Mayor Davis called the meeting to order at 8:05 p.m.

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

ALSO PRESENT were Michael P. McLaughlin, City Manager; John Shay, City Solicitor; and Kathleen Gallagher, City Clerk.

Mayor Davis asked that everyone observe a moment of silence in memory of resident Norman Weyel and in observance of the six-month anniversary of the terrorist attacks at the Pentagon, in New York City, and in Pennsylvania. She then led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

CONSENT AGENDA: A motion to approve the consent agenda was made by Mr. Turnbull and seconded by Mr. Putens. The motion passed 4-0.

Council thereby took the following actions:

MINUTES

- Work Session, February 6, 2002

- Regular Meeting, February 11, 2002

- Legislative Dinner, February 12, 2002

- Interview, February 25, 2002

- Regular Meeting, February 25, 2002

Approved as presented.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Advisory Planning Board , Report #02-02 (Detailed Site Plan, CVS, Greenway Center): Council received this report and will consider it on the agenda of the next regular meeting.

Advisory Committee on Trees, 3/7/02 (Treatment of Gypsy Moth with Bt): Staff received this report and agreed to consider it in conjunction with the item on this topic later on tonight’s agenda.

ANACOSTIA TRAILS HERITAGE AREA - CITY CONTRIBUTION: Council approved payment by the City of a $2,365 contribution to ATHA to assist until county and state funding is forthcoming.

REAPPOINTMENT TO ADVISORY GROUP: Council appointed Theodore Kowaluk to a new three-year term on the Advisory Planning Board.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA: Mr. McLaughlin requested that Council add Deployment of Personnel and Equipment by the Prince George’s County Fire Department to the agenda as item #22. Mr. Turnbull moved approval of the agenda thus amended. Mr. Putens seconded the motion, which passed 4-0.

PRESENTATIONS

ACE Educator Awards Ceremony: Mayor Davis thanked County Councilwoman Audrey Scott and School Board Representative James Henderson for coming. She then introduced Leta Mach, Chair of the Advisory Committee on Education (ACE), who described the various programs undertaken by ACE and introduced committee members Jackie Magness, Mary Alice Carroll, and Eva Griffith. Ms. Mach then introduced the 2002 ACE Educator Award recipients from six of the Greenbelt schools, who received various gifts, as well as certificates and proclamations from the City, the County Council, and the State Senate and House. The 2002 award recipients were:

Greenbelt Elementary School Beth Novick, 5th Grade Teacher

Springhill Lake Elementary School Patti Hall, Math Specialist

Magnolia Elementary School Linette Palmer, 6th Grade Teacher

St. Hugh’s School Beth Fendlay, Kindergarten Aide

Greenbelt Middle School John Hickey, Social Studies Teacher/MSPAP Coordinator

Eleanor Roosevelt High School Susan McDonald, Curriculum Coordinator

PETITIONS AND REQUESTS: There were none.

MINUTES OF MEETINGS

Executive Session of May 30 and June 4, 2001: Mr. Roberts moved that the minutes of the executive session of the City Council held Wednesday, May 30, and Monday, June 4, 2001, be approved as presented. He further requested that the minutes of this meeting reflect that the Council met in executive session on May 30, 2001, at 10:13 p.m. in the conference room of Suite 200 in the Community Center. The meeting was recessed at 12:08 a.m. and reconvened at 7:35 p.m. on June 4 in the Library of the Municipal Building. Council held this closed meeting in accordance with Section 10-508 (a)(1) of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Public General Laws of Maryland to discuss the City Manager’s performance evaluation. Mr. Turnbull seconded the motion.

ROLL CALL

Mr. Putens - yes

Mr. Roberts - yes

Mr. Turnbull - yes

Mayor Davis - yes

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS

Mayor Davis reported that she and Mr. Putens, together with Chief Craze and Celia Craze, had attended the Police Chiefs Association Annual Awards Dinner, at which two Greenbelt police officers, PFC Luis Gonzalez and MPO Gordon Pracht, and civilian Cindy Keppel received awards. MPO Pracht also received the countywide Community Services Officer of the Year Award.

