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Town Meeting Minutes
January 14, 2009
The meeting was called
to order at 8:00 p.m. Present were Mayor Calvo,
Mayor Pro-Tem Lofgren, CMs Dennison, Gourley and
Lofgren. CM Attick had an excused absence. Also
present were Town Administrator Murphy, Chief of
Police Murphy, Treasurer Lape, Clerk Harper, as well
as Chair of the Education Advisory Committee (EAC)
Ann Harris Davidson, Gazette reporter Jordan
Attebury and citizens.
Mayor Calvo led the Pledge of
Allegiance.
Mayor Calvo announced that CM
Attick resigned during at the January 12
worksession, effective that day.
1. Minutes
Clerk Harper read a summary of
the December 10 Town meeting minutes. On a motion by
CM Dennison and second by MPT Lofgren, the minutes
were approved 4 to 0.
2. Treasurers Report
Treasurer Lape gave the
Treasurer's report for the month of December.
3. Mayors Report
Mayor Calvo reported that he
attended the General Assembly's opening session
earlier and met with a general sense of concern
about the State's fiscal condition. The budgetary
shortfall may be as high as 10% of the operating
budget and is likely to affect local governments as
well, as some of the budgetary burdens may be
shifted to them. In contrast, the Town of Berwyn
Heights continues to do relatively well. Last year
was a good year for the Police Department, which has
instituted policies that resulted in the lowest
crime rate on record. The Public Works Department
took on the major new responsibility of collecting
recyclables, expanding the amount of materials
recycled and improving the collection service,
including at Berwyn Heights Elementary School
(BHES). Under CM Gourley's leadership, the
Administration made progress in cross-training
employees in payroll execution and BHTV and website
updating, while CM Dennison has pushed to make the
Code Department more user-friendly. The efforts of
the Code Department to keep up property standards
contributed to home values declining less than in
surrounding areas and keeping foreclosures to a
minimum
Looking ahead, Mayor Calvo
announced that the Town's budget process begins in
February with department directors presenting their
budget requests at worksessions. While real property
tax and income tax revenues will remain healthy this
year, he said that the Council needs to look beyond
the upcoming budget to a period of declining
revenues that is likely to begin after the next
triennial assessment in January 2010. He thinks that
property values may decline as much as 20%,
considering that the last assessment occurred at the
peak of the recent housing market boom in December
2006. Therefore, the FY 2010 budget needs to reflect
the lean years ahead by budgeting conservatively and
setting money aside in reserve funds. On the other
hand, the economic crisis has also engendered a very
low rate of inflation, which is likely to save the
Town money in fuel expenses and Cost of Living
Adjustments (COLA). In addition, he would like to
reduce the cap on rising assessments from 10% to 6%
or 7% this fall. This would ease the tax burden on
residents and help extend the reserves from the
homestead tax credit.
Other budget priorities include
funding a welcome packet in book format, which will
help in reaching out to new residents, a
re-evaluation of the in-house recycling program
after imposition of a $30 per ton tipping fee for
recyclables, and implementation of energy-saving
policies, such as retrofitting lights in Town
buildings and possibly purchasing street lights for
retrofitting. In May, the Safe Streets Committee is
scheduled to present its final recommendations on
traffic improvements, some of which could be
implemented if the Metroland compensation is paid
out this year. Another goal is to promote Berwyn
Heights as a great place to live in light of new
military and government jobs being transferred to
the region.
Lastly, Mayor Calvo made
several announcements. The Council had an executive
session on January 12, during which CM Attick
resigned. Interim Police Chief Roberto Hylton was
nominated for the permanent Chief's position and
will hold a community meeting on January 22 at
Parkdale High School. A presentation will be given
on the reliability of the Berwyn Heights power
network at the February 12 Town meeting.
4. Department Reports
Administration:
CM Gourley wished everyone a happy new year and
thanked his staff for their diligence and hard work
during the past year. He also noted with sadness the
passing of Jeanette Hines, a long-time Town
resident, and Kenneth Foster, son of long-time
residents Audrey and Calvin Foster. He then reported
on revenues received to date, which total $1,650,000
and represent 64% of budgeted revenues.
Code Compliance:
CM Dennison thanked her staff for a productive year,
appreciated Town organizations for their work on
behalf of the community, and expressed the hope that
CM Attick can be persuaded to stay on the Council.
In light of the many visitors expected for the
presidential inauguration, she advised that cars may
not be parked on grass, political signs may not be
posted in the Town right-of-way and trash should be
placed at the curb on scheduled trash days. Lastly,
the Code Department registered 1 new rental property
and is investigating 4 properties as possible rental
homes.
Parks and Recreation,
Education and Civic Affairs: There was no
report.
Public Health and Safety:
Chief Murphy gave the police activities report for
the last month. There were 7 Part I offenses in
December, which is below the 5 year average of 9 and
brings the 2008 total to exactly 100. This total is
lower than the 5 year average of 132 and the lowest
since these statistics have been recorded. It
represents a decrease in serious crime of 19.4% over
2007, which he believes to be a reflection of the
officers' visibility and residents' vigilance.
Violent crime was also down by 13%. Of particular
note is the low number of car thefts, down to 7 in
2008 from 25 in 2007, and is probably due to a large
number of residents using steering wheel locks. A 5
year summary of serious crimes and overall police
activity, which reflects an increase in the work
product of the police officers, has been made
available to the Council and the public.
Chief Murphy further reported
that he, Detective Antolik and Officer Young spent
last Monday in the Circuit Court in Upper Marlboro
regarding a day-time robbery of a Berwyn Road
residence, from which the perpetrator stole several
pieces of electronic equipment. One of the stolen
items, a flat screen TV, was located by Detective
Antolik at a Bladensburg pawn shop only an hour
after the burglary occurred. It led to the arrest of
the burglar, who is now in jail awaiting sentencing.
