City Council Preview: June 6

City Council will meet on June 6, at 8 p.m., for their regular meeting, and will take up adoption of the FY 2012 budget. Their agenda includes the following items:

PRESENTATIONS

The Maryland Municipal League “If I Were Mayor” district finalists. Three students from Greenbelt schools were selected as finalists:  Kiya Dean and Leslie Rios from Springhill Lake Elementary School and Nijaya Jones from Greenbelt Elementary School.  Kiya, Leslie and Nijaya will read their essays.

Recognition of the National Board Certified Teachers. The teachers have been invited to attend tonight's Council meeting:

Springhill Lake Elementary School: Johanna Long, Mathematics

Greenbelt Elementary School: Stephanie Katz, 4th Grade 

Eleanor Roosevelt High School: Angela Bettick, English; Margaret Brosnan, Science; Rebecca Howell, Science; Christina Kim, Mathematics; Anne Koroknay, English; Jennifer Massagli, Science; Kathleen Veety-Martin, Science

Recognition of Brian Weeks, 6th grade math teacher at Greenbelt Elementary School, for receiving the Washington Post's 2011 Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award for Prince George's County.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

The Forest Preserve Advisory Board, Report #2011-2, regarding membership in the Baltimore-Washington Partnership for Forest Stewardship.

The Arts Advisory Board, Report #2011-2, supplemental report on recognition group applications.

LEGISLATION

FY 2012 Budget

Since the proposed FY 2012 budget was presented to council on March 28, council has held ten public work sessions and two public hearings. The budget is now ready for adoption.  The city charter requires the budget be adopted by June 10 for the fiscal year starting July 1.

Upon amending the city manager's proposed budget, council must introduce an ordinance to adopt the budget, appropriate funds, and establish tax rates for real and personal property for FY 2012.  As has been the practice, all funds have been incorporated into one ordinance.

The city manager recommends that council introduce the ordinance, suspend the rules and adopt the ordinance at tonight's meeting, June 6. If the budget ordinance is not adopted on June 6, a special meeting will have to be scheduled on or before June 10.

LEGISLATION FIRST READINGS

An ordinance to amend Chapter 10, “Licenses, Permits and Miscellaneous Business Regulations” of the Greenbelt city code by adding a new Section VI, entitled - “Notice of Foreclosures.”

An ordinance to authorize and empower the City of Greenbelt, Md., from time to time, to borrow not more than $3,950,000 for the public purpose of refunding the outstanding principal amount of the city’s public improvement and refunding bonds of 2002 and to effect such borrowing by the issuance and sale, upon its full faith and credit, of its general obligation bonds in like par amount.

A resolution to negotiate the purchase of facility renovations at the Springhill Lake Recreation Center with Romero Construction Company of Rockville, Md., at a cost not to exceed $90,000.

OTHER BUSINESS

Council will determine whether to award a bid to the low bidder, McDonnell Landscape, Inc., in the lump sum amount of $316,044 for the Greenhill/Hillside roads stream restoration/stabilization project -- and use the Capitol Projects budget to cover an $18,820 increase, due to three revisions.

Council will decide on the selection of a firm for FY 2011 audit services for the city.

OTHER REPORTS

Council will decide whether to authorize the mayor to sign the memorandum of agreement for Baltimore Washington Partners for Forest Stewardship.
Council will take up whether to oppose CB-15-2011, Prince George’s County Stormwater Legislation.

Council will clarify what it passed at the May 23, 2010, city council meeting with regard to the Braden Field Tennis Courts (BFTC), and attempt to clear up any confusion. During the May 23 motion, council verbally voted to approve the lighting and resurfacing of the courts. However Greenbelt city council clerk, Cindy Murray, clarified, to date, council doesn't have the bid for the resurfacing, nor is the final cost of the bid known, and therefore it was not technically possible for council to approve funding on May 23. Tonight, council will include in its agenda a clarification of the action taken. Approval of this item on the consent agenda will indicate council’s intent to approve the lighting of BFTC 1 thru 8 and award the bid to Tennis Court’s Inc. at a cost of $194,128, which includes $15,000 for electrical and payment system contingencies costs.

Council will take up the Mayor's speaking at the Prince George’s County Redistricting Commission public hearing to address recent 2010 Census data and its impact on the county's 2011 redistricting plan. Approval of this item on the consent agenda will authorize Mayor Davis to speak on behalf of the council at the upcoming June 7, public hearing on the topic and express council's preference that the city remain within the 5th Congressional District.