Meeting began at 7:32 pm. Councilmember Patrick Wojahn was present; Jack Perry and Mayor Steve Brayman arrived later. Faith Calhoun (on behalf of P.G. County Councilman Tom Dernoga) also attended.
The College Park Auto Service had not yet prepared their landscaping plan, so there was no presentation. We expect the plan to be ready for the April meeting.
Moved by Peter Lakeland / Arthur Eaton: Approve the minutes of NCPCA February 14 meeting with the following changes, all of which are in the paragraph that starts “Ruth Herbert gave”: after “School Board” add “about the matter,”; after “December 3” add “the City”; at the end add the sentence “Ruth also received a telephone call from the School Board.” The motion passed.
President Arthur Eaton reported that the MD Dept. of Environmental Resources is looking for office space in the neighborhood for a small satellite office, and businesses interested in donating space should contact them; on 4/2 at 7pm at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt M-NCPPC will conduct a Master Plan of Transportation Workshop; on 4/19 Prince Georges County will hold a countywide cleanup effort and invited NCPCA to participate.
Treasurer Anna Ubeda was absent, so there was no Treasurer report. February’s balance was $1,396.
Patrick Wojahn gave a progress report on the Al-Huda school site plan. There is little to report, other than an inspection of the inside of the building that was to have been conducted on 3/21 would have to be rescheduled since 3/21 is a city holiday (Good Friday).
There was no report from the Variance Committee as there were no new variances this month.
The Washington Post plant in College Park will be closing in 2010 as the Post scales back its operations. This will have an appreciable impact on the city’s budget, as this is the source for about 8% of the city’s revenue.
Members discussed their preferences for city budget priorities. Arthur Eaton read a list of the previous year’s budget priorities. Mark Shroder suggested we proceed along the same outline. Patrick Wojahn gave a few suggestions of his own. Four motions were put forth, all of which passed, giving the following items as NCPCA’s top priorities for the 2008-2009 fiscal year:
1. Increase the budgeted level of police services to meet the goal of 300 hours/week (Anne Riley / Peter Lakeland).
2. Maintain, and if possible improve, code enforcement services (motion did not address parking enforcement) (Mark Shroder/ Judy Blumenthal).
3. Fund one or more security cameras at the entrance to the Greenbelt Metro where Lackawanna St. deadends (Mark Shroder/ Judy Blumenthal).
4. Place public trash receptacles in areas of high pedestrian traffic (Larry Bleau/Mark Shroder).
Moved by Mark Shroder / Judy Blumenthal: Close budget priorities, direct Arthur to write letter to City Council listing the priorities. Motion passed.
Mark Shroder reminded the officers that at the April meeting the members will have to appoint a Nominating Committee, which would make its report in May for NCPCA’s June elections, and we should start reminding members about renewing the dues, which will be due 6/1.
Patrick Wojahn reported there is a vacancy on the Noise Control Board for district 1, and that David Milligan had been appointed chair of the Citizen Corps.
Moved/seconded by Mark Shroder / Larry Bleau: Adjourn the meeting. Motion passed, and the meeting adjourned at 9:24 pm.
Submitted by Larry Bleau, Secretary.