Prince George's County Board Meeting on Community Engagement and Grant Application – July 15, 2026

The Prince George's County Board convened on July 15, 2026, at approximately 12:30 PM (evening session) with a quorum of seven members present. The meeting focused on community engagement strategy, review of a grant application, and administrative updates. The board approved minutes from a previous meeting, discussed potential town halls, and workshopped a grant application document, with several amendments proposed.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of Minutes: The board voted 6-0-1 (one abstention) to approve the minutes from the prior meeting, as circulated. Roll call: Mayor In Yang (approved), Natalie Doris (approved), Crystal Carpenter (approved), Rand Attrison (approved), Dr. Valencia Campbell (approved), Deborah Mims (approved), Angela Fair (abstained).

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public comments were made during the meeting. Shannon Rogers joined the call late but did not provide testimony.

Discussion Items

• Community Engagement Strategy:

  • Mr. Todd (staff) reported that the board is coordinating with the county council to potentially hold a joint town hall in early September 2026, pending confirmation. The board also discussed holding individual district town halls, with board members reaching out to their respective council members.
  • Board member Randy Addison proposed exploring informal engagement at community events (e.g., festivals) to supplement town halls. The suggestion was supported, and the Downtown Largo Festival on September 5, 2026, was mentioned as a potential tabling opportunity.
  • Chair Crystal Carpenter emphasized the need for timely community feedback and noted that the board aims to keep meetings to one hour but may exceed that when necessary.

• Grant Application Review:

  • The board reviewed a draft grant application for $4 million (corrected from $2 million; fiscal year 2027). The document was workshopped collaboratively.
  • Priority Points (Section 5): Ms. Carpenter noted that the language on priority points did not reflect the board’s earlier discussion or the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). A specific point about prioritizing activities integrated with other community service projects was debated. Natalie Doris moved to remove that language, arguing it could disadvantage new organizations. Dr. Valencia Campbell cautioned against over-deliberation, stating that existing review processes can address partnerships. The board agreed to revisit the language.
  • Objectives (Page 4): Ms. Carpenter recommended reordering bullets to prioritize three types of organizations: community-based organizations offering services to low-income communities, historically underfunded organizations, and those serving disproportionately impacted areas. The board agreed to align terminology with the SOP (e.g., using “OSC-identified disadvantaged communities” instead of “low-income”).
  • Allowable Costs and Evaluation Criteria: Ms. Carpenter requested consistency between the application’s evaluation criteria (e.g., “community impact,” “organization capacity”) and the SOP’s section 7.2. She also noted that startup or general operating funds, previously discussed, were not included in the draft. Dr. Campbell advised against committing to startup funds without a formal vote. Shannon Rogers (staff) agreed to add a placeholder comment.
  • Unallowable Costs: The standard list was reviewed, with the addition of law enforcement agencies for activities. No objections were raised.
  • The board agreed that Shannon Rogers will update the application document by July 16, 2026, and share it via Dropbox for further comments.

Key Outcomes

• Votes: The board unanimously approved the prior meeting’s minutes (6-0-1). No other formal votes were taken.
• Directives:
  • Staff will follow up with council members to schedule district town halls and confirm the joint September town hall.
  • The grant application will be revised to reflect the board’s feedback, including funding amount ($4 million), fiscal year (2027), consistent terminology, and reordered objectives.
  • The next board meeting is scheduled for July 29, 2026.
• Reminders: Board members were reminded to submit financial disclosures to the Office of Ethics.