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Town Meeting MinutesMay 10, 2006
The meeting was called to order at 7:34 p.m. Present were Mayor Calvo, CMs Dennison, Gourley, Laughlin and McNulty, CMs elect Brad Jewitt and Darald Lofgren and candidates for Town Council Joan Hayden and Ron Shane. Also present were Town Administrator Murphy, Chief of Police Murphy, Treasurer Lape and Clerk Harper, as well as Clerk of the Circuit Court Rosalyn Pugh, Delegate Anne Healey, Gazette Reporter Michael Zimmerman and citizens. Mayor Calvo led the pledge of allegiance. Mayor Calvo announced the changes in the agenda format: there will be no committee reports at this meeting due to a crowded agenda. 1. HearingsFY 2007 Town budget (7:41 p.m. - 7:44 p.m.): Mayor Calvo gave an overview of the budget and recent changes. The budget projects total receipts of $2,130,000, reflecting a 9.9 percent increase over FY 2006, and an operating budget of $2,078,000 reflecting a 9.3 percent increase. A sum of $257,000 will be transferred from surplus to fund $193,000 in capital expenditures and $64,000 in operating expenditures. Most of the budget increases are due to employee salary and benefit increases, a 55 percent increase in electricity rates and a 90 percent increase in workers compensation insurance premiums. Enhancements in capital budget include the addition of $25,528 to the Infrastructure Improvement Reserve Fund and $32,600 to establish a Vehicle Equipment Replacement Reserve Fund to purchase expensive vehicles and trucks outright. The budget maintains a real property tax rate of 48.6 cents per $100 of assessed real property value and $121.5 cents per $100 of assessed personal property value. Another important change occurred in the Public Health & Safety Department with the establishment of a Special Public Safety Taxing District. This district encompasses the Berwyn Heights Commercial District and the industrial zone along 55th and Ballew Avenues and Branchville Road. In FY 2007, a real property tax of 10 cents per $100 of assessed real property value and a personal property tax of 5 cents will be levied on the district to fund the hiring of an 8th police officer. Mayor Calvo opened the hearing on the FY 2007 budget. Ed Burton of 57th Avenue asked how businesses are assessed their taxes. Mayor Calvo said that the owners of commercial property pay real property taxes, and every business in the district pays personal property taxes. Taxes are assessed by the Town based on information provided by State Department of Assessment and Taxation (DAT). The Town also receives business license fees from every business in the District. With no further comments, Mayor Calvo closed the hearing. Public Safety Taxing District hearing (7:44 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.): Mayor Calvo noted that the Public Safety Taxing District budget is separate from the Town budget. In FY 2007, it is expected to raise $37,400 in revenues which will be applied to the hiring of an 8th officer in mid-year and which would be fully funded in FY 2008. Mayor Calvo opened the hearing. With no comments, he closed the hearing. Business Licenses Ordinance amendments hearing (7:45 p.m. - 7:47 p.m.): Mayor Calvo explained that the main change to the Business Licenses Ordinance is the establishment of a separate fee schedule that can be amended by resolution. The fees themselves, which have not been changed in 11 years, have been raised by an average of 20%. Mayor Calvo opened the hearing. CM Dennison noted that a resident has submitted a comment in writing. Mayor Calvo summarized a letter by Mark Winston of 63rd Avenue who is concerned that 1) non-profit volunteer organizations are not specifically excluded from business licensing requirements and 2) the penalty of $25 per month for late payment may be disproportionate to the fee itself, such as a $10 vending machine license. With no further comments, Mayor Calvo closed the hearing. 2. MinutesClerk Harper read a summary of the April 8 Town meeting minutes. On a motion by CM Gourley and a second by CM McNulty, the minutes were approved 5 to 0 with corrections. 3.Treasurer's ReportTreasurer Lape gave the Treasurer's report for April. 4.Mayor's ReportMayor Calvo noted that he had the pleasure of participating in this year's “If I were Mayor Contest” at the Berwyn Heights Elementary School. Thirty four 4th graders submitted an essay that contained many good ideas about what they would do as mayor. Jose Calderon won 1st prize and Katelyn de Groth, Jerry Cicotte, Tracy Micapella and Alma Knutson received the honorable mention prizes. Mayor Calvo also reported that he, CMs Dennison and Gourley attended a meeting with the Public Works Director, Detective Antolik and Boys & Girls Club representatives to discuss the improvement of the Sport Park ball field. Among other things, it was agreed that a code of conduct would be posted at Sports Park and a schedule for using the field be written up. Mayor Calvo reported for the Neighborhood Watch/Emergency Preparedness (NW/EP) that a disaster simulation drill was held on April 29 at Sports Park, joined by CERT Teams from neighboring communities. Participants learned how to use the equipment in the trailer and about potential shortcomings in the disaster response. NW/EP welcomes new member Paul Ferrera who will add his expertise as a ham operator to the team. On Berwyn Heights Day, the NW/EP raised $400 to be used primarily for new First Aid supplies. Prince George's County received a $417,000 federal grant to plan and coordinate volunteer disaster response. NW/EP Chair Ron Shane and Vice Chair Mike Attick were named as Assistant Program Director and Program Director respectively for Prince George's County. 