Prince George's County Council Committee of the Whole Meeting - April 28, 2026

The Prince George's County Council, sitting as the Committee of the Whole, convened at 2:11 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, in the Council Hearing Room at the Wayne K. Curry Administration Building in Largo, MD. Chair Krystal Oriadha presided; 10 members were present at various points (Oriadha, Olson, Adams-Stafford, Burroughs, Dernoga, Fisher, Harrison, Ivey, Hunter, and Adams), with Council Member Wala Blegay absent. The meeting covered three items: the FY 2027 Board of Education Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budget worksession, a briefing on the Prince George's County Health Atlas study, and CR-022-2026, the FY 2027 Annual Action Plan for Housing and Community Development. The meeting adjourned at 3:49 p.m., with a public hearing on the county budget, CIP, and Board of Education scheduled for 6 p.m. that evening. Note: the agenda and minutes list the Health Atlas briefing before the budget worksession, but the transcript clearly shows the Board of Education CIP was presented first.

Budget Worksession: FY 2027 Board of Education CIP (BU 2026-56)

Staff from the Education and Workforce Development Committee (Dr. Arun Puracken, director, and Caleb Callender, budget and policy analyst) presented the Board of Education's proposed FY 2027 CIP, followed by comments from Interim Superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph, Chief Operating Officer Dr. Charoscar Coleman, and PGCPS capital programs staff.

Key figures presented:

• Overall CIP funding is down approximately $2 million compared to FY 2026. GO bonds make up approximately 75% of FY 2027 funding at $148.2 million; state funding is down $14.5 million (approximately 22.5%) from FY 2026.
• Unspent funding includes 38% of state funding from 2023, 30% of county funding from FY 2024, and 26% of county and 34% of state funding for FY 2025. End-of-year unspent capital funds were $499.6 million in FY 2024, $489.2 million in FY 2025, and $443.4 million in FY 2026 (through March 3, 2026), which PGCPS stated have trended downward. 54% of unspent funds are tied to major modernization and renovation projects; the remaining 46% is associated with capital maintenance projects scheduled for summer and fall construction.
• Notable total project cost changes from FY 2026 to FY 2027: Cool Spring Judith Hoyer modernization increased $14.3 million due to inflation and design refinements (completion expected FY 2030, FY 2027 expenditure projection $27 million); Riverdale Hills Early Childhood Center increased $3.1 million due to inflation (completion expected FY 2028, FY 2027 expenditure projection $6.3 million); High Point High School increased $69.1 million due to inflation and revised cost estimates (completion moved up to FY 2032, FY 2027 expenditure projection $2.2 million); New Northern Adelphi area high school increased $45.5 million driven by market escalation, site-driven redesign due to updated stream buffer requirements, and scope refinement including special education program alignment and full build-out of CTE pathways; Suitland Annex replacement increased $22.6 million due to a 589-day permit delay and stormwater management work not in the original scope (completion moved up to FY 2028); William Schmidt Educational Center increased $9 million (completion expected FY 2027); and William Wirt Middle School decreased $10 million, with funds transferred to William Schmidt planning and design and central garage/roof replacement.
• The FY 2027 request totals approximately $216 million within a six-year spending plan of approximately $1.6 billion. Major projects account for more than $130 million of the requested funding. The request also includes approximately $20 million in envelope replacement projects (10 window and door replacements and 2 roof replacements) and approximately $28 million in countywide investments supporting ADA improvements, code corrections, HVAC and plumbing upgrades, security enhancements, stadiums, playgrounds, and other facility repairs.
• Alternative Construction Financing includes $19 million in GO bond capital funds and $42 million in the non-departmental operating budget. Other items: approximately 110 schools countywide require lead remediation; FY 2027 proposes $4 million in HVAC upgrades (all GO bonds), $5 million in major repairs, $7.17 million for roof replacements with no specific schools listed, $9 million for stadium upgrades including continued work at Duvall High School, and $1.2 million for the aging schools program (Akiak Academy, Charles Herbert Flowers High School, James Harrison Elementary, and Capitol Heights Elementary).
• 59.8% of total active CIP projects are deemed substantially complete or in final completion.

Superintendent Joseph stated that 17 new schools or major modernizations have been delivered, with 9 additional schools scheduled to open in the next 24 months, together representing 26 facilities, more than 1.5 million square feet, and approximately 22,400 students. He acknowledged community concerns that investment has not always felt evenly experienced across the county, particularly in the southern portion, and announced that a new 10-year educational facilities master plan will be developed over the next 18 months with deeper engagement.

Council Member Dernoga expressed strong disagreement with the decision to design High Point High School for 2,600 students and to build the New Northern Adelphi high school (2,000 comprehensive seats plus 600 CTE seats), arguing that two high schools costing over $300 million each would divert resources from aging schools. He cited the High Point catchment area extending 6.6 miles to the school while Northwestern (3.1 miles), Parkdale (5.8 miles), and Bladensburg (5.9 miles) are closer, and said 10-year enrollment projections show declining high school enrollment in the area. He urged boundary adjustments and spreading investment across more schools. PGCPS staff defended the design, citing safety considerations, building management challenges, and cost estimates that did not support designing for 2,000 with a later 600-seat addition.

Council Member Fisher asked whether New Northern remains on the same track as High Point; PGCPS stated High Point is designed for completion by 2031, and if projects are daisy-chained, New Northern would be pushed to 2035. Fisher expressed concern that facilities in her district are consistently built too small for the population's needs, citing the Hyattsville Library as an example.

