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OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Greenbelt City Council Regular Meeting – March 23, 2026

City Council — Monday, March 23, 2026

BodyGreenbelt, Maryland

SessionCity Council

DateMonday, March 23, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

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Transcript — Verbatim

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

2:18

Good evening.

2:19

I call this meeting of the Green Belt City Council to order.

2:22

Madam Clerk, can you call the role, please?

Speaker 2

2:24

Recording in progress.

Speaker 1

2:37

So I'll say it again.

2:38

I call this meeting to order.

2:41

Madam Clerk, can you call the role, please?

Speaker 3

2:44

Good evening.

2:47

Councilmember Fritz.

Speaker 4

2:48

Present.

Speaker 3

2:49

Councilmember Niesel.

2:50

Here.

2:51

Councilmember McKinney.

2:53

Councilmember Poppy.

2:54

Here.

2:54

Councilmember Pope.

2:56

Mayor Potem Weaver.

Speaker 5

2:58

Here.

Speaker 1

2:59

Mayor Jordan.

3:00

I'm here.

3:02

So please join us in a moment of silent reflection as we pause to remember several residents and others who have passed away since the last council meeting.

3:12

They include Resident Becky Steele, David Lang, former residents Philip Lyle Gus Talbot, Grace Wilhot, Tamane Tini, Tomatini, and also Greenbelt Concert Band Conductor Tom Cherex.

3:32

Please join us in a moment of silent reflection.

3:51

Now for the Pledge of Allegiance.

5:00

Residents can observe our deliberations.

5:02

We'll pause periodically to provide opportunities for public input.

5:06

If you wish to speak at one of those designated times, if you're in person, just raise your hand and wait to be recognized.

5:12

After you're recognized, you can go to the podium, and you'll need to uh state your name and your address and address for the record.

5:19

If you are uh participating on Zoom, you can use the QA feature at the bottom of your screen to submit a written question, or you can raise your virtual hand and after being recognized, we'll promote you.

5:32

Once again, you'll need to state your name and an address.

5:34

Uh we don't accept anonymous comments uh online.

5:38

And uh if you're watching on cable TV uh or on Zoom, on Zoom, yeah, on cable TV or YouTube, uh, just uh send an email to us.

5:51

The email address is questions at Greenbelt MD.gov.

5:56

So uh during these times for public comment in the uh meeting agenda, limit your remarks to three minutes, and it's five minutes during petitions and requests, and address only the topic under consideration.

6:08

We ask that you remain civil and avoid disparaging others or questioning their motives.

6:16

So that's actually going to bring us to petitions and requests.

6:20

Uh, individuals wishing to request action from the city may submit petitions or requests to the city manager or city council, either in writing or by speaking at a council meeting for up to five minutes.

Unassigned speaker

6:31

Speaker 1

6:31

council will hear these uh petitions, but we do

Unassigned speaker

6:34

not

Speaker 1

6:34

make immediate decisions during the meeting.

6:36

After a petition is presented, council may refer the matter to city staff for resolution, or we may refer it to an advisory board and request further investigation or add it to a future meeting agenda.

6:50

So uh updates on the status of uh all petitions are posted on the city's website for public information.

6:57

So at this time, let's pause for petitions and requests.

7:00

Are there any petitions or requests?

7:02

Yes, sir, please.

Unassigned speaker

7:14

Hi,

Speaker 6

7:14

my name is uh Frank Girvassi.

7:17

I live at 163 Research Road.

7:19

Uh my petition is for a national New Deal Heritage Center at the existing armory site.

7:27

We are in an auspicious time and place.

7:30

Our nation is focused on the meaning of democracy as never before.

Unassigned speaker

7:35

Uh,

Speaker 6

7:35

Greenbelt is the crown jewel of the over 100 communities built during the 1930s New Deal.

7:43

The first garden community in the land built for the uplift of the human spirit, is what Eleanor Roosevelt called this town.

7:51

How progressive and idealistic is

Unassigned speaker

7:54

that.

Speaker 6

8:14

They solved an enormous environmental catastrophe, the Dust Bowl.

8:20

Renewable electric power generated by 19 Tennessee Valley Dams along the Hoover, among with the Hoover, along with the Hoover, Grand Cooley, and others produced 25% of the country's electric use by 1941.

