REGULAR MEETING OF THE GREENBELT CITY COUNCIL held June 9, 2003. 

Mayor Davis called the meeting to order at 8:00 p.m. 

ROLL CALL was answered by Councilmembers Edward V. J. Putens, Rodney M. Roberts, Alan Turnbull, Thomas X. White, and Mayor Judith F. Davis.  Mr. Putens left the meeting at about 8:05 p.m. 

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

Mayor Davis asked for a moment of silence in memory of residents Anna Citron and William W. Hand; and former residents Thelma Berner Newton (Pioneer) and Allen Carneal.  She then led the pledge of allegiance to the flag. 

CONSENT AGENDA: Mr. Putens moved that the consent agenda be approved as presented.  Mr. Turnbull seconded the motion, which passed 4-0. 

Council thereby took the following actions: 

MINUTES

            - Regular Meeting, May 27, 2003

            - Work Session, June 2, 2003

               Approved as presented. 

COG REQUEST FOR LETTER OF OPPOSITION TO BILLS CHANGING THE SLOT AND PERIMETER RULE AT NATIONAL AIRPORT: Council authorized the sending of a letter in support of COG's position not to change the number of flights allowed into National Airport or the perimeter rule placed on flights in and out of National. 

            RESERVATION OF RIGHT TO APPEAL DECISIONS ON CONCEPTUAL SITE PLAN AND PRELIMINARY PLAN OF SUBDIVISION FOR GREENBELT STATION/METROPARK: Council authorized the City Solicitor to take action to reserve the City's right to appeal either or both of the two recent court decisions to the Court of Special Appeals.

 APPROVAL OF AGENDA AND ADDITIONS: Mayor Davis said staff had requested to add as item #19 "Approval to Seek City NPDES Coverage under County Permit."  It was moved by Mr. Putens and seconded by Mr. Turnbull that the agenda be approved as presented with this amendment.  The motion carried 5-0.  

PRESENTATIONS 

National Small Cities and Towns Day - Proclamation: Mayor Davis read a proclamation in recognition of June 20 as National Small Cities and Towns Day.  Councilmember Putens, who is Greenbelt's delegate to the Small Cities Council of the National League of Cities, accepted the proclamation and will convey it to the group's meeting this month.  Mr. Putens departed the meeting at this time. 

PGCMA Scholarship Presentation: Council presented Amanda Wildoner, a City intern in public information and communications and a 2003 graduate of Eleanor Roosevelt High School, a scholarship on behalf of the Prince George's County Municipal Association. 

PETITIONS AND REQUESTS: There were none. 

MINUTES OF MEETINGS 

Executive Session of May 27, 2003: Mr. Roberts moved that the minutes of the executive session of the City Council held Tuesday, May 27, 2003, be approved as presented.  He further requested that the minutes of this meeting reflect that the Council met in executive session at 9:55 p.m. in the Library of the Municipal Building.  Council held this closed meeting in accordance with Section 10-508 (a) and (7) of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Public General Laws of Maryland to consult with legal counsel on a legal matter related to Circuit Court decisions regarding Greenbelt Station.  Mr. White seconded the motion. 

ROLL CALL:               Mr. Roberts      - yes

                                    Mr. Turnbull      - yes

                                    Mr. White         - yes

                                    Mayor Davis     - yes

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS 

Mr. McLaughlin announced that Mr. Nussbaum was serving as City Solicitor tonight instead of Mr. Shay.  He also distributed the brochure that had been prepared for the heritage tree tour, which was rained out but will be rescheduled as part of SchromFest in the fall. He congratulated the Advisory Committee on Trees and their staff liaison, Bill Phelan, for researching the trees and producing the brochure. 

Mayor Davis said Mr. Putens, Mr. McLaughlin, and Kenny Hall, Director of Public Works, had toured the roof of Greenbelt Middle School.  Mr. McLaughlin said the roof was to be fixed by the end of the year but that the renovation project had once again been postponed, this time to FY 2006 or 2007. 

Councilmembers Putens, Turnbull, and Roberts attended the ACE Reading Club Reception.  Mr. Roberts said it grows larger and more successful every year.  The Mayor thanked Reading Club Coordinator Liz Murray and the Advisory Committee on Education for their work on this project. 

