Hyattsville City Council Meeting - September 22, 2026

The Hyattsville City Council held its regular virtual meeting on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at 7:00 PM. Key agenda items included a presentation on the Climate Action Plan, a request for a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) Letter of Intent for the Pennrose Sanctuary at Hyattsville Crossing affordable housing project, and the renewal of Throne public bathroom rentals. Councilmembers also addressed financial concerns, heard public comments on ranked-choice voting and automated enforcement, and approved several consent items.

Consent Calendar

• 2027-42: Acceptance of $150,000 Maryland DHCD Commercial Facade Improvement Program grant.
• 2027-51: Second amendment to Mission Critical Partners consulting contract for the Police Department, not to exceed $90,000.
• Change Order: Professional Lawn Maintenance Services contract increase of $18,000 annually.
• FY27 Expenditure – Big Belly: One-year extension and $80,000 service agreement.
• 2027-54: Disbursement of $200 in Ward 3 discretionary funds to Emily Morrison for a community event.
• 2027-53: Special Use Agreement for Hyattsville Elementary School PTA Zombie Run on October 17, 2026.

Public Comments & Testimony

• David Hiles (Ward not stated) urged adoption of ranked-choice voting for the May 2027 elections and opposed Flock cameras, citing liability concerns.
• Octavia Clapp (Ward 3) supported ranked-choice voting as a ballot measure and called for ongoing questioning of the status quo and accountability.
• Malik Ferguson (Ward 3) reported that ranked-choice voting earned support from 52 people at the Arts Festival, including 33 Hyattsville residents, and strongly supported forensic audits of city finances.
• Thomas Wright (former councilmember) thanked former Treasurer Brooks for his work, expressed confidence in the city’s financial path, and praised City Administrator Tracy Douglas.
• Michael Angeloni (Ward 5) thanked the council for unanimously supporting the Suicide Prevention Month proclamation, shared a personal message of hope, and reminded viewers of mental health resources like 988.
• Mike Bonds (Ward 3) called for a balanced budget in FY28 and urged the council to apply pressure and ask questions about finances.
• Tatiana Krugulanovic (Ward 5) supported ranked-choice voting, opposed Flock cameras, questioned use of general funds for capital projects, requested updates on Hamilton Street project finances, and stressed close financial supervision.
• Dan Broder (Ward 2) encouraged a non-binding referendum on ranked-choice voting and urged cancellation of the Flock contract, citing misuse of images. He also spoke about destigmatizing mental health.

Discussion Items

• Climate Action Plan Presentation: Don Taft, Anu Nayer (Prince George’s County Planning), and Nadia Vaught (Stantec) presented the final draft plan. The plan targets a 50% reduction in greenhouse gases from 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. Community engagement included 431 survey responses and 127 votes at a festival. Key focus areas: transportation and land use (48% of emissions), buildings and energy (43%), green space and stormwater, and municipal leadership. Sixteen priority actions were identified, including biking safety projects, building benchmarking, stormwater management, and an EV fleet plan. The plan is actionable and opportunistic, not prescriptive.
• Pennrose – Sanctuary at Hyattsville Crossing PILOT Request: Patrick Bateman (Pennrose) and Rev. Dr. Stacey Cole Wilson (First United Methodist Church) presented a request for a 40-year PILOT to support a 120-unit affordable housing project, with Phase I (77 units) including senior and family units, 12 permanent supportive housing units, and 20%–60% AMI levels. The city would receive an estimated $14,000 in new tax revenue in Year 1. Councilmembers debated the 40-year term and AMI distribution. An amendment changed the term to “at least 25 years” and reclassified the document as a “Letter of Intent” rather than “Letter of Support.” The amended motion passed.
• Throne Public Bathrooms Renewal: Hal Metzler presented usage data showing nearly 28,000 projected uses in the current year, with growing adoption. Councilmembers discussed site-specific usage, permanent restroom delays, costs, and alternatives. After debate, the original motion for renewal was approved 7-0-2 (Shibley and Nisbett abstained).
• City Administrator Financial Questions & Notice of Future Motion: Councilmember Shibley questioned City Administrator Tracy Douglas about discrepancies between reported general fund balances and cash on hand. He stated he had received information that cash flow issues may have occurred and that ARPA funds might have been temporarily used for non-ARPA expenses, though Douglas denied awareness of such issues. Shibley gave official notice that at the October 12 council meeting he would move to amend the agenda to terminate the City Administrator’s employment. This was not a vote but a procedural announcement.
• Other Updates: Chief Towers reported on four new stop-sign cameras in school zones (warning period ended Sept. 30, citations start Oct. 1). The city administrator also provided updates on new hires, farewells, the multi-generational center (first workshop Oct. 27), and the youth center grand opening.

Key Outcomes

• Approved: Consent items (9a–9f) unanimously.
• Approved: Proclamations for Economic Development Week and National Suicide Prevention Month (unanimous).
• Approved: Throne public bathroom rental renewal for one year at $211,000 (7-0-2, Shibley and Nisbett abstaining).
• Approved: Pennrose Sanctuary PILOT Letter of Intent, amended to set a minimum term of 25 years and reclassified as a Letter of Intent (7-0-1, Haba abstaining).
• Approved: Authorization to develop an RFP for a search firm to recruit the next City Administrator (unanimous).
• Received: Climate Action Plan presentation for information; no vote taken.
• Announced: Councilmember Shibley’s intention to move to terminate the City Administrator at the October 12 meeting.