REGULAR MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL
HELD MONDAY, July 10, 2000



Mayor Davis called the meeting to order at 8:07 p.m.

ROLL CALL was answered by Council members Edward V.J. Putens, Rodney M. Roberts, Alan Turnbull, Thomas X. White, and Judith F. Davis, Mayor.

ALSO PRESENT were Michael P. McLaughlin, City Manager; Robert Manzi, City Solicitor; David E. Moran, Assistant to the City Manager; and Kathleen Gallagher, City Clerk.

Mayor Davis observed a moment of silence for residents George Ronchi and Juanita Deliz and former residents Ellen Harman and Julia Long. She led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. She then introduced her father, Gerald Fintak, who was visiting from Phoenix, AZ.

CONSENT AGENDA: Mr. Turnbull asked that the minutes from the June 28, 2000, work session be removed from the consent agenda. With that amendment, Mr. Putens moved approval of the consent agenda, and Mr. Turnbull seconded. The motion passed 5 to 0.

Council thereby took the following actions:

MINUTES:

- Work Session, May 30, 2000

- Work Session, June 21, 2000

- Work Session (4 Cities), June 22, 2000

- Regular Meeting, June 26,2000

- Work Session (Interviews for Advisory Groups), June 28, 2000

Approved as presented.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Mr. Turnbull moved that the agenda be approved. Mr. Putens seconded. The motion passed 5-0.

PRESENTATIONS: A City Manager’s Award was presented to Greg Varda, Recreation Coordinator, for his work on the New Year’s Eve celebration. The City Manager thanked Mr. Varda and complimented him on his successful efforts. Mr. Varda in turn thanked other staff members of the Recreation Department, the New Year’s celebration committee, and his part-time staff.

PETITIONS AND REQUESTS: There were no petitions or requests.

MINUTES OF MEETINGS: Mr. Turnbull noted that the word "not" had been omitted from the June 28, 2000, work session minutes in a sentence indicating that, regarding bicycles, trails are not subject to Maryland road laws. With this correction, Mr. Roberts moved that the minutes be approved. Mr. Turnbull seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS: Mr. McLaughlin announced that binders containing the compensation and benefits study had been distributed to Council and that a work session on this subject would be added to the calendar. He also announced that Anne Marie Belton had accepted the position of Executive Secretary to the City Manager following Pat Fitzenreiter’s recent retirement. Mr. Putens said he had received complaints today regarding loose gravel on westbound Greenbelt Road at Southway. Mr. McLaughlin said he was not aware of the City offices having received complaints about this but that, more generally, he had been in touch with the State Highway Administration regarding the need to do some finishing work on what appears to be an otherwise able resurfacing job. Mayor Davis noted that the sidewalk opposite Chevy’s is in bad condition. She also reported briefly on the July 4 fireworks and thanked Public Works, Recreation, the Police Department, and the Concert Band for their contributions.

A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE NEGOTIATED PURCHASE OF CERTAIN GOODS AND SERVICES FROM VARIOUS VENDORS AS ENUMERATED HEREIN WHEN TOTAL FISCAL YEAR PURCHASES FROM EACH VENDOR EXCEED TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS ($10,000)

The Mayor read the agenda comments. Mr. Putens moved that the above-titled resolution be introduced for second reading and adoption. Mr. White seconded the motion. The Mayor asked if there was any response yet to her query regarding summer police uniforms; Mr. McLaughlin said it was still being looked into.

ROLL CALL: Mr. Putens - yes

Mr. Roberts - yes

Mr. Turnbull - yes

Mr. White - yes

Mayor Davis - yes

The resolution was declared adopted (Resolution No. 916, Book 7).

AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE CAPITAL PROJECTS BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001

The Mayor read the agenda comments, including an announcement that a Public Hearing would be held on the amendments to the FY 2001 Capital Projects Budget prior to second reading and adoption of the above-titled ordinance at the next regular meeting of the City Council on August 14. Mr. Putens introduced the ordinance for first reading. Mr. Turnbull noted that the line item for "Greenbrook Estates Trail Easement" should be corrected to "Greenbrook Estates Trail/Bridge."

REQUEST FOR USE OF THE CITY LOGO BY THE OUTSTANDING CITIZEN SELECTION COMMITTEE: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. Bob Zugby, 94 Ridge Road, chair of the 2000 committee, asked Council to approve the use of the City logo as a watermark on the certificate again this year and to consider making an exception to the policy so the logo can continue to be used for this limited purpose without annual recourse to Council. The Mayor responded that such consideration would more appropriately occur when Council is reviewing policies for revision. Mr. Putens moved approval of the use of the City logo on the 2000 Outstanding Citizen certificate. Mr. White seconded the motion. The motion passed 5-0.

