Budget Worksession Minutes
April 25, 2005

The meeting was called to order at 7:04 p.m. Present were Mayor Calvo, CMs Dennison, Gourley, Laughlin and McNulty. Also present were Town Administrator Murphy and Clerk Harper.

1.      Mayor

Announcements: On May 10, a pizza eating contest will be held to raise funds for the Special Olympics. On April 27, Mayor Calvo, CMs Dennison and Gourley will represent the Town at the rain garden dedication. Pat Blankenship, Chair of the Citizens to Conserve and Restore Indian Creek (CCRIC), County officials and students from Berwyn Heights Elementary School (BHES) will attend the ceremony. Arbor Day will also be proclaimed on that day. Berwyn Heights Day is on May 7. The Sports Park concession stand will be dedicated. CM McNulty attended a jury duty symposium as the parent representative of his son's high school at the County Courthouse. The Police Department received the grant check to replace the laptops in the police cars. A wallet-size photo of the Police employees with contact information is available at the Police Department and the Town Office. The Washington Post Prince George's Section published a ranking of high schools in the D.C. region. Eleanor Roosevelt was ranked in the top, Parkdale in the middle and Duvall in the low-performing category. The Edmonston Road bridge into College Park Estates will be rebuilt and closed for all traffic from mid June to mid-September this summer.

Calendar: This item was dropped.

Citizen Comments: CM Dennison received comments about the status of the agreement on the use of the call-a-bus. CM Laughlin mentioned that the Council had received a comment about grading in connection with the construction of a new home on 63rd Avenue.

2.      Budget

The Council edited a budget message and summary budget tables to be published in the May Bulletin. Additional budgetary changes were considered. Under revenues, it was agreed that highway user fees will be adjusted when final figures have been approved by the General Assembly. The establishment of a special taxing district to enhance public safety was considered in case a bill to that effect is signed into law. CMs Dennison and Laughlin requested clarification on the boundaries of the special taxing district and the mechanism for implementing the tax. Mayor Calvo said it would be based on real property assessments and implemented in the same manner as special taxing districts for water and sewer already in existence. The tax would be established by ordinance and would entail notification of businesses and a public hearing. Preliminary research on how to implement the tax will be undertaken before the next budget worksession.

At 7:50 p.m. the Council took a 5 minute break.

The Council considered a budget request from the Neighborhood Watch/Emergency Preparedness Committee (NE/EP) which itemizes needed supplies and equipment. CM McNulty moved transfer $1,000 from the Employee Benefits line item to the NW/EP appropriation. CM Gourley seconded. The motion passed 5 to 0.

CM Gourley asked the Council to consider restoring funding for a part-time weekend code enforcement officer, which had been cut from the proposed budget, by taking a little money out of each department's budget. There was no support for taking money from the Administration, Public Safety or Parks and Recreation Department. CM Laughlin said she would support the weekend officer at the 8 hours per week level.

CM Gourley offered to cut the Public Works Department budget to fund the position. Mayor Calvo said that a motion to that effect would have to transfer a specific amount of money from specific line items. He suggested to take the money from the temporary labor line item for now and shift money around later after consulting with the Public Works Director. CM Gourley moved to cut $4,000 from the temporary labor appropriation of the Public Works Department. CM Dennison seconded. The motion passed 5 to 0.

Mayor Calvo asked if CM Gourley wanted to make a motion regarding his tax proposal that was read at the last Town meeting. CM Gourley moved to raise real property taxes by 6 cents per $100 of assessed property value to finance street repairs. The motion failed for lack of a second. CM Gourley moved to raise the tax by 3 cents per $100 of assessed property value. The motion failed for lack of a second.

Mayor Calvo commented that, if the Town continues to reduce its reliance on the surplus to pay for operating expenses and tax revenues continue to rise at the current rate, enough money could be saved to pay for road repairs.

CM Gourley briefed the Council that proposals have been obtained for the repair of under drains located at 59th Avenue and Tecumseh Street. The two jobs required may cost $9,100 and $1,822, respectively, and may have to be undertaken sometime in the next fiscal year.

The Council discussed whether the effectiveness date of the budget ordinance, June 1, precludes reconsideration of the ordinance at the June Town meeting to enact a special public safety tax. TA Murphy said he believes it does not preclude it as the Town Charter allows for an emergency  procedure by which an Ordinance can be introduced and adopted at the same Town meeting.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:02 p.m.

Kerstin Harper, Town Clerk

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