WORK SESSION/MID-SESSION LEGISLATIVE DINNER
held Wednesday, March 8, 2006,
at Harry Browne’s restaurant in Annapolis, for the purpose of discussing legislative issues.  

Following dinner, Mayor Davis convened the meeting at 7:55 p.m.  

PRESENT WERE Councilmembers Konrad E. Herling, Leta M. Mach, Edward V. J. Putens, Rodney M. Roberts, and Mayor Judith F. Davis.  

STAFF PRESENT WERE Michael P. McLaughlin, City Manager; Robert A. Manzi, City Solicitor; David E. Moran, Assistant City Manager; and Kathleen Gallagher, City Clerk.  

ALSO PRESENT WERE State Senator Paul Pinsky; State Delegates Tawanna Gaines and Anne Healey; and County Councilmembers Douglas Peters and Tom Dernoga. State Delegate Justin Ross could not attend.

 Mayor Davis welcomed the legislators and thanked them for attending. The following legislative priorities were reviewed:  

State Issues 

Reallocation of the Springhill Lake Recreation Center Grant to the Community Center Window Project : The Mayor thanked the delegation for introducing HB 1564 and SB 941. Del. Gaines asked how soon the project could begin. Mr. McLaughlin said the process could begin soon after July 1.

Public Safety Funding :  

a. Increase Municipal Share of Surcharge: The Mayor explained the issues and said the City would come back next year with this request for legislation to give other municipalities equity with Laurel in the percentage of the police surcharge received.  

b. Signing/Retention Bonus: This bill, PG 409, was withdrawn.  

Funding for Joint Communications Center : Del. Gaines said she thought funding for this Center had been achieved through some other means.  

Prohibition of Transfer of Liquor Licenses to Gas Stations : Del. Healey asked a number of questions regarding the City’s goals with this initiative, and the Mayor explained it was ultimately to eliminate the sale of alcoholic beverages by gas stations by prohibiting the few that had been grandfathered from transferring their license to a new owner of the gas station. It was clarified that the City did not object to transfer or sale to another type of business.

County Issues

 Institutionalize School Resource Officer Funding : Councilmember Peters said the problem was that the Council had put it into the School Board budget but could not earmark it. He said in the supplementary budget, it will be moved to the Police Department budget.

Increase M-NCPCC Funds Provided to Greenbelt : Mayor Davis said this was the City’s perennial protest that it does not recoup enough taxes for the services it provides to residents. Mr. Peters suggested writing directly to the new chair to bring the issue to his attention.  

New Greenbelt Fire Station : Mr. Peters said this was in process. There was brief discussion of requirements for sites. 

Enable New Planning Authority : Mr. Peters said he was working on it. He said it had been enabled by the state but that now the county needed to act.  

The following areas of concern were also discussed:

Alert Items 

FY 2006 Highway User Revenue Capital Grant Renege : Mayor Davis stressed that the Governor had again promised full funding for FY 2007 and the City was once again being forced to do its own budget without any certainty of the funding.  

Mr. Roberts asked about sound barriers for the beltway. Sen. Pinsky asked for written specifics.  

Update on Greenbelt West ( Greenbelt Station, Springhill Lake & Beltway Plaza) : Mayor Davis said schools had become a major issue. The Springhill Lake development is likely on hold until at least September because of the moratorium on development due to a shortage of police and fire fighters.  

MML Growth Management Act v. MACO Anti-Annexation Legislation : The Mayor thanked Del. Healey and Sen. Pinsky for sponsoring and co-sponsoring bills.  

Intercounty Connector : The City’s opposition was reiterated.  

Mr. Moran noted HB 1020 – State Aid for Police, which he said would be on the City Council’s next agenda. It would raise the per-officer amount of aid for the first time in seven years.  

Mayor Davis mentioned there were five bills for dedicated funding for Metro, which COG has been following. Del Healey said she was not sure anything would happen this year.  

Mayor Davis asked if there were any issues on which the delegation could use the City’s support. Mr. Peters said a Firefighters’ Bill of Rights would be introduced in response to a request from the union regarding the Chief making decisions on volunteer personnel that reverse decisions made by volunteers. He asked for the City’s support.  

Mr. Putens mentioned that some other states were monitoring gasoline prices. He said there appeared to be no efforts in this direction in Maryland, but he thought it might be necessary to start thinking about it.  

Council thanked the legislators for their support and attendance.  

The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 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