8:36

Bad government might have done that with coal.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Budget Equity Analysis███████████████████████████27%

Public Engagement███████████11%

Procedural██████████10%

Fiscal Sustainability█████████9%

Civil Rights█████5%

Parks and Recreation█████5%

Community Engagement████4%

Pending Litigation████4%

Youth Programs████4%

Summary of Proceedings

Greenbelt City Council Regular Meeting – March 23, 2026

The Greenbelt City Council held a regular meeting at 7:30 PM on March 23, 2026. Major actions included the adoption of the consent agenda, a proclamation for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, the first presentation of the proposed FY 2027 City Budget by City Manager Josué Salmerón, the adoption of a Transgender Day of Visibility resolution, and the approval of a roadworks contract. The council held a substantive discussion on equitable geographic spending across the city and voted to draft a letter opposing cuts to Greenbelt school programs.

Consent Calendar

Approved minutes from six previous meetings (Feb 11, Feb 23, Mar 2, Mar 9, Mar 11 interviews, Mar 11 special).
Accepted committee report #26-2 (PGCMLS Story Walk).
Appointed Charlotte Hoffman to the Community Relations Advisory Board (CRAB) and Farinaz Firouzi to the Charter Review Task Force.
Accepted the removal of John Drago from the Arts Advisory Board and the non-renewal of Bukola Pinheiro from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board due to repeated absences.
Reappointed members to the Arts Advisory Board, CRAB, Green ACES, ACAPS, and the Senior Citizens Advisory Committee.
Accepted resignations from Sudhanshu Sinha (CRAB) and Donald Matin (Board of Appeals).
The Consent Agenda was approved unanimously 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

Frank Gervasi: Petitioned for a National New Deal Heritage Center at the Armory site, submitting a petition with approximately 54 signatures.
Bill Orleans: Requested information on closed session discussions regarding annexation areas 1 & 2. Later in the meeting, he challenged the City Manager's assertion about the city’s inability to contest state property tax abatements, urging the city to review all requests.
Michael Hartman: Commented on the budget equity discussion, arguing spending must be evaluated by its practical impact on residents, not just by geographic quantity.
Charlotte Hoffman: A newly appointed CRAB member, she addressed the council in support of the Transgender Day of Visibility resolution, highlighting attacks on the transgender community and her experience advocating in Annapolis.

Presentations

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Proclamation: Mayor Jordan proclaimed March 2026 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Ms. Ify Nwabukwu, Executive Director of the African Women's Cancer Awareness Association (AWCAA), accepted the proclamation. Councilmember Knesel noted that colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths for people under 50.
Proposed FY 2027 City Budget: City Manager Salmerón presented a balanced $58.64 million all-funds budget ($41.74M general fund). Key points included:
- Personnel: 2% COLA and up to 3% merit increases for all staff; net addition of 1 FTE (Crisis Intervention Supervisor) for a total of 235.5 FTEs.
- Revenue: Income tax projected at $4 million. A new public utilities tax rate was proposed to mirror neighboring jurisdictions (e.g., Berwyn Heights).
- New Spending: $10,000 for recreational financial assistance, $10,000 for Learn2Earn, $5,000 for senior trips.
- Unfunded Items: Learn2Earn stipends ($32,000), council grants account ($36,500), totaling $94,500 in identified unfunded requests.
- Capital: $1.5M for Springhill Lake Rec Center expansion, $1M for road resurfacing, and grant-funded projects for Buddy Attick Park, Schrom Hills lighting, and solar installations.

Legislation

Standing Rules Resolution 2109: Mayor Pro Tem Weaver introduced the resolution for first reading. The second reading and adoption will occur at a subsequent meeting.
Transgender Day of Visibility Resolution: Councilmember Pompi proposed the resolution. The rules were suspended 7-0, and the resolution was adopted on a second reading roll call vote of 7-0.

