Mayor Davis called the meeting to order at 8:02 p.m.

ROLL CALL was answered by Councilmembers Konrad E. Herling, Leta M. Mach, Edward V. J. Putens, Rodney M. Roberts, and Mayor Judith F. Davis.

ALSO PRESENT were Michael P. McLaughlin, City Manager; Robert A. Manzi, 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 all those who lost their lives in the U.S. military and in recognition of all the men and women who served in World War II. She then led the pledge of allegiance to the flag.

CONSENT AGENDA: Mr. Putens asked to remove item #20 (Appointments and Reappointments to Advisory Groups) from the consent agenda, and Mayor Davis asked to remove the minutes from the May 5, 2004, work session. It was then moved by Mr. Putens and seconded by Mr. Herling that the consent agenda be approved as amended. The motion carried 5-0.

Council thereby took the following actions:

MINUTES OF MEETINGS

- Work Session, May 6, 2004

- Regular Meeting, May 10, 2004

- Work Session, May 12, 2004

Approved as presented.

LETTER OF INTENT – PURCHASE OF FOUR POLICE VEHICLES: Council approved the sending of the Letter of Intent to Norris Ford of Baltimore for FY 2005 purchase of four Crown Victoria police vehicles on a Maryland State Police contract, with all required options, at a total cost of $83,086.

ADOPTION OF BOARD OF APPEALS RESOLUTION FOR VARIANCE #04-001-V: Council adopted this resolution of the Board of Appeals regarding variances for the animal control facility to be installed by the City of Greenbelt at 550 Ridge Road.

RESIGNATIONS FROM ADVISORY GROUPS: Council accepted with regret the resignations of Randall Myers from the Advisory Planning Board and Ted Shafer from the Public Safety Advisory Committee.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA: It was moved by Mr. Herling and seconded by Ms. Mach that the agenda be approved as presented. The motion carried 5-0.

PRESENTATIONS

Memorial Day Poppy Presentation – Post 136, American Legion Auxiliary: In honor of Memorial Day, Donna M. Dietrich, Rosita Dietrich, Rose Unruh, and others from the American Legion Auxiliary of Greenbelt Post 136 accompanied Little Misses Poppy Katie and Gracie Dillon in presenting poppies to Council and explaining the symbolism of flowers used to honor those who died in battle while serving in the armed forces. Council thanked them for coming. Mayor Davis announced the Memorial Day ceremony at Roosevelt Center would begin at 10 a.m. on May 31.

National Small Cities and Towns Day – Proclamation: Mayor Davis read a proclamation declaring June 11 to be National Small Cities and Towns Day. Councilmember Putens, who is the City’s representative to the Small Cities Council of the National League of Cities, received the proclamation. He said he had been serving on the Small Cities Council for 10 years and on its steering committee for four years.

MML Certificate of Appreciation: Mayor Davis presented a Maryland Municipal League Certificate of Appreciation to David Moran for participation on this year’s legislative committee.

Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2005 Budget and the Proposed Real Property Tax Increase: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments and referenced a memo from the City Treasurer and City Manager enumerating the amendments Council had made to the City Manager=s proposed budget. She declared the public hearing to be open and asked for any comments. Sue Krofchik, 6 Fayette Place, said although she appreciated the work the Council and staff had put into the budget, she was not happy with the result and had spoken with other residents who felt the same way. She said this was the 11th year taxes had been increased and that she thought it was time for the City to apply the same principles individuals must apply in reducing expenses to fit income rather than assuming taxes could be raised to cover all expenses. She said citizens may need to be better educated about the tax implications of initiating or continuing specific programs. She expressed concern about the number of new staff positions being added. She said she thought the City was at a crossroads right now because of the decline in funding from the state and the need for citizens to contribute more, with the result that it was necessary to start making some cuts. She said items she would look at would be: the $20,000 for the red light camera that staff had proposed eliminating for three years now; increasing user fees so users of services and programs would bear a larger share of costs; reducing the number of recreation and arts programs; making more programs self-supporting; being sure taxpayers were not subsidizing non-residents in programs; and limiting senior discounts to seniors with lower incomes.

