REGULAR MEETING OF THE GREENBELT CITY COUNCIL held March 12, 2007.

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

ROLL CALL was answered by Councilmembers Leta M. Mach, Rodney M. Roberts, and Mayor Judith F. Davis. Konrad E. Herling did not attend because of illness, and Edward V. J. Putens was attending an activity of the National League of Cities Congressional City Conference in the District.

ALSO PRESENT were Michael P. McLaughlin, City Manager; Daniel La Placa, City Solicitor; David Moran, Assistant City Manager; and Kathleen Gallagher, City Clerk.

Mayor Davis asked that everyone observe a moment of silence in memory of former residents Hazel M. Sides and Patricia Ann Dick, who was also the wife of Ronald Dick, administrative assistant to the City Manager from 1963-66. The Mayor then led the pledge of allegiance to the flag.

INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS: Mayor Davis welcomed the ACE Educators present; County Councilmember Ingrid Turner; the three School Board members present – Rosalind A. Johnson, Donna Hathaway Beck, and Nathaniel B. Thomas; as well as Delegate Anne Healey’s legislative aide, Jane Burke, who also represented Delegates Gaines and Ross and Senator Pinsky, since the General Assembly is in session. Later in the meeting, the Mayor introduced former School Board members Suzanne Plogman and José Morales and former City Councilmembers Thomas White and Alan Turnbull.

CONSENT AGENDA: Ms. Mach asked to remove from the consent agenda the minutes of the February 21, 2007, work session. It was moved by Ms. Mach and seconded by Mr. Roberts that the consent agenda be approved as amended. The motion passed 3-0.

Council thereby took the following actions:

MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETINGS

- Interviews, February 26, 2007
- Regular Meeting, February 26, 2007
- Interviews, March 7, 2007
Approved as presented.

REAPPOINTMENTS TO ADVISORY GROUPS: The City Council reappointed Kilolo Ajanaku to the Advisory Committee on Education and Mary Helen Spear and Kevin Hammett to the Community Relations Advisory Board.

APPOINTMENTS TO ADVISORY GROUPS: Council appointed Matt Berres to the Recycling & Environment Advisory Committee and Cindy Comproni to the Public Safety Advisory Committee.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA: It was moved by Ms. Mach and seconded by Mr. Roberts that the agenda be approved as presented. The motion passed 3-0.

PRESENTATION - ACE Educator Awards Ceremony: Mayor Davis introduced Advisory Committee on Education (ACE) Committee Member Jeff Morisette, who introduced the other ACE members present: Kathy Lewis, Lauretta Baugh, and Theresa Bugg. He also recognized Councilmember Mach as the Council liaison to ACE, Wendy Wexler, staff liaison, and Liz Murray, director of the ACE Reading Program. He said this was the 12 th consecutive year that ACE awards had been presented, and he thanked the City Council for its support over that period. He then discussed the purpose of the ACE Awards and gave an overview of all of ACE’s activities.

The following 2007 award recipients were recognized, and gifts and citations were presented from ACE, the City Council, the County Council, the General Assembly, and the Board of Education:

Greenbelt Elementary School Mary Mullennix – Second Grade Teacher
Springhill Lake Elementary School Joy Sleeth – Reading Specialist
Magnolia Elementary School Carolyn Kunst – School Nurse
St. Hugh's School Margo Van Den Bossche – Third Grade Teacher
Greenbelt Middle School Sandra Holley – Math Teacher/Department Chair
Eleanor Roosevelt High School Andrew Capece – Algebra I & Geometry Teacher/Athletic Director

County Councilmember Turner and Ms. Burke both made closing remarks in recognition of the ACE Educators.

PETITIONS AND REQUESTS: José Morales introduced several individuals representing Greenbelt Baseball, including Greg Fisanich, José Morales, Jr., Jim Inzeo, and Andrew Bronstein. He said their main concern was that there had never been a response from the City on the question of lights for McDonald Field. He said they need to know if installing lights will be approved in order to fundraise. The Mayor said no official position had been taken and that the item was on the future capital projects list. Mr. McLaughlin added that the Park & Recreation Advisory Board had also taken a position that lighting should be considered first at Schrom Hills Park. Mr. Morales replied that this was the point: that until there was approval to pursue the project, they could not initiate fund raising.

Mr. Morales, Jr., vice president of Greenbelt Baseball, stressed the heavy use the field receives through three seasons of the year. He listed as problems: the condition of the dugouts, drainage on the field, large rocks in the infield, large holes in the outfield; and limited parking. He said they understand there are some issues, but their lights are not on late, and lights are a safety concern.

Ms. Mach described the Kaboom! grant program to which a proposal had been submitted for field refurbishment, which could help address many of the problems.

Mayor Davis asked Mr. McLaughlin to have the field checked to see if any immediate repairs were required.

Mr. Roberts suggested using the Armory or Roosevelt Center for satellite parking.

Karen Kellaher, 18-L Ridge, said she believed there was room to expand parking in areas that are really just dead brush and would not require the removal of live trees.

In response to a suggestion that more players might be able to walk to the field, Mr. Bronstein said that many parents do not want them walking home at the end of the night. He also described the condition of the field and said they had to adapt the game to the field. He said the coaches come early to remove broken bottles and other debris and hazardous waste from the area, and he suggested that additional lighting in the area might discourage some of these uses. He and Mr. Morales both expressed a concern with liability.

In response to a question from Mr. Morales about why they were required to carry insurance, Mr. La Placa clarified that the reason they had to carry their own insurance and co-insure the City was because they could be sued for something presumed to be their responsibility. Mr. McLaughlin added that the City’s insurance would cover something related to the condition of the field itself but did not include their staff. Mr. La Placa added that the Boys and Girls Club he works with has gotten good rates from Sadler Sports Insurance.

