Council Urged to Take a Step Back in Planning City Hall
At its February 5 worksession, the Greenbelt City Council heard a presentation from architect David Whaples, based on work Isabelle Gournay and he did, urging council to take a broader view on replacing the Municipal Building. Gournay is an architect and a member of the Advisory Planning Board (APB). They first presented this concept to […]
Recycling Centers Drowning In Rampant Illegal Dumping
The city’s three recycling centers are being inundated with large volumes of illegal dumping ranging from nonresidential volumes of oil, hazardous materials (including hydrochloric acid), furniture, construction debris and more. This is costing the city a lot of money in both staff time and disposal costs. Council has scheduled a March 13 worksession to begin […]
Council Hears Request from PSAC To Review Officer-Involved Shootings
On Monday, December 4, the Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) met with the Greenbelt City Council for a periodic review. After a brief discussion of the group’s activities since their last meeting with council two years ago, Mayor Emmett Jordan set the tone for the rest of the meeting, noting increasing crime, especially juvenile crime, […]
Water Tower Rehabilitation Set to Begin by Next Summer
On Monday, October 30 representatives from WSSC Water (WSSC) updated the Greenbelt City Council on the Standpipe Rehabilitation Project expected to start next year. Councilmembers and nearby residents felt “blindsided,” in the words of Mayor Emmett Jordan earlier this year, when they learned that WSSC had purchased the house closest to the standpipe (water tower) […]
Liquor License, Purchases Occupy Council on Sept. 26
In addition to reviewing an already-approved liquor license application by the Greenbelt Cinema, it was contract time at the September 26 regular meeting of the Greenbelt City Council. Council approved contracts or purchases of four shade structures for Greenbelt Station, a variety of technology purchases and installation of fiber optic cable between city buildings. In […]
Council Finalizes One Ballot Question, Rejects Another
At its September 26 regular meeting the Greenbelt City Council finalized the question to appear on the ballot for the November 7 council election and rejected a proposed second question. It also received an update from the City Board of Elections regarding voting procedures. Noncitizen Voting Voters will face just one advisory question on the […]
WSSC Promotes Amnesty, Water Tower Repair Plans.
Representatives of WSSC Water (WSSC), the agency that provides water and sewer services to Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, met with the Greenbelt City Council on June 21 to discuss the agency’s Get Current amnesty program and refurbishment of the water tower on Lastner Lane. After the worksession, council briefly discussed potential issues with the […]
Council Okays FY24 Budget And Open Space Spending
The Greenbelt City Council adopted the budget for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) at its June 5 regular meeting. Council also approved submission of the FY24 Program Open Space plan to the county and witnessed Mayor Emmett Jordan present several proclamations. Budget Council approved the council-suggested changes that had garnered consensus support at the May 24 […]
Public Works Proposes $4.6M Budget for Council’s Attention
The Public Works budget, with proposed Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) expenditures of $4,573,400, is the fourth largest in the city budget. Department leadership met with the Greenbelt City Council on April 19 to discuss this budget. Two of the department’s responsibilities – parks maintenance (proposed expenditures $1.6 million) and the Greenbelt Connection ($136,100 expenditures, $7,400 […]
Council Changes Charter, Will Say if Manager Must Live Here
A charter amendment approved by the Greenbelt City Council on April 11 will give council the ability to waive the requirement that the city manager must live in Greenbelt. The amendment passed on a 4 to 3 vote with Councilmembers Colin Byrd, Judith Davis and Rodney Roberts opposed. The amendment will go into effect on […]