Freeze on Evictions Rejected By Close Vote of City Council
The proposed eviction freeze died in a 3-3 tie at the November 23 regular meeting of the Greenbelt City Council. Legislation banning rent rate increases and late fees passed. Earlier that day Governor Lawrence Hogan had announced $19 million in Maryland Eviction Prevention Partnership grants, $2,672,725 of which are designated for Prince George’s County. It […]
Council to Vote on Freezing Evictions, Late Fees & Rents
At its November 23 regular meeting the Greenbelt City Council is expected to vote on three ordinances that would prohibit evictions, late fees and rent increases and impose substantial penalties for non-compliance. At the November 9 council meeting, Mayor Colin Byrd introduced for first reading an ordinance that would prohibit landlords from filing for evictions […]
Refinancing of Two Bonds Saves $700,000; GSFC Environmental Plan Raises Concerns
At its August 10 regular meeting, the Greenbelt City Council gave final approval to a proposed refinancing of two prior bond issues. In addition, it received a briefing on the environmental assessment of the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). Refinancing As reported in Matt Arbach’s story in the August 13 News Review, the current extremely […]
Council Briefed on Beltway Widening Options, Impacts
Additional details are now available about the impact of the proposed widening of the Capital Beltway (I-495) and I-270. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (SHA) have released their Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS) and the Joint Federal/State Application (JPA) for the alteration of any floodplains or […]
Budget Adopted with Minor Edits. City Tax Rate Stable
At its June 8 regular meeting the Greenbelt City Council adopted the budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 (FY21) on a 6-0 vote with Councilmember Edward Putens absent due to work obligations. The budget is essentially what City Manager Nicole Ard had proposed to council at the April 14 budget presentation, incorporating the […]
Council Ponders First Steps Toward Making Police Reforms
From Councilmember Rodney Roberts’ emphasis on the word justice in leading the pledge of allegiance, through the unanimous approval of a proclamation declaring that black lives matter in Greenbelt, and elsewhere to acknowledging the need for more discussion of what police reform steps may be necessary, the Greenbelt City Council, at its Monday, June 8 […]
City Budget Tightens Under Pressure from the Pandemic
Despite some frustration with online meetings, disagreement on the issues and an occasional undeleted expletive, the Greenbelt City Council, at its final budget worksession on May 18, informally agreed upon how to address the $3.7 million hole in the proposed Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) budget from the business closures resulting from the pandemic. The proposed […]
Council Reviews Pre-pandemic Public Safety Budget of $12M
Greenbelt spends more on public safety than any other budget category. It accounts for more than a third of the expenditures in the Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) budget proposed by City Manager Nicole Ard. Under her proposal, the city would spend $12 million for public safety, 36.4 percent of total city expenditures. Of this, $11.5 […]
Uncertain Future Affects City 2021 Budget Deliberations
Facing a level of uncertainty higher than experienced in decades, on Tuesday, April 14, the Greenbelt City Council began its review of City Manager Nicole Ard’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2021, which starts July 1. Business closures and other impacts from the coronavirus will significantly reduce city revenues. Ard stated that in reacting to […]
Council Opposes Engraving And Printing Move to BARC
The Greenbelt City Council went on record opposing the proposal to move the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) to the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC). The vote at the October 28 council meeting was 6-1 with Councilmember Leta Mach opposed. She wanted to meet first with the agencies before taking a position and was […]