Council Approves Refinancing and Tables Group Action on Campaign Finance, Roberts Dissents

Greenbelt City Council met on Monday, July 11, with all council members present. It addressed a wide range of issues, with many passing unanimously. Councilmember Rodney Roberts would not vote with the group, however, on issues concerning refinancing $3,844,000 and tabling specific group action in support of a constitutional amendment reversing a U.S. Supreme Court decision on independent corporate expenditures during an election.

Smoking in Roosevelt Center

Council heard reports from the Park and Recreation Advisory Board (PRAB) and the Youth Advisory Committee on smoking policy in Roosevelt Center.

PRAB’s report stated “Many children and families frequent the center and there was no support from the board for allowing smoking at the Center.” It also suggested the picnic table area behind the gas station might be the most suitable place for a designated smoking area.

The Youth Advisory Board's report stated, “Advisory members acknowledged and endorsed the need to not expose non-smoking citizens, youth and families to second hand smoke within Roosevelt Center Mall.” It identified the grassy area across from Dominoes Pizza as a potential location for a designated smoking area and had reservations about placing the area at the benches in front of the underpass across from Roosevelt Center.

Council plans to discuss the reports at a work session on August 3, at 8 p.m. Council work sessions are open to the public.

Braden Field Tennis Court Resurfacing

Council passed a resolution to negotiate the purchase of Braden Field Tennis Court resurfacing services from Tennis Courts, Inc. of Aylett, Virginia, at a cost of $117,868. Council voted 6-0 in favor of awarding the bid to Tennis Courts Inc., with Mayor Pro Tem Emmett Jordan recusing himself from voting because of his affiliation with the Greenbelt Tennis Association (GTA).

Charges for Garbage, Trash and Recycling Collections

Council voted 7-0 in favor of a resolution that would establish service charges for garbage, trash and recycling collections in the City of Greenbelt, establishing new fees of $67 a quarter, which amount to $268 a year for refuse and recycling and $33 a year for recycling only, effective July 1, 2011.

Refinancing 3.84 Million

With Roberts as the lone dissenter, Council voted 6-1 in favor of passing an ordinance to award the issue of $3,844,000 City of Greenbelt refunding bonds of 2011. The public purpose of the resolution was refunding certain outstanding general obligation bonds.

Roberts told Patch that he voted against the resolution because he did not like pushing off financial problems to the future, when the city could pay off its debts in another four years and be done with it.

Forest Preserve Signage

Council voted 7-0, on each of two separate recommendations from the Forest Preserve Advisory Board to create new signs. One sign would advise the public of forest preserve rules and prohibitions and a second would name the four sectors of Greenbelt’s forest preserve.

Constitutional Amendment Affecting Indirect Campaign Finance

Council could not reach agreement on a request from Maryland United for Peace and Justice to support a constitutional amendment to overturn the U.S. Supreme Court decision on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.

Details on the debate will be posted in a Greenbelt Patch article summarizing Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission.

Council voted 6-1 to table the request and bring it back up at another time, with Roberts as the lone dissenter.

Council’s Next Regular Meeting Aug 15