BELLE POINT SIGN PERMIT: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. The owner, Mr. Amjad Kahn, appeared before Council. He variously said he had not been properly notified of the problem by the City; that other businesses in Greenbelt with signs had no better landscaping; and that his sign was in fact on State Highway Administration, rather than City, right-of-way. Most Council members believed there had been adequate explanation to the owner of the conditions for maintaining the permit. Mr. Turnbull thought that since the owner had cut the grass between inspection by staff and receipt of staff’s letter, the City should give him another chance. Mr. Roberts at this time moved that Council revoke its approval for the temporary advertising sign along American Legion Drive and that Mr. Kahn be ordered to remove the sign and landscaping within 10 days. Mr. White seconded the motion. There was also discussion of the fact that if the sign were to be moved to private property, a permit would still be needed. The Mayor asked the City Manager to investigate the claim the sign is on state right-of-way. The motion passed 4-1 (Turnbull).

UPDATE ON NEW ADMISSION POLICY TO GREENBELT AQUATIC AND FITNESS CENTER (GAFC): The Mayor read the agenda comments. George Rogala, Supervisor of the GAFC, reported on the first six weeks of the new admission policy. He said the response had been overwhelmingly positive. Moreover, even though it has not been nearly as hot this summer as last summer, pass sales, including non-resident passes, are up. One unanticipated problem is with residents who never changed their address on their driver’s license after moving to Greenbelt. There have also been some complaints in two areas: the requirement that residents or pass-holders remain on the premises with their guests, and the lack of a short-term pass for visitors, e.g., out-of-town relatives. Council agreed that the rest of this season should be allowed to play out without making changes in the policy or procedures, and they indicated understanding of the GAFC’s need to have a consistent, enforceable policy that does not allow for many exceptions. At the same time, they agreed that the City should be able to make reasonable accommodations, particularly for hardship or disability, and that the policy should be tweaked if need be prior to next summer.

BUDDY ATTICK PARK - RESTROOM FACILITY: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. Celia Craze, Director, Planning and Community Development, summarized the current state of events and said that in order to proceed it was necessary to have Council approval on a building scheme and location. She also noted that the Lakeside Civic Association had unofficially supported the same options that the City’s Park and Recreation Advisory Board had. There was discussion of the extent to which this vote would represent a commitment to a specific design. It was eventually agreed that although Council’s intent at this point was to narrow the options, it would still be possible to retrench if problems arose. Furthermore, quite a few aspects of the plan and design will still need to return to Council for approval. Mr. Putens moved approval of Building Scheme One and building location IIB. Mr. White seconded. The motion passed 5-0.

APPLICATION FOR CHESAPEAKE BAY PARTNER COMMUNITY DESIGNATION: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. Mr. Putens moved that Council approve submission of the application for Chesapeake Bay Partner Community Designation. Mr. Roberts seconded. Mr. White objected to the application’s coming forward on a Council agenda without its having been reviewed by an advisory group such as the Recycling and Environment Advisory Committee (REAC). He did not object to the application per se but to the process for handling it. Mr. McLaughlin responded that staff had not sought advisory group review because this designation would not require any action or new commitment by the City, simply an evaluation of what the City is already doing. Mayor Davis said she would like to go forward with the application and that it could also be sent to REAC and to the Park & Recreation Advisory Board. Mr. Turnbull and Mr. Roberts both expressed skepticism about the quality of the program and whether Greenbelt should participate. Mr. Turnbull was not in favor of completing this process this year because of the lack of information about the standards being used and suggested that it be put off till next year. Mr. Roberts said he could support the application since he did not think it would do any harm. The motion passed 3-2 (Turnbull, White). Mr. White said that he would continue to vote against such applications if they did not come to Council with review by the appropriate advisory groups.

MEETINGS: It was agreed that the Goddard Master Plan and the Compensation and Benefits Study should take priority over the potential meetings with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the Greenbrook Lake Paths. There was discussion of whether the July 12 meeting on the status of the Jaeger Tract should be open or closed. It was decided that it should be closed on the basis of the need to obtain legal advice from counsel. Mr. Roberts also requested that Mr. Manzi research what recourse a Council member has if materials are labeled "confidential" by staff rather than the originator. Mr. Manzi said he would do so but noted for the interim that materials are often marked "confidential" from a work session in order that they be held as "work product" and not be subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

ADJOURNMENT: Mr. Turnbull moved that the meeting be adjourned. Mr. White seconded the motion, which then carried 5-0. Mayor Davis adjourned the regular meeting of July 10, 2000, at 10:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen Gallagher
City Clerk

"I hereby certify that the above and foregoing is a true and correct report of the regular meeting of the City Council of Greenbelt, Maryland, held July 10, 2000."

Judith F. Davis

Mayor

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