[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6426734,"mediaKeyId","5906468-90c0582d8ccd16f58a7139df4f51cbf6","parentId",5906468,"title","College Park task force urges city-run child-care information hub, grants and incentives to expand capacity","audioSeconds",3045,"startMs",3533000,"endMs",6578000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5906468-90c0582d8ccd16f58a7139df4f51cbf6&start=3533&end=6578","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5906468-90c0582d8ccd16f58a7139df4f51cbf6/thumbnail_3533000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6426734/College-Park/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/College-Park-task-force-urges-city-run-child-care-information-hub-grants-and-incentives-to-expand-capacity","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6426734-e9ca0134001d44b561a3325c9cae3b41/orig.mp4?Expires=1775010295&Signature=TOuLnWdEE0De922UhIVk02wUPbEzXz-RRaS~2oPh~M9j4AappS-cHz7WqzU71QIbB32CuOLm9asLWs3GbJ4Ywc6Dicvfl~cvlM9YXJUbUkl5biNSDN8FZsW1xlmZZCtkxdlhcgFKwc-kJ~5jGncSqKZ~d2naYI-kLMBMa2UmUk-HlC7EzftPnVff21UvVyCK5oFrNh2PG7nGCOl~cPFMIMGcbOj0VHVNKEVHPLSiVn9OCA2KSqDeOdvktjHKXT6UHu8oAmm26M4I8p2oUOe5pwd6ninHkcQaExLAIMuIi~GkDKZI3wb0rpeR63jqk5RNo794UVVRlDozccS1ayx5CQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","College Park, MD","date","2025-10-08T04:55:04Z","article","A city-appointed Child Care Task Force told College Park\fity Council on Oct. 7 that rising costs and the loss of smaller home-based providers have left many families scrambling for infant and toddler care and urged immediate local steps to expand both information access and capacity.

The task force summarized state-level research and local interviews, reporting a 15% decline in providers statewide and a 5% drop in overall licensed capacity, trends it said are especially acute in the Washington, D.C., region. The presenters said the Maryland childcare scholarship program has been \"frozen to new enrollments since May,\" leaving some families without expected financial help. The task force also described nonrefundable wait-list fees that parents pay to reserve slots and widespread lack of transparency about openings.

The task force suggested several actions the city could take soon: publish and maintain a College Park childcare provider directory on the city website, standardize wait-list transparency (for example, a single list or service that shows queue position), host an annual provider-family matching event, and create small capital grants (or zero-interest loans) to help home-based providers meet safety and licensing requirements. For larger centers, the report proposed childcare capacity-improvement grants and use of an existing or new property-tax credit to relieve operating costs.

\"We are in a particularly difficult market for childcare,\" the task force said in its presentation. Task force member Christina Martin Kenny, a parent and early-childhood advocate, told council members she and other parents had placed children on wait lists and seen costs equal to hundreds of dollars in nonrefundable fees. \"In this particular moment, our community is starved for affordable and accessible childcare,\" she said.

The task force also recommended that the city consider a short-term, targeted scholarship or stopgap fund to cover families while the state program is frozen and urged the city to explore partnerships with Prince Georges Child Care Resource Center, Prince Georges County, community colleges and local employers. The task force proposed a public meeting to create a centralized clearinghouse with regularly updated availability data and urged the city to explore small grants or loans targeted to convert existing residential space into licensed home-based childcare where feasible.

Councilmembers asked staff to review the task force report, check legal authority for any local regulatory proposals (for example, mandatory wait-list rules for private providers) and return with recommended next steps. Staff said it would evaluate which recommendations fit within city authority, which would require county or state changes, and which could be advanced using city grant or business-attraction programs. Councilmembers suggested bringing the item back for a work session so the council could prioritize which near-term measures to fund or pilot.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Council Meeting October 7, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A city task force presented a review of local child-care shortages, recommending an information clearinghouse, small capital grants for home-based providers, capacity-improvement grants, a property tax credit and a temporary city-run scholarship or stopgap support to cover families while state scholarships are frozen.","taxTitle","College Park, Prince George's County, Maryland","taxId",53864,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6426748,"College Park restorative-justice panel urges Lakeland reparative steps, asks council to give new charge",3530,2184000,5714000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5906468-90c0582d8ccd16f58a7139df4f51cbf6&start=2184&end=5714","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5906468-90c0582d8ccd16f58a7139df4f51cbf6/thumbnail_2184000.jpg","/articles/6426748/College-Park/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/College-Park-restorative-justice-panel-urges-Lakeland-reparative-steps-asks-council-to-give-new-charge","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6426748-b43f1438756c3563dde889f613ce13ac/orig.mp4?Expires=1775010295&Signature=SKaGoNEE-lr~xvvqG8ngDQJ2FR~e2x6iWwxQDW5RkPIsPUbP~8WqI9362td4gThyQq7OTOUdWB0FLNyjqsiBwi3bY0cigC9Q8OiFmwJIYhv1MzjhLKZslPs4RQh2c7bVW~exKtX489Xeg4ypKYTZZXM5SB~9UZJDGvuTnHVatCH6yEko6NaXUNfU~zcMmqj97bMASUVwUpBwyHPufJRDLysyKon8G29tEK8~OfNaP7w~xRSbsehxcxgCN44hkmxlo0g0y~q9nZRbKdsofPapVB0M1hhzkLeXfrVibDsQUkY9FTBJi5JYfzJ0Tb3H69RDMPBCdJKt8QFPeUQ8HQZSeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","College Park\fity\founcil heard a detailed restorative-justice report on Oct. 7 from the city\fommission charged with examining harms tied to urban renewal in the Lakeland neighborhood and recommending steps to repair them.

