REGULAR MEETING OF THE GREENBELT CITY COUNCIL held March 24, 2008.

Mayor Davis called the meeting to order at 8:03 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 City Manager; and Kathleen Gallagher, City Clerk.

Mayor Davis asked for a moment of silence in memory of Greenbelt resident Lawrence L. Goldberg and former residents Michael Sucher, Dolores Capotosto, and Jean Ann Mogel. She then led the pledge of allegiance to the flag.

CONSENT AGENDA : Ms. Mach asked to remove from the consent agenda the work session minutes of March 17. It was moved by Mr. Putens and seconded by Mr. Herling that the consent agenda be approved as amended. The motion passed 5-0.

Council thereby took the following actions:

MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETINGS

- Legislative Dinner, March 6, 2008

- Regular Meeting, March 10, 2008

Approved as presented.

APPROVAL OF AGENDA : Mayor Davis asked to add State Legislation/Municipal Parks Bill to the agenda as item #15. It was moved by Mr. Putens and seconded by Ms. Mach that the agenda be approved as amended. The motion carried 5-0.

PRESENTATIONS

Proposed FY 2009 City Budget : Mr. McLaughlin presented his proposed FY 2009 budget for the City. In his overview, he said that although he has not proposed a tax increase, the City was still using all of the increased revenue resulting from increased assessments. He said he anticipated that revenues would probably hold through fiscal years 2010 but the outlook in 2011 was much less certain. At that point, the problem will return of having expenses grow faster than revenues can keep up.

The Mayor and other Councilmembers thanked him and the staff for all the work that went into the preparation of the budget. Mr. Putens also thanked Council for its ongoing support for a significant level of City services. Mayor Davis commented that there were at least three negative revenue impacts created in the Special General Assembly Session, including reductions in highway user revenues and income tax and in the local share of Program Open Space money.

FY 2008 Award for Distinguished Budget Presentation : The City received the Government Finance Officers Association Award for Distinguished Budget Presentation for its FY 2008 budget. This award recognizes Greenbelt's budget document as one that satisfies national guidelines as a policy document, an operations guide, a financial plan, and a communications device. The City Manager accepted the award on behalf of the City. He said the City had received the award for 19 of the last 20 years that it had been eligible to receive it.

PETITIONS AND REQUESTS : None.

MINUTES OF COUNCIL MEETINGS

Work Session, March 17, 2008 : Ms. Mach asked to make a correction indicating that when school is open, traffic backs up not on Hanover Parkway, as was stated, but rather on Greenbelt Road turning onto Hanover Parkway. With that correction, she moved approval, with a second from Mr. Herling, and the motion carried unanimously.

Executive Session, March 12, 2008 : Mr. Roberts moved that the minutes of the executive session of the City Council held Wednesday, March 12, 2008, be approved as presented. He further requested that the minutes of this meeting reflect that the Council met in executive session at 8:10 p.m. in the Library of the Municipal Building. Council held this closed meeting in accordance with Section 10-508 (a) (7) of the State Government Article of the Annotated Code of Public General Laws of Maryland to consult with counsel to obtain legal advice on a matter related to the City's at-large election system. Mr. Putens seconded the motion.

ROLL CALL:

Mr. Herling - yes

Ms. Mach - yes

Mr. Putens - yes

Mr. Roberts - yes

Mayor Davis - yes

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS

Ms. Mach attended the annual Women's History Month Luncheon at Martin's Crosswinds and a PGCMA meeting. She provided the City Manager with a flier related to a meeting to be held of the County Planning Board on April 10.

Mr. Herling commented on an event at the New Deal Café to welcome the new chefs, a meeting of the Park & Recreation Advisory Board, and the Easter Egg Hunt.

Mayor Davis attended a Read Across America Program at Magnolia Elementary School and read to three sixth grades. She also announced the following: the Eleanor Roosevelt High School girls basketball team won the state championship again; two of the Police Department's canine teams (Barry Byers and Rex; and Robert Musterman and Cigo) won awards at the Region Three U.S. Police Canine Association banquet; Officer Jonathan Lowndes was nominated by Springhill Lake as one of America's Most Wanted First Responders; and the Fire Department is sponsoring a house in Greenbelt for Christmas in April, which needs volunteers for work on April 26 (301-868-0937).

LEGISLATION

A Resolution of the City of Greenbelt, Maryland, to Endorse and Participate in the Cool Capital Challenge

Mayor Davis read the agenda comments and introduced the resolution for second reading and moved its adoption. Mr. Putens seconded the motion.