5. Department ReportsCode Enforcement: CM Laughlin reported that Code Director Sonjia Solomon and Code Assistant Adrian Forbes staffed a booth on Berwyn Heights Day to hand out informational material as well as coloring books, pencils and junior code enforcement badges. The booth was well attended. CM Laughlin continued with a reminder to keep grass cut below 10”, to prevent grass clippings from dropping into the curb and to keep vehicles off the grass. She concluded with a report of code violations in April. Parks and Recreation: CM Dennison reported that Berwyn Heights Day was a great success and thanked Trinity Tomsic and Lisa Keller for planning and coordinating the activities, Hank Becker for managing the Pancake Breakfast and local bands Susan Jones Quartet, Flashlight and House of Jams for participating in the evening concert. The Town's staff was thanked for their help. The Berwyn Heights Historical Committee (BHHC) carried off a significant ceremony for this year's historic marker, Keleher Avenue, now Ruatan Street, with 7 guests in attendance that were either long-time residents of Keleher Street or decedents of former residents. In other news, new CEO of the Prince George's County Schools John Deasy will meet with residents on June 13 as a guest of the Berwyn Heights and College Park Education Advisory Committees. On June 15, the Town will host the annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. Public Safety: CM McNulty, who did not seek re-election, said farewell to those he served with on the Council and in the Police Department and that he felt privileged for the opportunity to be on the Council. Chief Murphy expressed his Department's appreciation for CM McNulty's service and presented him with a plaque. Then he gave the police activities report for the month of April. There were 12 Part I offenses, including one armed robbery at Checkers and two assaults. He continued with highlights of incidents. Public Works: CM Gourley expressed his appreciation of having served with Public Works Director and each member of the crew. 6. Unfinished BusinessOrdinance No. 135 - Adoption of FY 2007 Budget: On a motion by CM Gourley and second by CM Dennison, the Ordinance was considered read. Mayor Calvo reiterated that the budget maintains the current real and personal property tax rates and puts in place an operating budget of $2,078,156 and a capital budget of $309,100 for a total budget of $2,387,256. CM Laughlin moved to adopt the budget. CM McNulty seconded. Mayor Calvo noted that the budget is the product of a lot of hard work and makes progress towards the goals the Council set itself: funding infrastructure improvements, establishing a vehicle replacement fund and making salaries and benefits more competitive. Unexpectedly large increases in electricity rates and workers compensation complicated the effort. CM Dennison remarked that her budget went up due to added maintenance costs for the ball fields at Pontiac Street and Sports Park. In a 5 to 0 roll call vote, the FY 2007 budget was approved. Ordinance No. 136 – Adoption of FY 2007 Public Safety Taxing District Budget: On a motion by CM McNulty and second by CM Dennison, the Ordinance was considered read. Mayor Calvo said that the budget implements a 10 cents real property tax and a 5 cents personal property tax on businesses in the District. This will raise $37,000 that will be used towards the hiring of a new police officer in mid-year which will be fully funded in FY 2008. CM Gourley moved to adopt the Ordinance. CM McNulty seconded. There was no discussion. In a 5 to 0 roll call vote, the Ordinance was adopted. Ordinance No. 105 – Adoption of Business Licenses Amendments: CM Gourley moved to adopt the Ordinance. CM McNulty seconded. Mayor Calvo said that the most important change is the removal of the license fee schedule from the Ordinance so that it can be changed by resolution and the raising of fees by approximately 20 percent. He further noted that the Ordinance does not apply to businesses or organizations outside of the commercial district, e.g., home-based businesses or non-profit organizations located in the Town proper. A $25 late fee applies to all businesses equally, because the processing cost is the same regardless of the size of the business. In a 5 to 0 roll call vote, the Council approved the amendments to Ordinance No. 105. 7. New BusinessOrdinance No. 137 – Introduction of FY 2006 Budget Amendments: On a motion by CM McNulty and a second by CM Gourley, the Ordinance was considered read. CM McNulty moved to introduce the Ordinance. CM Dennison seconded. Mayor Calvo summarized that this year-end amendment declares excess revenues and grant money received and distributes it throughout the budget. There were no comments. The amendments were introduced in a 5 to 0 roll call vote. Resolution 07-2006 – Greenbelt Station DSP Approval: On a motion by CM McNulty and a second by CM Laughlin, the Resolution was considered read. CM McNulty moved to adopt the Resolution. CM Laughlin seconded. Mayor Calvo explained that this Resolution, held over from the April Town meeting, approves two separate detailed site plans for the Greenbelt Station development, an apartment complex and 320 town homes. However, it expresses continued concerns about inadequate provisions for storm water runoff and school facilities and calls on the County to undertake studies and devise measures to prevent flooding of Indian Creek along 56th Avenue. CM Dennison noted that the Prince George's County Planning Board will review the plans on June 11. With no further comments, the Resolution was adopted in a 5 to 0 roll call vote. Mayor Calvo took a point of privilege to express his pride to have served with this Council for