The report, presented by Maxine Gross, chair of the Restorative Justice Commission, outlined a set of recommendations organized around the United Nations reparations framework
nd a companion study prepared by the Braxton Institute. Gross said the commission\u000found five pillars of community life in Lakeland—housing, learning, gathering, nature and connectivity—and recommended policies intended to repair and restore those pillars.

Commissioners asked the council to accept the report and to give the commission a new charge to move implementation forward. \"We are asking the support of preservation and official designation of Lakeland sites of community significance, including the Lakeland High School, First Baptist Church, and Embry AME Church,\" commissioner Ruth Murphy said. Commissioner Karen Brown urged the community to \"be open to engaging this process and thinking about how we can, in present day, try to be part of restoring, and repairing harm that was done in the past.\"

The commission recommended a mix of actions under five categories: restitution (including a \"Lakeland Legacy\" list and a right-of-first-refusal policy for properties in the former Urban Renewal District), compensation (payments for forced displacement and disruption and a Lakeland Legacy Scholars Program), rehabilitation (medical, psychological and vocational supports and expanded community-based education programs), satisfaction (memorialization, truth-telling and historic designations) and guarantees of non-repetition (reforms such as civilian oversight, a Lakeland land trust and adoption of a neighborhood plan).

Gross said the commission\u000expects the city to make the full report available to the public and signaled a need for partnerships with the state, county and University of Maryland to carry out many recommendations. \"Early conversations have also taken place with the University of Maryland,\" Gross said. \"We just need that to begin the next step.\" Councilmembers asked for specifics on near-term priorities and timelines; commissioners identified education, land and cultural space as immediate focal points and proposed a Lakeland Legacy Council certification process with a cutoff year (1969\u0001981) to identify legacy members.

Mayor Fazil Kebir and several councilmembers praised the commission\u000for the report and asked staff to prepare next steps. Councilmembers asked the commission to return with recommendations and for staff to identify where recommendations fit into the city\fapital and work programs. The council directed staff to bring a related property item (a city-owned parcel in Lakeland) back for action on Oct. 21 and discussed drafting a resolution or amended commission charge to authorize the commission to proceed with implementation planning.

The presentation drew repeated questions about the scale and timing of any financial compensation and about how to ensure strong community engagement while many of the people directly affected are elderly. Commissioners said they want the city and its partners to prioritize returning access to Lakeland\u000features such as the lake, increasing owner-occupancy, creating cultural and vocational space (including ideas for the Lakeland High School site) and establishing an advisory Lakeland Legacy Council to help guide decisions.

The mayor and council did not adopt a final policy at the Oct. 7 meeting but directed staff to review the commission\u000findings and return with recommended actions, a proposed new charge for the commission and a timeline for council consideration before the current council leaves office.","The city\u000formal Restorative Justice Commission presented a report recommending restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, satisfaction and guarantees of non-repetition for harms from Lakeland\u000era urban renewal and asked the mayor and council to accept the report and give the commission a renewed charge to lead implementation.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6426718,"MNCPPC study recommends bridge at Old Calvert Road site; county planners suggest near-term road improvements",2836,8352000,11188000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5906468-90c0582d8ccd16f58a7139df4f51cbf6&start=8352&end=11188","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5906468-90c0582d8ccd16f58a7139df4f51cbf6/thumbnail_8352000.jpg","/articles/6426718/College-Park/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/MNCPPC-study-recommends-bridge-at-Old-Calvert-Road-site-county-planners-suggest-near-term-road-improvements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6426718-aaae9a1df974b5fe3d01022f113802c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1775010295&Signature=F6Lb32MAOYNX5rQC~YTCn6rvYZyjTGqoYgdEqJX~~R3vhpVYH6auXe~xmuaX6~OJEu1Xc8Rsw-4fgBLifKRrAnP~0IeR9QxTn3R4KAffSWGq9sRPl54lZboV16M~tTxwnJjhgORXrvtq6tyNZj8Aov5IeKnRUKx61p3LxC3EsvQNZiX~tdUtn4mFi18h3CD4APHQvn2yBBagBJxFYYOuK2R9UFCHtXR8ZUAj4oLGlRPm4vdS-CdRhtXaW97dWWOQ9TpO3IYA28O0ptmhJkTOcsCzYo0Uj0Fbt3NzILDQGOZFez5PqSS1lFWWjBbGFmBta1UqANOU-~WHAVWQ-cCNKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County park planners told the College Park City Council on Oct. 7 that a feasibility study funded by a state bond shows a pedestrian-and-bike bridge across the Northeast Branch is constructible but faces substantial permitting, floodplain and environmental-review hurdles.