Council Member Adams-Stafford asked about renewable energy and geothermal investments. PGCPS reported over $10 million in utility rebates from sustainability and resilience work and $3–5 million in expected IRA tax credits this fiscal year. Staff also explained the Suitland 589-day permit delay occurred during the initial permitting phase; a streamlined platform with county agencies now meets bi-weekly. Adams-Stafford also asked about co-location; PGCPS is co-locating Dor Kennedy French Immersion and John Hanson Montessori at the Robert Goddard site.

Council Member Adams raised safety and security concerns at Bowie High School (built 1965, addition 1968), noting the county's average facility age is over 45 years and Maryland now has the third-oldest school inventory. Staff reported approximately $28 million invested in the Bowie Annex, a new AI-capable camera system, and replacement of hard-key locks with cipher locks and scan cards.

Chair Oriadha asked about the artificial turf field maintenance MOU with parks and planning (parks and planning maintains existing and new turf fields under phase 1; phases 2 and 3 have not been executed), FY 2027 playground upgrades (Samuel Massey Elementary School; also Francis T. Evans, Fort Foote, and Seabrook this summer), and the Riverdale Hills Early Learning Center, which is pivoting from pre-K seats to a therapeutic pre-K program with the Lori Center (currently operating at Highland Park Elementary, with a site visit scheduled the next day). Oriadha noted that school-hours-only child care does not match the schedules of working parents.

Council Member Hunter asked about William Wirt Middle School HVAC noise (resolved; sound readings were within code compliance and a backwards valve was replaced), Parkdale and Duvall stadium fields (Parkdale's field was completely redone and is in its first full grass season; Duvall remains playable with a comprehensive stadium renovation upcoming), and an erosion issue at Parkdale requiring collaboration among PGCPS, parks and planning, and the county.

Briefing: Health Atlas Introduction (BR 04282026)

Anya Makarova, Senior Advisor to the Board of Health, introduced the Health Atlas, authorized by CR 54-2025 (proposed by Chair Oriadha and co-sponsored by sitting council members) to support implementation of the county's General Plan (Plan 2035) and data-driven policymaking. The project is a collaborative effort led by the Prince George's County Planning Department with the Health Department and Board of Health, executed by consultant Health Management Associates.

Shaquan Smith (Planner IV, M-NCPPC) and Madeleine Shea, PhD (Project Principal, Health Management Associates) presented the seven-month timeline (March–September 2026): the first four months focus on agency, municipality, and community engagement; the online platform will be reviewed this month; stakeholder and community listening sessions occur in May and June; a soft launch of the online platform and draft report are scheduled for July; the final platform and report are due in August; findings will be presented to the council in September. The tool will be public-facing, mobile-friendly, and will visualize disparities and equity needs across six pillars: 1) access to care and community resources, 2) food and nutrition, 3) economic opportunity, 4) transportation and the built environment, 5) environment and climate resilience, and 6) equity and community well-being.

Council Member Harrison asked whether the Health Atlas would inform district council cases, citing an example of 14 fast food restaurants within a three-mile radius in his district. Staff confirmed the data would support legislation and future planning processes, including sector plans, sectional map amendments, and master plans. Chair Oriadha requested that council and Board of Health staff coordinate offline on community engagement for the project.

Legislation: CR-022-2026 FY 2027 Annual Action Plan for Housing and Community Development

Rana Hightower (PHED Committee Director) presented CR-022-2026, which would approve and adopt the county's FY 2027 Annual Action Plan for Housing and Community Development, including federal funding applications for CDBG, HOME, and emergency shelter assistance programs. A public hearing was held April 21, 2026; the county executive submitted a letter requesting favorable consideration. Four public comments were submitted, all four requesting continued funding for the first-generation college-bound program.

If adopted, the resolution would provide the Department of Housing and Community Development with $10,547,183 in federal grant funding and requires a $493,358 county match. The plan aligns with Plan 2035 and the FY 2026–2030 consolidated plan, prioritizing affordable housing, economic development, rental assistance, and homeowners assistance.

Director Jonathan Butler (DHCD) explained that a final HUD allocation increased the figures in proposed draft 2: approximately $340,000 increase in CDBG (equally allocated among already recommended awardees), $48,063 in HOME, and $16,991 in ESG, raising the total allocation from approximately $8.5 million to $8.9 million. Council Member Olson confirmed that draft 2 simply adds the new federal funding to the same awards as draft 1.

A motion by Council Member Burroughs, seconded by Chair Oriadha, to hold the resolution carried by a vote of 8–0 (Oriadha, Olson, Burroughs, Dernoga, Harrison, Ivey, Hunter, and Adams). The minutes record Adams-Stafford, Blegay, and Fisher as absent for this vote.

Key Outcomes

• The FY 2027 Board of Education CIP worksession was held; council members raised questions about project scope, capacity decisions, equity, sustainability savings, and facility maintenance, with outstanding follow-ups to be addressed offline.
• The Health Atlas briefing was held; council and Board of Health staff will coordinate on community engagement, and a council regional conversation on the topic was suggested by Chair Oriadha.
• CR-022-2026 was held by a vote of 8–0, pending further review of the draft 2 changes.
• The meeting adjourned at 3:49 p.m. by unanimous vote (motion by Council Member Harrison, seconded by Council Member Dernoga); the council reconvened at 6 p.m. for a public hearing on the county budget, CIP, and Board of Education.