2008 Woodie Awards
City Council bemoans lack of involvement with plan
Brady Holt
Issue date: 5/7/08 Section: News
Though the University Senate cast its final vote on the strategic plan yesterday afternoon, the College Park City Council didn't begin discussing its stance on the plan until several hours later, poking holes in parts of the document weeks after it was initially set to discuss the plan.
The council expressed concerns about some language and content in the "Surrounding Community" section of the 10-year plan, and intends to send a letter to university President Dan Mote that lists its thoughts.
The council and City Planning Director Terry Schum took issue with many strategies they said were vague in the plan, such as suggestions about police services and environmentally friendly building projects. The city also opposed a segment of the strategic plan calling for a private road to connect the campus to the Capital Beltway that would let visitors bypass Route 1.
City officials said they opposed the connector road because it wastes funds that could be used for Route 1 renovations.
The council had been scheduled to critique the strategic plan earlier - the first draft of the plan was released in early March - but it delayed discussion in favor of other city business, Schum said.
Doug Duncan, the university's vice president for administrative affairs who oversaw the "Surrounding Community" section of the strategic plan, said he met with City Manager Joe Nagro, Mayor Stephen Brayman and some council members before the university released its first draft. But the council had never discussed the plan as an entire body, and city officials complained about the lack of a city representative on the plan's steering committee.
Schum and District 3 Councilwoman Stephanie Stullich both pointed out a stark contrast between one of the plan's goals, to "encourage all opportunities to engage more effectively with the community and its leaders," and the city's exclusion from the steering committee.
But Duncan was quick to defend himself.
The council expressed concerns about some language and content in the "Surrounding Community" section of the 10-year plan, and intends to send a letter to university President Dan Mote that lists its thoughts.
The council and City Planning Director Terry Schum took issue with many strategies they said were vague in the plan, such as suggestions about police services and environmentally friendly building projects. The city also opposed a segment of the strategic plan calling for a private road to connect the campus to the Capital Beltway that would let visitors bypass Route 1.
City officials said they opposed the connector road because it wastes funds that could be used for Route 1 renovations.
The council had been scheduled to critique the strategic plan earlier - the first draft of the plan was released in early March - but it delayed discussion in favor of other city business, Schum said.
Doug Duncan, the university's vice president for administrative affairs who oversaw the "Surrounding Community" section of the strategic plan, said he met with City Manager Joe Nagro, Mayor Stephen Brayman and some council members before the university released its first draft. But the council had never discussed the plan as an entire body, and city officials complained about the lack of a city representative on the plan's steering committee.
Schum and District 3 Councilwoman Stephanie Stullich both pointed out a stark contrast between one of the plan's goals, to "encourage all opportunities to engage more effectively with the community and its leaders," and the city's exclusion from the steering committee.
But Duncan was quick to defend himself.
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Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 4
jimbo
posted 5/07/08 @ 3:56 PM EST
What a bunch of screwballs on both sides.
D. Duncan, "I mean, this is a university strategic plan, not a City of College Park strategic plan" Priceless, what a tool. (Continued…)
Doug Duncan = another university idiot
posted 5/08/08 @ 3:56 AM EST
Why was Doug Duncan even hired here? Sure, he was the poor sap in charge of MoCo during the sniper shootings but the rest of his term as county exec was unremarkable. (Continued…)
Jayne Wayne
posted 5/08/08 @ 5:00 PM EST
Here we go again-the city bemoaning a lack of input in a project to which they bring no resources. Be glad the University, the only thing worthwhile within city limits besides Marathon Deli, doesn't delete the reference to College Park in its name for all of the support it receives from the city government, long on rhetoric, but short on substantive participation. (Continued…)
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