MINUTES FROM THE WORK SESSION
HELD MAY 6, 1998,
TO MEET WITH THE FRATERNAL
ORDER OF POLICE TO DISCUSS THE PROPOSED FY99 BUDGET.

 Mayor Davis called the meeting to order at 8:01p.m.

ROLL CALL was answered by Edward V.J. Putens, Rodney M. Roberts, Thomas X. White and by Judith Davis, Mayor. Alan Turnbull was not present.

ALSO PRESENT were Michael P. McLaughlin, City Manager; Jeff Williams, City Treasurer; John Rogers, President of the FOP; Seung Lee, Vice President of the FOP; and W. Bowman Ferguson, Acting City Clerk. Many members of the FOP and their families and supporters were also present in the audience.

Officer Rogers began the meeting by thanking the City Council for meeting with the FOP. The FOP has prepared information for Council outlining their requests. Mr. Rogers began by outlining the FOP's request for up to a 5% match contribution by the City into an officer's retirement account identical to the benefit received by other City employees. The City contributes 5% to all employees, and matches employees (but not Greenbelt Police Officers) up to 5% depending on employee contribution. Mr. Rogers provided examples of the different amounts an officer can accumulate in a retirement account based on different amounts of the City contribution. Council asked questions of Mr. Rogers and Mr. McLaughlin to clarify the proposal.

 Mr. Rogers moved on to the FOP's second request, to increase the FOP leave pool cap from 160 hours to 240 hours. Mr. Rogers emphasized that this request would cost the City nothing. Council discussed the program and the cap and asked questions of Mr. Rogers and the City Manager. The Council expressed willingness to increase or eliminate the cap.

 Mr. Rogers next presented a proposal for a new retirement fund. The proposal was approved by the Maryland State Legislature but has not been signed into law. Mr. Rogers proposed to hold a work session with Council in the future to discuss the plan further. Mr. Rogers went on to discuss the City Manager's proposed salary increase for the upcoming year. Finally, Mr. Rogers questioned the City's strategy for conducting a reclassification study, stating that it does not seem likely that the study will include rank and file officers this year. The City Manager explained the current study and expressed his support for a future study that would examine the entire organization. However, no money is currently budgeted for such a study.

 Supporters were then welcomed to address the Council.

The work session was adjourned at 10:16 PM.

Respectfully Submitted,
W. Bowman Ferguson
Acting City Clerk

City of Greenbelt, Maryland
City Offices, 25 Crescent Road, Greenbelt, MD 20770
Phone: 301-474-8000 FAX: 301-441-8248