the last two years. He said it was a privilege to work with CM Laughlin and CM McNulty, who decided not run for re-election, and said he will miss them. During the many hours of meetings spent together, they have become like family. He presented them with plaques to honor their service. CM Laughlin thanked Mayor Calvo and explained that she decided to become involved in Town affairs because she wanted to get to know people and find out what was going on. Serving on the Council turned out to be an excellent way to get to know the Town and she thoroughly enjoyed the experience. CM McNulty said that his 2 years of service on the Council have gone by fast and that he has grown a lot. Quoting CM Laughlin, he acknowledged that it is the long late night meetings that have forged ties that bind and that a special camaraderie has developed. He intends to stay involved and wished the next Council much success. Mayor Calvo acknowledged Delegate Ann Healey, who came to attend the swearing-in. 8. Swearing-in of Town CouncilClerk of the Circuit Court, Rosalyn E. Pugh, swore in Mayor Calvo and CMs Patti Dennison, Jeff Gourley, Brad Jewitt and Darald Lofgren. 9. Organization of new CouncilMayor Calvo stated that the most important responsibility of a Mayor is his prerogative to appoint Department Heads and form the Town's government. He announced the appointments: Darald Lofgren to Public Works; Patti Dennison to Parks and Recreation, Education and Civic Affairs; Brad Jewitt to Code Enforcement and Transportation; Jeff Gourley to Administration; and Mayor Calvo to Public Health and Safety. 10. Remarks of Mayor and CouncilmembersMayor Calvo remarked that when he was first elected to the Town Council 2 years ago, the Council came together to define a set of priorities around which they organized their agenda. When running for re-election this spring, he and the other candidates had the opportunity to engage residents and talk to them about their concerns. Based on these conversations, this Council has identified a new set of priorities that will guide them throughout the next term.
He concluded by thanking residents for re-electing him as Mayor and that he will strive to live up to their expectations and to the reputation of a long line of successful Berwyn Heights Town Mayors. CM Jewitt thanked residents for re-electing him to the Council after an eventful 3-years absence. He is anxious to get to work as head of the Code Department and looks forward to working with the Director to find a less contentious approach to obtain compliance with the Town's standards. CM Dennison thanked residents for re-electing her. She looks forward to continuing her service with the Parks and Recreation Department, which brings her in close contact with community organizations and the elementary school. CM Lofgren, who previously served 22 years on the Council, said that he has enjoyed a 4-year hiatus without meetings. He thanked those who supported him and permitted him to post his signs in their yards. He is looking forward to working with the Public Works crew and the necessary but often thankless job they do. In his other job of park manager, he is public works, too. CM Gourley thanked residents for re-electing him to the Council. He is honored to serve as head of the Administration Department and is looking forward to learning the ins and outs from an experienced Town Administrator. 11. Citizen CommentsEd Burton of 57th Avenue alerted the Council to a problem with young children playing in the street unattended on his block. The situation needs immediate attention before one of them gets hit by a car. Ron Shane of 57th Avenue congratulated the Councilmembers on getting elected. He expects this Council to achieve many things because of the enthusiasm, talent and experience that its members bring to the task. He wished them the best of luck. Scott Chismar of Buffalo, N.Y., who grew up in Berwyn Heights and owns two rental homes in Town, brought up three concerns he would like the new Council to address. He asked the Council to continue to strive to improve public safety and give the police the tools they need to keep crime low. Second, as a rental owner, he supports a more cooperative approach to code enforcement while acknowledging its importance. In particular, he is bothered by a disparity of treatment of rental owners and resident owners and asked for greater evenhandedness. Lastly, he would like to see the Town return to a higher level of professionalism in its interactions with the public, citing as examples an unwieldy rental application process, typos in the Bulletin and an incomplete Web site. Mayor Calvo thanked Mr. Chismar for his constructive input and invited him to come to a worksession to give more specifics. Delegate Ann Healey, who represents Berwyn Heights in the Maryland House of Delegates, congratulated the Councilmembers on their election. She knows from personal experience the importance of municipal government and how closely it must attend to the concerns of its citizens. She noted the striving for cooperation amongst Councilmembers and complimented the Town on a wonderful Berwyn Heights Day, which she had the pleasure to attend. Mayor Calvo thanked Delegate Healey and other District 22 Delegates for the great representation they provide the cities in their District. Delegate Healey said that she and others have long experience in municipal government and care about municipal issues. Joan Hayden of Seminole Street congratulated the Council on their election. She notified the Council of a problem with unattended children playing on her street and hoped that the Council will address it before an accident happens. The meeting was adjourned at 9:25 p.m. Kerstin Harper, Town Clerk |