Mayor Davis said she and Mr. McLaughlin attended a training session on multiculturalism sponsored by Prince George's County for mayors and city administrators. 

Mayor Davis presented Mr. McLaughlin with a certificate of appreciation from the Maryland Municipal League for his work on the 2003 Convention Planning Committee. 

LEGISLATION 

Adoption of the Budget: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments.   

Council first reviewed the changes to General Fund Revenues. Mr. Roberts moved the following changes to the following accounts.  Mr. Turnbull seconded.  The motion passed 3-1 (White).  

Revenue from Other Agencies:

Service Charges for Services:

Fines and Forfeitures:

Miscellaneous Revenue:

Council then took up the changes to General Fund Expenditures. 

Mr. Roberts moved the following change to Administration; Mr. Turnbull seconded.  The motion passed 4-0.

Mayor Davis moved the following changes to Police; Mr. Turnbull seconded, noting that Council had agreed the contract for the partnership with AIMCO for the new officer should be reevaluated at the end of the three-year contract period in order to attempt to negotiate better terms for the City.  Mr. McLaughlin also noted that the arrangement with AIMCO was also understood to be predicated upon the receipt of grant funding from the COPS program.  In response to a query from Mr. White, Mr. McLaughlin provided further explanation of the anticipated breakdown for the funding of the salary line. The motion passed 3-1 (White).

Mr. Turnbull moved the proposed change to Recreation Centers; Mr. White seconded.

There was discussion of when to bring up a change to account #650, since some Councilmembers wished to raise the issue of the early closing of the Greenbelt Aquatic and Fitness Center (GAFC).  Mr. White made a motion to postpone consideration of changes to account #620-26 until after discussion had occurred of the hours for the GAFC.  Mr. Roberts seconded the motion, which passed 4-0. 

Mr. Turnbull moved the following change to retain existing hours at the GAFC next year.  Mr. Roberts seconded. Mayor Davis said although this matter would affect only a small number of people, it was nevertheless very important to them.  She expressed concern, however, about the potential impact of further cuts from the state.  Mr. Roberts said he thought that if a four-cent tax increase was going to be imposed, the City should be able to keep the GAFC open till 10:30 p.m.  Clement Lau, 6 Greentree Place, presented additional signatures to a petition he had submitted previously to maintain the current hours.  The Mayor thanked Mr. Lau for his efforts on this matter.  The motion passed 4-0.

Council then took the vote on the change for account #620-26, which also passed 4-0. 

Mr. Turnbull moved the following changes to Special Events; Mr. White seconded.  The motion passed 4-0.

Mr. White moved the following change to Greenbelt Connection.  Mr. Turnbull spoke against eliminating Sunday afternoon service in the absence of any other bus service at that time.  Since there was no second, Mr. White withdrew the motion.

Mayor Davis asked Mr. McLaughlin to review what fund changes would have to be made to the Non-Departmental Reserve Account.  He said that coming into tonight's meeting, the figure had already been reduced from the $58,500 presented in the proposed budget to $26,300.  It would now need to be reduced an additional $8,500 ($2,500 for Administration; $2,000 for Greenbelt Connection; and $4,000 for GAFC), resulting in the following change, which was moved by Mr. White and seconded by Mr. Roberts.  Mayor Davis commented that she would vote for this change because it was the only alternative; however, given the uncertainties at the state level, she was very concerned about leaving such a small reserve.  The motion passed 4-0.

Mr. Turnbull moved the following changes to Fund Transfers; Mr. Roberts seconded.  Mr. White said he wanted to state his objections to the under-funding of these accounts.  He said all these funds need to more accurately reflect "real world" situation and costs.  Mayor Davis responded that she thought everyone on Council would agree these funds are under-funded but that this is not the time to increase taxes even more than is already planned.  She said the kind of economic situation in which the City finds itself requires careful balancing of needs and resources, with the result that no one is likely to be completely happy with the resulting compromise.  Mr. Turnbull said that, in general, he agreed with Mr. White's position, but he thought the City's fund balance was healthier now than it had been in recent years.  Mr. White disagreed, saying the City needed to have the discipline to fund Capital Projects, the Replacement Fund, and other funds at a responsible level. The motion passed 3-1 (White).