Discussion Items & Key Outcomes

Authorization for Contract with VMP (Approved 7-0): Council authorized a $226,394 roadworks contract for Cherrywood Lane, funded entirely from a reimbursable CDBG Grant. The discussion included the status of the Cherrywood Lane Complete Streets project.
Legislative Review: County Bills (Motion Carried): The council discussed Senate Bill 1005 regarding the M-NCPPC. A motion to express concerns over the lack of a fiscal note and the rushed process carried unanimously.
State Budget, Bond Bills, and Grant Opportunities (Discussion): Council reviewed funding requests for capital projects. Councilmember Pompi raised strong concerns about disproportionate investment in Center City compared to Greenbelt West and East. Councilmembers McKinney and Pope agreed on the need for more transparent and equitable geographic distribution of spending aligned with population growth.
Planning Framework Revision (Discussion): Councilmember McKinney presented a draft planning framework integrating feedback from the council retreat, town halls, and resident input, intended to align with the budget pillars.
PGCMLS Story Walk Removal (Referred 7-0): Council referred the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board's recommendation to remove the Story Walk to the Advisory Committee on Education (ACE) and the Community Relations Advisory Board (CRAB) for further consideration, with reports due by the end of May.
Chinese Immersion Program & School Budget Cuts (Approved 7-0): Council voted 7-0 to draft a broader letter to the Prince George’s County Council and County Executive addressing the impacts of the proposed $150 million school budget cut on Greenbelt Middle School and Magnolia schools, including staff reductions and program cuts.
Closed Session (Approved 7-0): The council voted 7-0 to move into a closed session at 9:46 PM to discuss personnel matters and consult with staff on potential litigation. The council did not return to open session.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. I call this meeting of the Green Belt City Council to order. Madam Clerk, can you call the role, please? Recording in progress. So I'll say it again. I call this meeting to order. Madam Clerk, can you call the role, please? Good evening. Councilmember Fritz. Present. Councilmember Niesel. Here. Councilmember McKinney. Councilmember Poppy. Here. Councilmember Pope. Mayor Potem Weaver. Here. Mayor Jordan. I'm here. So please join us in a moment of silent reflection as we pause to remember several residents and others who have passed away since the last council meeting. They include Resident Becky Steele, David Lang, former residents Philip Lyle Gus Talbot, Grace Wilhot, Tamane Tini, Tomatini, and also Greenbelt Concert Band Conductor Tom Cherex. Please join us in a moment of silent reflection. Now for the Pledge of Allegiance. Residents can observe our deliberations. We'll pause periodically to provide opportunities for public input. If you wish to speak at one of those designated times, if you're in person, just raise your hand and wait to be recognized. After you're recognized, you can go to the podium, and you'll need to uh state your name and your address and address for the record. If you are uh participating on Zoom, you can use the QA feature at the bottom of your screen to submit a written question, or you can raise your virtual hand and after being recognized, we'll promote you. Once again, you'll need to state your name and an address. Uh we don't accept anonymous comments uh online. And uh if you're watching on cable TV uh or on Zoom, on Zoom, yeah, on cable TV or YouTube, uh, just uh send an email to us. The email address is questions at Greenbelt MD.gov. So uh during these times for public comment in the uh meeting agenda, limit your remarks to three minutes, and it's five minutes during petitions and requests, and address only the topic under consideration. We ask that you remain civil and avoid disparaging others or questioning their motives. So that's actually going to bring us to petitions and requests. Uh, individuals wishing to request action from the city may submit petitions or requests to the city manager or city council, either in writing or by speaking at a council meeting for up to five minutes. Uh council will hear these uh petitions, but we do not make immediate decisions during the meeting. After a petition is presented, council may refer the matter to city staff for resolution, or we may refer it to an advisory board and request further investigation or add it to a future meeting agenda. So uh updates on the status of uh all petitions are posted on the city's website for public information. So at this time, let's pause for petitions and requests. Are there any petitions or requests? Yes, sir, please. Hi, my name is uh Frank Girvassi. I live at 163 Research Road. Uh my petition is for a national New Deal Heritage Center at the existing armory site.

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Greenbelt City Council Regular Meeting – March 23, 2026

Consent Calendar

Approved minutes from six previous meetings (Feb 11, Feb 23, Mar 2, Mar 9, Mar 11 interviews, Mar 11 special).

Accepted committee report #26-2 (PGCMLS Story Walk).

Appointed Charlotte Hoffman to the Community Relations Advisory Board (CRAB) and Farinaz Firouzi to the Charter Review Task Force.

Accepted the removal of John Drago from the Arts Advisory Board and the non-renewal of Bukola Pinheiro from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board due to repeated absences.

