WORK SESSION of the Greenbelt City Council
Held Monday, July 31, 2000
For the purposes of meeting with representatives from Greenbelt Access Television (GATE) and reviewing the status of the Council Action Request (CAR) Report

Mayor Davis started the meeting at 8:25 p.m. It was held in the Council Room of the Municipal Building.

PRESENT WERE: Council members Rodney M. Roberts, Alan Turnbull, Thomas X. White, and Mayor Judith F. Davis.

STAFF PRESENT WERE: Michael P. McLaughlin, City Manager; Kathleen Gallagher, City Clerk; Beverly Palau, Public Information and Communications Coordinator.

ALSO PRESENT WERE: Doug Love, Bob Zugby, Harriet Phelps, Chris Konkel, Malia Murray, and Konrad Herling, GATE; Barbara Simon, GAVA; and Amy Boyes, the Gazette.

The Mayor apologized for the late beginning to the meeting, and introductions were performed. GATE members then showed a short videotape of excerpts from recent productions that was well-received.

Council members asked several questions about GATE’s funding and about the City’s funding from Comcast. The Mayor asked when the City would begin to receive its full 3% for capital costs from Comcast, since 2% is currently being used to pay for the construction of a countywide fiber-based institutional network (I-Net). Ms. Palau estimated 2003. She also noted that Comcast has bought out whatever company was operating in Springhill Lake and will begin providing Greenbelt programming on channel B-10. Mayor Davis also asked how GATE had used the $152,000 it had received in a lump sum in 1994 to compensate for the 1% fee the cable company had been delinquent in providing until then for public access funding. Mr. Zugby responded that the money was used primarily for equipment and refurbishing space, as well as for a consultant.

The purpose of the meeting was to review a proposed agreement between the City and GATE that would give one-fifth of the City’s franchise fee (or about $20,000) to GATE for operational costs in exchange for GATE’s providing a number of services to the City. Mayor Davis asked if the item that specifies the expansion of coverage of Labor Day events could be extended to other events as well. Mr. Zugby and Ms. Palau both said yes, and Mr. Zugby noted that GATE was already engaged in most of these activities anyway. The Mayor noted that Council had previously asked that more GATE programming be shown on channel B-10. Ms. Palau responded that the City is limited to the four decks it has available. Mr. Turnbull encouraged that shows be replayed at other times, since it easy to miss them. Mr. Turnbull questioned the indefinite term of the agreement if in the future the funding was to be built into the budget process, and it was agreed that there should be some language that permitted amendment or modification to this agreement. Council indicated it would like to meet with the GATE board annually, but it was not decided what the best occasion for this meeting would be. The Mayor suggested that since this operational funding would be ongoing, Council would have the opportunity to meet with GATE every year at budget time, but Mr. White said it was his impression that this agreement would make an annual meeting for budget review unnecessary. Mr. McLaughlin said he preferred not to have GATE come up as early in the budget process as they would as part of the General Government category.

Following the GATE discussion, Council reviewed the status of the CAR Report. Some of the items discussed were:

150 06/28/00 The problem of skateboarding and biking in the Center is ongoing and needs attention soon.

030 01/31/00 Be sure transit representatives are aware that both The Bus and Metro stops are to be discussed at work session.

170 07/27/99 Issue of regulation of group homes is still of interest.

118 05/24/99 Council would like a work session at the site to review the question of sediment control measures at Northway field.

280 10/27/97 Emergency Prep. and Operation Plan. To be raised at work session with Public Safety next month.

455 11/19/96 It was clarified that this item refers to whether there is a way to regulate on the basis of animal behaviors rather than breeds.

Other business:

Sign Dedication: Mayor Davis announced that the dedication of the new interpretive signs is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend.

Although Council had previously discussed reviewing the City Manager’s goals at this meeting in conjunction with the review of the CAR Report, Mr. White asked that this item be postponed because of the hour. Council agreed to do this review following the meeting on the Compensation and Benefits comparative study.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Kathleen Gallagher

City Clerk

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