Chief Murphy concluded with highlights from press
releases.
Chief Fusco of the Berwyn
Heights Volunteer Fire Department was in attendance
and gave a report. He said that, in light of the
huge number of out-of-Town visitors expected for
inaugural activities, the Fire Department has
prepared as much as possible for the expected
increase in calls for service. The Department plans
to be fully staffed during inauguration week and
continues to be briefed on plans for possible
contingencies, including an overcrowded Metro
system, traffic accidents and other emergencies. Ann
Harris Davidson noted that a number of local
restaurants will host inauguration events that will
attract crowds from the vicinity.
Chief Fusco continued that the
Department signed a contract for a new Seagrave till
ladder truck for $800,000 in December, which will be
picked up from the manufacturer in Wisconsin at the
end of year. The old ladder truck will be put up for
sale. In response to Mayor Calvo, he said that the
volunteer fire companies will be reimbursed the fees
collected by the County for ambulance service
provided by the volunteer companies at the end of
the year. He thanked the Council for its help in
getting the County Executive to reinstate the
companies earnings. In response to CM Gourley, he
said that the previous ladder truck was purchased
from a manufacturer in Pennsylvania for
approximately $500,000. Response to the fall fund
raiser from residents in Springhill Lake/Empirian
Village was low although roughly half of all calls
for service are received from there.
Public Works: MPT
Lofgren reported that holiday trash pickup worked
smoothly. Recycling reached a new peak with 6.8 tons
collected the week after Christmas. Leaf collection
totaled 144 tons and cost $5,400 to dispose.
Director Coleman attended presentations on the cost
and benefits of compressed natural gas (CNG)
vehicles. A switch by Public Works to CNG vehicles
is not likely in the near future as the engines are
very expensive compared to traditional gasoline
engines. Director Coleman also met with WSSC
regarding street patching and appears to be getting
better cooperation. On the top of Berwyn Road, a
temporary patch was recently replaced with a
permanent one. The price of road salt has gone up to
$71 per ton but so far the Department did not have
to use any. After 40 years of operation, the Brown
Station landfill will be closed in 2011 and replaced
with a transfer station along Route 301. Further,
Director Coleman received quotes for re-lamping Town
facilities and landscaping the Town right-of-way
along the Staples parking lot.
5. Committee Reports
Education Advisory
Committee: Chair Ann Harris Davidson thanked
the Committee's members and supporters CM Dennison,
PTA President Beth Brittan Powell, Nipa Shah, James
Wilkinson and many others. Last year, the EAC helped
turn back a protest by the NAACP about the special
funding for the Music &Technology program at the
BHES. The FY 2010 PGCPS Proposed Operating Budget
maintains funding of $351,044 for the BHESs Music &
Technology program, along with an additional
$32,116, which may be funds to re-equip the BHES
Midi/Music Technology lab, but no there is no
funding for the replication of the program at a
second site. The EAC also succeeded in placing the
Music & Technology program back into PGCPSs Office
of Enrichment and Specialty Programs (ESP), together
with all the other magnet and specialty programs.
Ms. Davidson continued that the
Board of Education has begun the search for a new
superintendent and is holding hearings to receive
input from the public. At the hearing in Upper
Marlboro on the previous evening, she testified in
favor of more specialty programs and recommended
against the school system giving away the 6 schools
that will be closed in southern Prince George's.
Berwyn Heights parents were encouraged to testify
at the hearing at High Point High School tonight.
Parents may also give input on a PGCPS boundary
survey that is posted on the
www.pgcps.org website.
Ms. Davidson announced that, at
the February 10 EAC meeting, the PGCPS Facilities
Management staff will give a presentation on the
rebuilding of Greenbelt Middle School. The widely
advertised meeting may draw a large crowd and will
need to take place at the upstairs Town Center.
Lastly, a ceremony is planned for June 15 to
celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first grade 6
students to have been promoted, in 1959, from the
Berwyn Heights Elementary School after it opened on
Pontiac Street. That ceremony will also celebrate
the promotion of the first BHES 6th graders to have
completed their entire elementary education at the
school since it re-opened in 2002. Several of the
1959 class members have confirmed their attendance.
Historical Committee:
There was no report.
Neighborhood
Watch/Emergency Preparedness: Newly elected
Co-Chair of the NW/EP Jodi Culpa Eddie reported that
the Committee is still in the process of selecting
new officers, who should be confirmed by the time of
the budget hearings. At the County level, changes
have been made to the Homeland Security Office but
she does not have the details yet. For inauguration
week, 2 CERT volunteers have been put on call to be
available for contingencies. Families and friends
planning to attend the festivities are advised to go
over telephone numbers and meeting places in case of
separation.
Recreation Council:
There was no report.
Safe Streets Committee:
There was no report.
6. Unfinished Business
There was none.
7. New Business
There was none.
8. Citizens Discussion
Ann Harris Davidson commented
that the unsightly billboards between Greenbelt and
Branchville Roads she has complained about before
are still standing. She was told that once Metroland
is open and the connector road built the signs would
be taken down. She asked why the Town can't have
them removed. Mayor Calvo replied that the Town was
told they would be taken down but they have not
been. He will look into it.
Ms. Davidson also noted that
President-elect Obama may pass by Berwyn Heights on
his whistle stop tour on Saturday if he duplicates
President Lincoln's trip on the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad.
The meeting was adjourned at
9:35 p.m.
Signed:
Kerstin Harper, Town Clerk
Copyright © Town of Berwyn Heights.
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