ROLL CALL:

Mr. Herling - yes

Ms. Mach - yes

Mr. Putens - yes

Mr. Roberts - yes

Mayor Davis - yes

The resolution was declared adopted (Resolution No. 1029, Book 8).

Mayor Davis asked that the resolution be referred to the Recycling & Environment Advisory Committee (REAC) to consider for eventual educational activities with other plans the City anticipates initiating over the next year or so.

Bill Orleans asked why the City had not joined Cool Cities or the Mayors' Challenge, despite REAC's recommendation that it do so. The Mayor said these were being worked on but were more complicated and expensive than they appeared. She said Greenbelt wanted to be sure that any commitments it made were realistic and doable.

BICYCLE RACKS AT ROOSEVELT CENTER : Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. Mr. Putens moved, and Mr. Roberts seconded, that Council support the installation of inverted “U” bicycle racks at the following locations:

•  One in the grass area between the Co-op and the theater.

•  One on the south side of Centerway in the vicinity of the exit to the underpass.

•  One additional rack on the lower level in the vicinity of the former post office space.

•  In front of the library.

•  The rear entrance to the Community Center in the vicinity of the nursery school entrance.

Ms. Hruby explained that staff had not recommended all the racks suggested by the Advisory Planning Board (APB) on Centerway because staff supported the 1990 school of thought that limited what could be placed on Centerway both for purposes of aesthetics and of not appearing to encourage biking in the center. She said the topic could always be revisited later.

In response to a question from the Mayor, Ms. Hruby said the Co-op had indicated a willingness to consider placement of a rack at the east entrance eventually.

Ms. Mach noted that both the APB and the Park & Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) had recommended racks between the New Deal Café and the professional building. She said she thought the fact that this is a major entryway to the Center should take priority over the landscaping. Ms. Hruby said the problem is that while it is an entrance, it is also private property.

Mayor Davis asked how the City could encourage other shopping centers, restaurants, and other destinations to put bike racks in. Ms. Hruby said she thought the pedestrian and bike plan being developed by the APB for the City should help with that. She added that merchants are often willing to do it if they see the advantage to them. In response to a question from the mayor, she said she thought City facilities were fairly well covered but that she would take a look. When the vote was taken, the motion carried 5-0.

AWARD OF PURCHASE – CARPET REPLACEMENT : The Mayor read the agenda comments. It was moved by Mr. Herling and seconded by Mr. Putens that Council award the purchase of carpet replacement to Zinzi Carpet of Falls Church, Virginia, at an estimated cost of $23,451. The motion carried 5-0. The Mayor noted that the carpet would be recycled.

AWARD OF PURCHASE – REPLACEMENT VEHICLE FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT : Mayor Davis read the agenda comments. Mr. Moran noted that additional information on fuel economy had been distributed to Council regarding the gas mileage and environmental impacts of the two cars that provided additional support for purchase of the Ford Focus sedan. It was moved by Mr. Putens and seconded by Ms. Mach that Council approve the purchase of a Ford Focus sedan from Hertrich Fleet Services of Denton, Maryland, in accord with State of Maryland bid #001B8900260 at a cost of $11,457. Mr. Roberts asked if staff had looked at other higher mileage vehicles. Mr. Moran said there were no others on the staff bid. Mr. Roberts said he thought the City should not limit itself to state bids and should further explore what was on the market. When the vote was taken, the motion carried 5-0.

STATE LEGISLATION : Mayor Davis said she added this item for purpose of discussing City support for HB 1604/SB 1000, “Department of Natural Resources - Community Parks & Playgrounds Program.” She said the funding would be dedicated to urban parks, whereas other funds have gone to county parks. She moved that Council support the bill, and Mr. Putens offered a second. Mr. Roberts said he was opposed to this program because it would be one more raid on Program Open Space funding. He said he was not opposed to the purpose but to the source of the funds. When the vote was taken, the motion carried 4-1 (Roberts).

MEETINGS : Council reviewed the schedule of upcoming meetings, including the budget work session schedule. The scheduling of the work session on news racks was approved, and it was suggested that April 23 be scheduled for a briefing on the County Transportation Operations Plan.

ADJOURNMENT : A motion to adjourn the meeting was then made by Ms. Mach and seconded by Mr. Putens. The motion carried 5-0. The Mayor adjourned the regular meeting of March 24, 2008, at 10:03 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 24, 2008. @

Judith F. Davis

Mayor

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