Mayor Davis and Mr. Putens reported on their attendance at the National League of Cities Congressional City Conference in D.C. Mayor Davis mentioned some of the concerns of the Environmental, Energy, and National Resources Policy Committee, and Mr. Putens discussed some of the concerns of the Public Safety Policy Committee and the Small Cities Council, on which he serves, including homeland security and emergency preparedness issues for small cities.

Mayor Davis also gave reminders about the scholarships available through the Prince George’s County Municipal Association and the drought watch that has been declared by the Metropolitan Area Council of Governments.

LEGISLATION

An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 2, "Administration," Article II, "Financial Affairs," of the Greenbelt City Code for the Purpose of Updating the Balance to Be Maintained in the Temporary Disability Reserve Fund: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. Mr. Putens introduced the ordinance for second reading and adoption. Mr. Turnbull seconded.

ROLL CALL

Mr. Putens - yes

Mr. Roberts - yes

Mr. Turnbull - yes

Mayor Davis - yes

The ordinance was declared adopted (Ordinance No. 1208, Book 11).

An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 10, "Licenses, Permits and Miscellaneous Business Regulations," of the Greenbelt City Code for the Purpose of Revising Requirements for the Installation, Operation and Permitting of Burglar and Hold-up Alarm Systems, and to Add Requirements for the Regulation and Licensing of Burglar Alarm Companies Transacting Business in the City: The Mayor read the agenda comments. Mr. Turnbull introduced the ordinance for second reading and adoption. Mr. Roberts seconded.

ROLL CALL

Mr. Putens - yes

Mr. Roberts - yes

Mr. Turnbull - yes

Mayor Davis - yes

The ordinance was declared adopted (Ordinance No. 1209, Book 11).

An Ordinance to Amend Chapter 2, "Administration," Article IV, "Ethics," of the Greenbelt City Code for the Purpose of Updating the Section on Financial Disclosure to Reflect the Adoption by the City of a New Position Classification System: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. Mr. Putens introduced the ordinance for first reading.

GREEN RIDGE HOUSE ADMISSIONS AND OCCUPANCY POLICY: The Mayor read the agenda comments. Mr. Roberts made a motion that Council approve the revised Admissions and Occupancy Policy for Green Ridge House. Mr. Putens seconded. Mr. Roberts asked if the residency period should be longer than 12 months to warrant the preference. Council agreed that it was an appropriate amount of time. Council also agreed that it was appropriate to give a preference for residing in Greenbelt but not for being employed here. The motion passed 4-0.

The Mayor raised several questions regarding the Green Ridge House parking plan. Mr. McLaughlin said Fire Department regulations prohibit the creation of the two extra parking spaces on the circle that were proposed at the work session. He also said until parking stickers are replaced, there will be no attempt to implement the proposal to place stickers on both the front and back of cars. An informational meeting will be held at Green Ridge House on the Zipcar program tomorrow afternoon.

ORDER OF BUSINESS: Mr. Putens made a motion that item #22, regarding the Fire Department, be considered at this point on the agenda. Mr. Turnbull seconded. The motion passed 4-0.

DEPLOYMENT OF PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT BY THE PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT: Chief Randy Krob, Greenbelt Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad (GVFDRS), reported to Council on a letter he had received from the County Fire and Emergency Services Department regarding the possible redeployment of career personnel and county-owned vehicles. Chief Krob said he would not know what the impact, if any, on the GVFDRS will be until he meets with the county on March 19, but he wanted to alert Council to the potential problem. He said one county-owned ambulance could be involved, and the biggest concern is with the career personnel, on whom the department relies for staffing on weekdays. He said the fact that this issue was going to come up was a "well-kept secret."