Reappointed members to the Arts Advisory Board, CRAB, Green ACES, ACAPS, and the Senior Citizens Advisory Committee.

Accepted resignations from Sudhanshu Sinha (CRAB) and Donald Matin (Board of Appeals).

The Consent Agenda was approved unanimously 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

Frank Gervasi: Petitioned for a National New Deal Heritage Center at the Armory site, submitting a petition with approximately 54 signatures.

Bill Orleans: Requested information on closed session discussions regarding annexation areas 1 & 2. Later in the meeting, he challenged the City Manager's assertion about the city’s inability to contest state property tax abatements, urging the city to review all requests.

Michael Hartman: Commented on the budget equity discussion, arguing spending must be evaluated by its practical impact on residents, not just by geographic quantity.

Charlotte Hoffman: A newly appointed CRAB member, she addressed the council in support of the Transgender Day of Visibility resolution, highlighting attacks on the transgender community and her experience advocating in Annapolis.

Presentations

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Proclamation: Mayor Jordan proclaimed March 2026 as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Ms. Ify Nwabukwu, Executive Director of the African Women's Cancer Awareness Association (AWCAA), accepted the proclamation. Councilmember Knesel noted that colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer deaths for people under 50.

Proposed FY 2027 City Budget: City Manager Salmerón presented a balanced $58.64 million all-funds budget ($41.74M general fund). Key points included:

Personnel: 2% COLA and up to 3% merit increases for all staff; net addition of 1 FTE (Crisis Intervention Supervisor) for a total of 235.5 FTEs.
Revenue: Income tax projected at $4 million. A new public utilities tax rate was proposed to mirror neighboring jurisdictions (e.g., Berwyn Heights).
New Spending: $10,000 for recreational financial assistance, $10,000 for Learn2Earn, $5,000 for senior trips.
Unfunded Items: Learn2Earn stipends ($32,000), council grants account ($36,500), totaling $94,500 in identified unfunded requests.
Capital: $1.5M for Springhill Lake Rec Center expansion, $1M for road resurfacing, and grant-funded projects for Buddy Attick Park, Schrom Hills lighting, and solar installations.

Legislation

Standing Rules Resolution 2109: Mayor Pro Tem Weaver introduced the resolution for first reading. The second reading and adoption will occur at a subsequent meeting.

Transgender Day of Visibility Resolution: Councilmember Pompi proposed the resolution. The rules were suspended 7-0, and the resolution was adopted on a second reading roll call vote of 7-0.

Discussion Items & Key Outcomes

Authorization for Contract with VMP (Approved 7-0): Council authorized a $226,394 roadworks contract for Cherrywood Lane, funded entirely from a reimbursable CDBG Grant. The discussion included the status of the Cherrywood Lane Complete Streets project.

Legislative Review: County Bills (Motion Carried): The council discussed Senate Bill 1005 regarding the M-NCPPC. A motion to express concerns over the lack of a fiscal note and the rushed process carried unanimously.

State Budget, Bond Bills, and Grant Opportunities (Discussion): Council reviewed funding requests for capital projects. Councilmember Pompi raised strong concerns about disproportionate investment in Center City compared to Greenbelt West and East. Councilmembers McKinney and Pope agreed on the need for more transparent and equitable geographic distribution of spending aligned with population growth.

Planning Framework Revision (Discussion): Councilmember McKinney presented a draft planning framework integrating feedback from the council retreat, town halls, and resident input, intended to align with the budget pillars.

PGCMLS Story Walk Removal (Referred 7-0): Council referred the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board's recommendation to remove the Story Walk to the Advisory Committee on Education (ACE) and the Community Relations Advisory Board (CRAB) for further consideration, with reports due by the end of May.

Chinese Immersion Program & School Budget Cuts (Approved 7-0): Council voted 7-0 to draft a broader letter to the Prince George’s County Council and County Executive addressing the impacts of the proposed $150 million school budget cut on Greenbelt Middle School and Magnolia schools, including staff reductions and program cuts.

Closed Session (Approved 7-0): The council voted 7-0 to move into a closed session at 9:46 PM to discuss personnel matters and consult with staff on potential litigation. The council did not return to open session.

Meeting Transcript