Jeff Pedelty, 7 Court Southway, said it might be easier to get more walkers or use satellite parking if there were better walkways in the appropriate places: for example, to and from the armory.

Mr. McLaughlin said staff would look at the field area and get a report to Council and to the league in a couple of weeks.

MINUTES OF MEETINGS

Work Session, February 21, 2007: Ms. Mach corrected the minutes to say that she had stressed the need to work with children at a young age on crime prevention efforts and to encourage success in school. She moved that this set of minutes be approved with that correction. Mr. Roberts seconded the motion, which carried 3-0.

Executive Session, February 21, 2007: Mr. Roberts moved that the minutes of the executive session of the City Council held Wednesday, February 21, 2007, be approved as presented. He further requested that the minutes of this meeting reflect that the Council met in executive session at 9:07 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room of the Community Center. Council held this closed meeting in accordance with Section 10-508 (a) (9) of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Public General Laws of Maryland to consider matters related to collective bargaining negotiations. Ms. Mach seconded the motion.

ROLL CALL: Ms. Mach - yes
Mr. Roberts - yes
Mayor Davis - yes

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS

Mr. McLaughlin announced that there would be cleanups from 9-11 at Greenbelt Lake and the Springhill Lake stream on March 31 as part of the Potomac Watershed Cleanup. He said an “intent to apply” had been sent to ATHA for funding for the theater.

Ms. Mach said she and Mr. McLaughlin went to Annapolis to testify at a bond bill hearing on the City’s request for $500,000 for theater renovation. She said $121 million in requests had been received, with only $10 million available for award. Ms. Mach also attended the Empty Bowls Project and the National Honor Society induction ceremony at Eleanor Roosevelt High School.

Mayor Davis commented on attending the following: the Recreation Department’s rendition of “As You Like It,” directed by Christopher Cherry; the meeting held by the Transportation Planning Board in Suitland on land use and alternative transportation; fourth-grade classes at Greenbelt Elementary School to speak about the “If I Were Mayor” contest; the Maryland Municipal League’s Legislative Committee meeting; the City’s Mid-Term Legislative Dinner with its state delegation; a meeting with members of the Police Department and an accreditation group; the Empty Bowls Project; and an Eagle Scout celebration.

LEGISLATION

A Resolution to Negotiate the Purchase of a Deep Tine Aerator from Finch Services, Inc., of Westminster, Maryland, at a Cost of $15,500
- 1 st Reading

The Mayor read the agenda comments. Mr. Roberts introduced the resolution for first reading and asked how often this equipment would be used. Mr. McLaughlin said it would be used frequently within a limited season. Regarding the question of whether it could be shared, Mr. McLaughlin said he thought not since, unlike the street sweeper, everyone would need it at the same time. Mr. Roberts asked if the depth this machine would reach was the same as that being done under the City’s existing contract for the field work. Mr. McLaughlin said it was.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT APPLICATION – PY 33: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. Mr. Moran clarified a couple of points in response to questions. It was moved by Mr. Roberts and seconded by Ms. Mach that it be proposed for PY 33 to reconstruct a portion of Edmonston Road and a small section of Springhill Drive, as well as to submit a second project to begin upgrading the street lighting and install emergency call boxes in Springhill Lake. The motion carried 3-0.

STATE LEGISLATION: Mayor Davis read the agenda comments for each item.

SB 605/HB 1018 - Lien Priority for HOAs: Sheldon Goldberg, Greenbelt East Advisory Committee, said that his information was that this item had been voted down in committee and withdrawn. Mayor Davis suggested that Council go on record as supporting it regardless. It was then moved by Mr. Roberts and seconded by Ms. Mach that Council support SB 605/HB 1018. The motion carried 3-0.

SB 409/HB 890 – Global Warming/Reduction in Greenhouse Gases: The Mayor noted Senator Pinsky was a lead sponsor of the bill. Ms. Mach said she asked to have it placed on the agenda because she heard about it at a Metropolitan Washington Air Quality Committee meeting and thought the City might wish to support it. Mr. Roberts expressed some reservation about the need to establish a new government office, as proposed, to handle it. It was moved by Ms. Mach and seconded by Mr. Roberts that Council support SB 409/HB 890. The motion carried 3-0.

HB 493 – Property Tax Setoff for M-NCPPC Taxes: Mr. Moran said this bill had been defeated in subcommittee and that it was very unlikely to survive. It was moved by Ms. Mach and seconded by Mr. Roberts that Council support HB 493 for the record. The motion carried 3-0.

Mr. Moran also noted that the public safety surcharge bill had made it out of the delegation. Mayor Davis asked him to keep an eye on another bill, as well, to establish a Chesapeake Bay Green Fund.

MEETINGS: Council reviewed the meeting schedule.

Ms. Mach made a motion to reschedule the June City Council meetings from the second and fourth Mondays to the first and third Mondays, in order not only to permit budget adoption by June 10 without holding a Special Meeting but also to allow for two meetings that month. Mr. Roberts seconded the motion, which passed 3-0.

It was agreed to hold an executive session on Wednesday, March 14, at 7:00 p.m. to brief Council on the collective bargaining negotiations. Mr. La Placa suggested a need to do this by motion, which was made by Mr. Roberts, seconded by Ms. Mach, and carried 3-0.

It was agreed to hold a work session on Monday, March 19, to be briefed by the Avrio Group on a proposed surveillance camera system for Roosevelt Center.

ADJOURNMENT: A motion to adjourn the meeting was made by Ms. Mach and seconded by Mr. Roberts. The motion carried 3-0. The Mayor adjourned the regular meeting of March 12, 2007, at 10:05 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Kathleen Gallagher
City Clerk

"I hereby the 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 12, 2007.

Judith F. Davis
Mayor

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