. Jackson seconded. The vote was 3-0. Mr.
 Doughty exited the meeting at 6:23 p.m. The Council gave consensus to move forward with him
 as City Administrator.
MOTION TO AJOURN AND RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION

Vice President Blake took over the meeting and called for a motion and a second to adjourn the Closed
Session and reconvene in Open Session. April R. Jackson motioned and Sharon C. Dashiell seconded.
The vote was 3-0.
REPORT TO PUBLIC

Vice President Blake immediately convened in Open Session to provide a report out. She stated that the
Closed Session was to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline,
demotion, compensation, removal, resignation, or performance evaluations of appointees, employees or
officials over whom this public body has jurisdiction; or any other personnel matter that affects one or
more specific individuals authorized by the State Government Article, § 3-305(b)(1) and that consensus
was given to appoint Mr. Rice as City Administrator.

ADJOURNMENT

The Open Session adjourned at 6:34 p.m.




_________________________________
City Clerk



_________________________________
Council President