Mr. Putens expressed concern over the secretive way in which the county appeared to be handling this matter. He made a motion that the City write to the County Executive, County Council, and County Fire Chief Blackwell, copied to the City’s state delegation, to say Council would like to see an open discussion of this issue prior to the making of decisions. Mr. Turnbull seconded the motion, which passed 4-0. Mayor Davis expressed Council’s appreciation to Chief Krob for the work of the department

PROPOSAL TO SPRAY FOR GYPSY MOTHS: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. It was moved by Mr. Putens and seconded by Mr. Turnbull that Council approve the aerial application of Bt for gypsy moths at the locations recommended by the state and by staff. Mayor Davis asked about spraying for canker worms, as was needed last year. Mr. McLaughlin said that spraying is done in a different fashion, and staff will monitor the need for it. Sylvia Lewis, 2-C Gardenway and member of the board of Greenbelt Homes, Inc. (GHI), commented that the target area is at the edge of GHI. She said the GHI Woodlands Committee and arborist approved the plan, but the board would not review it until Thursday night. It was agreed that the GHI Board would get back to the City about it on Friday. The motion passed 4-0.

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION - REQUEST FOR REFERRAL TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. She said she had also received an e-mail from a resident named Peter May supporting Council’s looking at this question. Stephen Jascourt, 122 Westway, spoke in support of the referral and said he would be happy to be of assistance to the board or to Council. He suggested that the "choice" method of voting used by the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts, is probably the best model for a multi-seat body like a City Council, but he also mentioned the "cumulative" method, in which voters may allocate more than one of their votes to one candidate (e.g., give five votes to one candidate for City Council). Mayor Davis asked about "instant runoff" voting, which Mr. Jascourt explained is oriented toward single-seat offices. Mr. Turnbull said his primary purposes in suggesting that Council refer this to the board were to improve local participation in voting, increase minority representation, and assist in assuring that the City can maintain its at-large system. It was moved by Mr. Turnbull and seconded by Mr. Roberts to refer to the Board of Elections for review the question of the advisability of using a voting method for City Council elections that is intended to achieve proportional representation. The motion passed 4-0.

BRIEFING ON PROPOSED DEBT FINANCING: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. Mr. Turnbull moved that Council authorize staff to prepare for a negotiated sale of the $3.5 million in debt and refinancing. Mr. Roberts seconded. The motion passed 4-0.

DELAY ON IMPLEMENTATION OF STATE INCOME TAX REDUCTION: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. She added that she placed this item on the agenda because she is concerned that the proposed cuts are in vulnerable areas like health, social services, and environmental programs and because the Senate has already postponed consideration of bond issues. Mr. Turnbull said this tax cut is not in the best interest of the City or its programs and that he would like to send a strong letter to Senator Green about it. Mr. Roberts and Mr. Putens also agreed. It was moved by Mr. Putens and seconded by Mr. Turnbull that a letter be faxed tomorrow. The motion passed 4-0.

GOLDEN TRIANGLE PROPERTY TO BE VACATED - RESPONSE FROM STATE: The Mayor read the agenda comments. She said she would prefer to defer any decision about this to the next meeting and asked if a work session could be held with Capitol Cadillac on March 13. Mr. Roberts said he would like more information on how the asking price was determined. He said he would also like to refer the matter to the Police and Fire Departments to see if either could envision a future use for the property for public safety facilities. It was moved by Mr. Roberts and seconded by Mr. Putens that these referrals be made and that direction be given to staff to seek additional information on the pricing.

Mr. Shay explained that the price seemed to have been reached on the basis of interest added to their purchase price. Mayor Davis said we should determine their purchase price and get the responses on public safety prior to the March 25 meeting. Mr. Turnbull asked the City Solicitor if it could also be determined whether the state has any discretion under the statute in the method it used in setting the price. The motion passed 4-0.

MEETINGS: Council reviewed the upcoming schedule of meetings. Mayor Davis noted that March 13 would be scheduled as a work session with Capitol Cadillac if possible but would otherwise drop off the calendar. It was decided that if the Capitol Cadillac work session is held, it will be followed by the quarterly review of the CAR report. Mr. Turnbull asked that staff prepare to have the work session on BARC property disposal as soon as possible after the budget work sessions. It was agreed to reschedule the work session with the Advisory Committee on Trees and instead receive a briefing from NASA/GSFC staff on the status of the facilities master plan on Wednesday, March 20.

ADJOURNMENT: A motion to adjourn was made by Mr. Turnbull and seconded by Mr. Roberts. The motion carried 4-0. Mayor Davis adjourned the regular meeting of March 11, 2002, at 10:10 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 March 11, 2002."

Judith F. Davis
Mayor

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