Town Management Discussions

Important 2019 Council Discussions

Mayor and Council will meet for a special session on Monday, October 28 in the media center at University Park Elementary School - 4315 Underwood Street - at 7:30 p.m. to discuss the roles or responsibilities of a chief appointed official — conceivably a Town Manager or Administrator — and what strengths or capabilities would be needed. 

Beginning with its regular session Council meeting scheduled for November 4, Mayor and Council will take up, consider, and vote on a series of proposals regarding whether there will be a Town Administrator or Manager and possible changes to the Town organization and management. The specifics of what will be proposed will be developed through the October meetings. Residents are encouraged to pay attention to these proposals as they are developed and discussed, and to attend and participate in each of these meetings.

Contacts

For further information contact your Ward Councilmember or Mayor Carey. Not sure what Ward you live in? Check out our Ward Map.

Upcoming Meeting Dates

The University Park Council will continue to discuss the possibility of hiring a Town Manager or other administrative officer, and changing our organizational management structure at the following meetings. All meetings will be held at the University Park Elementary School - 4315 Underwood Street. Town residents are encouraged to attend. 

• Saturday, October 5, 2019 - Work Session Council Meeting, with public comment - 9-11 a.m.
• Monday, October 7, 2019 - Regular Town Council Meeting, with public comment - 7:30-10 p.m.
• Monday, October 21, 2019 - Regular Town Council Meeting, with public comment - 6:30-10 p.m.
• Monday, October 28, 2019 - Special Session Council Meeting, with public comment - 7:30-10 p.m.

Council meeting agendas and minutes are available online.

History

The University Park Town Council has discussed a Town Manager several times over the past thirty years.  Most recently, discussion of hiring a Town Manager began with a November 2016 Council strategic planning retreat. The strategic planning retreat report from the meeting described Council priorities, including the goal of hiring a Town Manager. Toward this goal, the Council approved resolution 2017-R-04 on June 5, 2017 to apply for a State Circuit Rider grant, which would have provided State funding for the Town of University Park to share a Town Manager with another local municipality. However, the Town did not receive the grant, so the position was not established. 

In April 2018, the Mayor’s fiscal year 2019 budget proposal included funding for a full time Town Manager. However, the Council chose instead to contract for a study of Town operations and management, including whether a Town Manager was needed and appropriate for University Park. At the October 1, 2018 Council meeting the contract for the study was awarded to the Municipal and Financial Services Group of Annapolis, Maryland. In the final report of the study, presented to the Council on May 6, 2019, they recommended that the Town hire a full-time Town Manager that initially reports to the Mayor on an interim basis until the position can be incorporated into the Town Charter, and that the Town transition over time to a Council-Manager form of government in which the Town Manager operates the Town and the Mayor is the official representative of the Town externally. The fiscal year 2020 budget for the Town includes $75,000 appropriated for "Administrative Expenses," with the agreement that the Council would decide in the Fall of 2019 regarding how to move forward with some manner of a Chief Appointed Official. Currently, Council is discussing how to do that in the best interest of the Town, including roles and responsibilities.