Council Wants Goddard and BARC in District 3

Redistricting plans — to shift Greenbelt from District 4 into District 3 — are missing two key features, according to the Greenbelt City Council: the and Beltsville Agriculture Research Center.

and voted in favor of firing off a letter to the Prince George’s County Redistricting Commission and County Council, asking that both Goddard and at least a portion of BARC also be included in District 3, which is an electoral boundary that would include Greenbelt, College Park, New Carrollton, Berwyn Heights, Riverdale Park and University Park under the draft plans.

Mayor Pro Tem Emmett Jordan cited his connection to Goddard and BARC as among the reasons why both should join Greenbelt in District 3. What’s more, the council agreed, Goddard itself has a Greenbelt address.

The commission is expected to meet once more on Aug. 23 before submitting its plan to the County Council on Sept. 1.

Timely Meeting Minutes

During the petitions and requests portion of Monday night's meeting, resident Molly Lester asked that the city be “more timely” in providing meeting minutes online for the community. Lester said more than a dozen sets of meeting minutes that should be available online aren’t, calling the 90-plus-day delays “of concern to me” and possibly others who may rely on meeting minutes when voting later this year.

When council met Monday, and as of Aug. 19, the city’s latest minutes that are available online date back to a budget work session from May 4.

Mayor Judith “J” Davis, who acknowledged that “sometimes it does get behind,” said the city has only one city clerk whose duties stretch well beyond producing minutes. “I’m sorry we are taking too long,” said Davis, adding that the minutes must also be approved prior to being posted online. She said that can slow the process down, too.

Davis also noted the “erroneous idea” that meeting minutes cover everything from a council meeting or work session. They don’t, she said, largely because of the amount of time it would take to transcribe each and every verbal exchange during a meeting.

Consulting Services

With Councilman Edward Putens dissenting, the council approved $18,000 in services from Fields Consulting Group, tasked to help the Greenbelt Police Department identify the most qualified candidates seeking a promotion. At present, the department has four unfilled positions available — one sergeant, three corporals — and anticipates more openings as the force continues to age and retire.

Putens, who otherwise supported the firm’s intent, rejected the $18,000 bid because, he said, he was uncomfortable with what appeared to be a “single-source bid.”

According to an agenda document produced by Captain Dan O’Neil of the Greenbelt Police Department, city code states that the competitive bid process may be waved “when the competitive bid procedure is not feasible because the purchase is for employment of a professional service.”

City Manager Michael McLaughlin attempted to clarify the point, saying that professional services are difficult to evaluate and quantify, as opposed to a company tasked to lay concrete, for example.

Still, said Councilman Rodney Roberts, the process shouldn't be based on word of mouth alone.

For his part, O’Neil assured the council that the department had consulted with other firms before making the recommendation to council, including a Wisconsin-based firm and local firm that didn’t ultimately make the cut. He also said the department received “outstanding” feedback from other departments within the county that have already used the firm’s services.