Sonya Ewing, division chief for Park Planning and Environmental Stewardship at the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC), and Bob Patton, program manager, presented findings from a consultant study that examined four locations: (1) a bridge near Old Calvert Road access across the stream, (2) a bridge closer to the airport runway, (3) a crossing south of the Campus Drive bridge, and (4) a Campus Drive bridge reconfiguration/maintenance approach.

Patton told councilmembers that site 1 (Old Calvert alignment) rated best for long-term usability but would require compensatory flood storage, more environmental work and multi-agency permits. Site 2 posed unacceptable flood risk because a low bridge there would be vulnerable to repeated flooding and debris damage. Site 4 (modifying the Campus Drive bridge and improving the road corridor) offers a faster, lower-cost, lower-permit-risk way to improve pedestrian and bike access in the near term because it uses existing road structure and thus avoids some floodplain-permitting complexity.

MNCPPC said $2 million had been programmed for a bridge, but the figure did not include design consultants, permitting, floodplain work or soft costs. Commissioners recommended the county capital team begin further engineering work on the Old Calvert alignment while MNCPPC and city and university partners pursue complementary road-calming and sidewalk improvements along Old Calvert Road and Campus Drive to provide near-term safer connections.

Council members pressed for clarity on how a bridge would connect cyclists from the Metro area to the park and said they wanted the city kept in the loop about Campus Drive and DPW&T (county roads) plans. Councilmember Ray Ranker and others urged the county to coordinate a holistic approach so that incremental changes do not produce disconnected bike lanes or sidewalk segments.

MNCPPC said it would take the council\rirection and expected to coordinate funding requests and design-phase work with its capital program. Councilmembers expressed support for advancing the Old Calvert alignment (site 1) as the long-term solution while asking staff to pursue near-term safety and access improvements.","Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission presented a feasibility study for a pedestrian/bike bridge to connect Old Calvert Road Park to the Northeast Branch Trail and recommended pursuing a bridge at the Old Calvert alignment while advancing shorter-term Campus Drive/Old Calvert Road safety improvements.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6426702,"Council approves outside review of College Park code-enforcement operations to improve retention and permitting",850,13988000,14838000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5906468-90c0582d8ccd16f58a7139df4f51cbf6&start=13988&end=14838","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5906468-90c0582d8ccd16f58a7139df4f51cbf6/thumbnail_13988000.jpg","/articles/6426702/College-Park/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Council-approves-outside-review-of-College-Park-code-enforcement-operations-to-improve-retention-and-permitting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6426702-f223fab666edbbce9fe597fc88c1d040/orig.mp4?Expires=1775010295&Signature=UMp9IPNK3wkdzCd9lRdq3mRTUwaoHMeeKWCYRSpLrveQzr-vNNW8lziF~C4yxiSSp-oXQvpakd1qTpb1WrkYxkyizudNFyD5quIO8M428avhnEoI4XdpO9fa6vRqMh~bQ6Y8aBw2gS6WCqnbc9BpkrU~IPz9q-GnS2YmGFohPPB~O8Y2YqWb2oOdscgFCW-NbJ8sUBbkl282XxofyazvjcxTb52eojpW40c90quLtLaCJjna2SlJBmdR~L6D1BVxXg3g2XERVR88waQ3WfxRF~LpsTYl6D5CRDJy0ugnds7~LSduJp6A0wiAvJV5o3fNStZoKFL1FUIBmiIvLt2C1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","College Park City Council voted on Oct. 7 to hire Monarch Consulting to perform a comprehensive assessment of the Code Enforcement Division in the Department of Public Services, a review city staff described as aimed at improving retention, clarifying processes and better integrating permitting software.

City staff described recent turnover in both field enforcement and administrative permitting roles, and said internal and external customers had reported inconsistent responses and long permit cycles. Staff asked for an external evaluation to identify training needs, standard operating procedures, performance metrics and software-integration opportunities across permitting and enforcement systems.

CeCe Muella of Monarch Consulting, who joined the meeting remotely for a brief Q&A, outlined a phased scope including an intake and staff interviews, process mapping, recommendations for training and standard operating procedures, and development of an onboarding and training package for new hires. The proposal estimated a total cost of about $30,000 and a 3-to-4-month timeline, with the consultant recommending immediate on-the-job training and a written SOP to improve day-to-day consistency.