Mayor Davis thanked Ms. Krofchik for coming and for her specific suggestions. The Mayor noted that most Recreation Department programs are self-supporting and that non-residents pay extra fees. She said she believed most residents do not want programs cut but that those who do need to identify what they would be willing to have cut. Mr. Roberts defended retaining the red light camera as one of a number that together make up a program that brings in $260,000 in revenue. He said targeting individual cameras based on how much revenue they bring in takes away from the focus of the program as a whole on safety. Mr. Putens clarified that it was still the case that without that camera, the program would net an additional $20,000. He also thanked Ms. Krofchik for speaking. Ms. Mach thanked Ms. Krokchik for her “thoughtful presentation” and commented that it is difficult to choose among services to cut. She said she thought many people move to Greenbelt for what it offers overall, even though they may use different programs at different phases of their and their families’ lives. Mr. Herling agreed, saying he thought over the years Greenbelters had come to expect a certain level of municipal services and wanted to see that maintained. Mayor Davis also commented that not many residents came and participated in budget work sessions.

Charles Hagelgans, 125 Hedgewood Drive, spoke briefly to say that he agreed with Ms. Krofchik in her opposition to the tax increase. He said his taxes had effectively already been increased by 10% per year because of the new assessments and that the two cent tax increase would be in addition to that. He said it was reaching a point where he was beginning to question the cost of living in Greenbelt. Council also thanked him for speaking.

The Mayor asked if anyone wished to add anything else regarding the proposed real property tax increase, since this was also the public hearing required by the state on the constant yield tax rate. There being no one else who wished to speak, she announced that the City=s property tax rate will be set when the FY 2005 budget is adopted on June 7, 2004, at 8:00 p.m. in the Council Room of the Municipal Building. She then closed the public hearing.

PETITIONS AND REQUESTS: Sheldon Goldberg, 7848 Jacobs Drive, said June 6 will be the 60th anniversary of D-Day. Since troops from Maryland and Virginia played a primary role, he suggested that some recognition of this event be incorporated into Greenbelt Day weekend.

Chris Shuman, 1E Gardenway, thanked Council for the work done by Public Works in the park area near the underpass at the Mobil station.

MINUTES OF MEETINGS: In the minutes of the budget work session of May 5, 2004, Mayor Davis corrected a misstatement that the Friends of the New Deal Café Arts was the only group requesting an increase, since the Arts Center had also done so. It was moved by Mr. Putens and seconded by Ms. Mach that the corrected minutes be approved. The motion passed 5-0.

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS

Mr. McLaughlin pointed out that Mr.Goldberg had distributed the agenda prepared by the Greenbelt East Advisory Committee for their upcoming work session with Council on June 3. He said staff would prepare a memo on these items prior to the meeting. He also announced a town forum being held by Representative Steny Hoyer at the public library in Beltsville tomorrow night.

Mayor Davis asked Mr. McLaughlin about a complaint noted by the Planning and Community Development Department that skateboards were being used on the tennis courts at Braden Field that are currently being resurfaced. He responded that the effects of this would be repaired in the resurfacing and that part of the problem is that the fence is temporarily down. In response to a question from the Mayor, he said although the City does not have the authority to confiscate boards, if perpetrators are caught, municipal infractions will be issued with a $50 fine and a $100 fine for a second offense. He added that the City has been successful in prosecuting these in court.

Ms. Mach announced the Senior Citizens Advisory Committee is sponsoring a “Not for Seniors Only” session on June 5 at 10 a.m. in the Community Center on suggestions for making homes more accessible.

Mr. Herling announced that the exhibit on affordable housing at the National Building Museum will continue until August 8, 2004; this exhibit contains a component on Greenbelt. He also announced that the Arts Center would be cleaning out the former JayCee Clubhouse building on June 12 and said volunteer help would be most welcome.

Mayor Davis reported on a reception at the federal court house on May 11 for the opening of an exhibit that includes photographs of the Lenore Thomas bas-reliefs from the Community Center; the 2004 Eleanor Roosevelt High School Awards Ceremony on May 17; a QUEST Senior Banquet at the high school on May 18; a Career Day presentation for 5th and 6th graders on May 19; and the May 21 opening of the new exhibit at the Greenbelt Museum space in the Community Center on “Sports, Health, and Fitness in the New Deal Era.”