Councilmember Riggs moved to approve the agreement \"subject to the approval of the city attorney,\" the motion was seconded and approved by the council. Staff said funding for the contract would be offset in part by salary savings from recent vacancies and that the consultant would work with the department and Human Resources to implement the deliverables.

\"One of the biggest concerns is staff retention,\" City staff said. Councilmembers asked to ensure residents have an opportunity to comment on enforcement priorities; the consultant said community input would be part of the assessment interviews and recommended public-facing SOP elements once the draft is complete.

The council approved the contract; staff will finalize terms with the city attorney and return with a schedule for interviews, deliverables and a timeline for presenting recommendations to the council.","Council authorized a contract with Monarch Consulting to assess the Department of Public Services Code Enforcement Division, focusing on staff retention, standard operating procedures, software integration and performance measures; consultant to deliver SOPs and training recommendations within an estimated 3\u0004 months.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6426697,"Votes at a glance: College Park council approves compensation increase, property purchase and other actions",3597,10409000,14006000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5906468-90c0582d8ccd16f58a7139df4f51cbf6&start=10409&end=14006","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5906468-90c0582d8ccd16f58a7139df4f51cbf6/thumbnail_10409000.jpg","/articles/6426697/College-Park/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Votes-at-a-glance-College-Park-council-approves-compensation-increase-property-purchase-and-other-actions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6426697-6a6070e6af2696e815c983c4cd36d19b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775010295&Signature=ijK789jK6WSkZeppwCok86sPkcutv0oImx4Mm-AYzB3oa7bRvILpoLfLrdIFnI-vVcf0V2JO-~~47g~Sqz7t9Sx7Pa7OU5QM95ABwYfZnZK9Mksl2mgfl2muFteZU7qtHnC8EfQMccEud~B~gjHFigE7yiG0JNfnZWlZYjqMdxJWRZ6hrd8856MZ9bUT1wnl4h60rAnSjabbAi9id0u4wdbhfnfuKCydfJLxxRzXrV-B6lX~QTaIhBgAWwZQ7Ftpknn6sBFMn37kdja-AEcwxRL72FRnOCvPExYBpizHw0yzLmmztU6DD4iybnljiAPto6DSMvCon3rNYnQa~40wEA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Key decisions taken by College Park City Council on Oct. 7, 2025:

- Mayor and council compensation (Ordinance 25-010): Council adopted an ordinance to raise annual pay effective Jan. 1, 2026. The ordinance sets the mayor
nnual compensation at $25,000, the mayor pro tem at $22,500 and councilmembers at $20,000. Staff estimated a fiscal impact of about $90,000 per year. The ordinance passed on a council vote during the Oct. 7 session.

- Purchase of 8807 and 8811 Rhode Island Avenue (25GS-99 / ordinance introduction 25-011): Council approved a contract to acquire two adjacent properties for a total purchase price of $300,000 (plus settlement costs). The administration indicated appraisals were completed and the purchase will support city objectives; council also introduced an accompanying ordinance and scheduled a public hearing for Oct. 21, 2025.

- Code-enforcement assessment contract (25GS-101): Council approved an agreement with Monarch Consulting to perform a comprehensive assessment of the Department of Public Services Code Enforcement Division. Council cited staff turnover and permit-processing inconsistencies as reasons for the review. The contract is subject to finalization by the city attorney and will be funded in part from salary savings.

- Calvert Road: Council directed the city manager and city engineer to keep the existing speed limit and current sidewalk conditions on Old Calvert Road after hearing resident input and staff recommendations; council favored maintaining the status quo over restoring previous speed humps.

- Consent items: The council approved a $2,000 community-services grant for a school walkathon (25GS-102) and awarded a vehicle purchase under Baltimore County contract (25GS-103) for a 2026 Ford E-Transit in the amount shown in the agenda.

Votes not recorded as roll-call tallies in the meeting transcript were announced by voice; council confirmed motions by unanimous assent where recorded. Staff will bring follow-up items and implementation details to future meetings.","The council approved an ordinance increasing mayor and council pay starting Jan. 1, 2026, authorized purchase of two Berwyn properties, approved the Monarch Consulting contract for a code-enforcement assessment, and kept the current condition for Calvert Road traffic control.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

College Park task force urges city-run child-care information hub, grants and incentives to expand capacity

College Park restorative-justice panel urges Lakeland reparative steps, asks council to give new charge

MNCPPC study recommends bridge at Old Calvert Road site; county planners suggest near-term road improvements

Council approves outside review of College Park code-enforcement operations to improve retention and permitting

Votes at a glance: College Park council approves compensation increase, property purchase and other actions