COMMITTEE REPORTS: There were none.

LEGISLATION

A Resolution to Repeal Resolution 960 and to Establish Admission Fees and Pass Rates for the Greenbelt Aquatic and Fitness Center, Effective May 29, 2004

Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. Mr. Putens introduced the resolution for second reading and adoption. Mr. Herling seconded the motion. Mr. McLaughlin announced the outdoor pool had passed inspection and was ready to open.

ROLL CALL: Mr. Herling - yes

Ms. Mach - yes

Mr. Putens - yes

Mr. Roberts - yes

Mayor Davis - yes

The resolution was declared adopted. (Resolution No. 971. Book No. 18.)

A Resolution to Negotiate the Purchase of Citation Collection Services from Data Ticket, Inc., of Newport Beach, California

Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. Mr. Putens introduced the resolution for first reading. Mr. Roberts asked how many tickets were represented by the $800,000 in uncollected fines. He said given the per-notice charge, it would be useful to know how many were being sent out. Mr. McLaughlin said staff would get that information. Mayor Davis asked how the City had gotten so far behind in collecting. Mr. McLaughlin said a backlog had been cleared in 1995 using Data Ticket, which had subsequently done some short-term collections. The City then tried to do the collections in house in order to save the fees, as was being done at the time by College Park. The City has found the software unacceptable, however, and College Park has also made a decision to contract with Data Ticket for the same reason.

ASTRONOMY CLUB OBSERVATORY – AGREEMENT: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. Mr. Roberts made a motion to authorize the Mayor to sign the agreement with the Astronomy Club governing the Observatory, and Mr. Putens provided a second. Matt Elliott and Doug Love, president and vice president, respectively, of the Astronomy Club, each spoke briefly. The motion passed 5-0.

CHANGE ORDERS FOR DESIGN COSTS ON PUBLIC WORKS FACILITY: The Mayor read the agenda comments. At her request, Bill Phelan, assistant director, Public Works, summarized the three proposals for changing costs. Mayor Davis asked when ground would be broken. Mr. Phelan estimated late summer. Mr. Herling noted the Park & Recreation Advisory Committee was still concerned with getting the Buddy Attick Park restrooms completed. It was moved by Mr. Putens and seconded by Ms. Mach that the City pay $63,880 in additional costs to John E. Harms, Jr. & Associates, Inc., for additional work related to the Public Works facility as described in the staff memo of May 18, 2004. The motion passed 5-0.

AWARD OF PURCHASE – CHERRYWOOD LANE STREET RESURFACING: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. Mr. Putens moved Council approval of the award of purchase for Cherrywood Lane resurfacing to NZI Construction Corporation of Beltsville, using the unit prices in Prince George’s County Contract #725-H, for an approximate total cost of $150,000. The motion was seconded by Mr. Herling. Doug Love, 3D Plateau Place, commented on some of the problems with the intersection of Cherrywood and Greenbelt Road. Ken Hall, director, Public Works, said that the department may hire a consultant to do some soil studies at this location because of the problems over the years. The motion passed 5-0.

APPOINTMENTS/REAPPOINTMENTS TO ADVISORY GROUPS: Mr. Putens moved that Council appoint Veronica Hemrich to the Public Safety Advisory Committee and Brian Gibbons to the Advisory Planning Board; he further moved that Council reappoint Justin Walker and Andrew Mangum to the Youth Advisory Committee.

MEETINGS: Council reviewed the list of meetings. The Mayor asked that the work session with AIMCO, the one on the skateboard park concept, the meeting with the New Deal Café board, and a stakeholder meeting with Capital Office Park all be scheduled and that a stakeholder meeting with the City’s hotels be put on the list for scheduling.

ADJOURNMENT: A motion to adjourn was made by Ms. Mach and seconded by Mr. Herling. The motion carried 5-0. The Mayor adjourned the regular meeting of May 24, 2004, at 9:44 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 May 24, 2004.

Judith F. Davis

Mayor

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