DRAFT
Town of Cheverly
Meeting Minutes
April 12, 2012
Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 8:00 pm in the Cheverly Community Center.
In attendance: CMs Riazi, Coolen, Eldridge, Thorpe and Cook.
Pledge of Allegiance
Agenda/Approval/Changes
Mr. Warrington addition of R-2-12 to authorize the purchase of property.
Minutes – Town Meeting 3/8/12
Approved as written.
Minutes – Worksession 3/26/12
Approved as written.
Town Administrator Report
Mr. Warrington reported that Public Works has begun delivering mulch and planting trees.
Police Department Report
Chief Robshaw crime is down, but after talking to other Chiefs there is a trend that it is on its way up elsewhere and we are aware of that. The 3 on 3 basketball is coming for Cheverly Day, which we will be running again. A good time to do a ride along will be tomorrow night.
Committee Reports
Recreation Council Ms. Pejokovich Saturday is the Flea Market and tomorrow is the set-up for vendors. The Womans Club will be having chicken salad sandwiches and Mother’s Day out will have the bake table. We had 200 at the Easter Egg Hunt. I have a comment to make and it has to do with the Cheverly Day booklet. Rec Council pulled their advertisement because we don’t think people will see them on the internet. I hope the May Newsletter will have the sheet that lists what time everything is happening on Cheverly Day.
Cheverly Day is coming up and on the web. Details will be in the Newsletter as printing was not very feasible. The website is beautiful and all the details are there. It is cheverlyday.org or cheverlyday.com and you can contact Pat Nelson if you still want an organization table.
CM Cook I would like to engage the folks at Cheverly Station for Cheverly Day.
Green Infrastructure Report CM Eldridge I would like to mention that the committee received a very favorable review from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. This Tuesday at 7:30 there will be a meeting at the Hyattsville Municipal Center from 7:30 – 9:30.
Planning Board thanks to everyone who responded to Envision Cheverly. May 19th there will be a dovetail with the Community Market and create a vision for Cheverly in the future.
Citizen Input
Mr. Fred Price, Jr. Ward 4. I want to give thanks to the kids that came in the Lower Beaverdam Creek and cleaned it up. I want to let the citizens know that Citizen’s Input works as I mentioned the graffiti on the bridge, Try-It-Again and these folks worked to address my concerns.
Mayor and Council Announcements
CM Riazi thanks for the tree planting at Judith P. Hoyer. It is only a few weeks until you can come to Neverland with the Young Screen Actor’s Guild at the Public Playhouse from May 17-20. It is Spring and time for all of us to look around at our homes and what needs to be addressed.
CM Thorpe I would like to share excerpts from the MNCPPC and that they are formulating a 2040 park vision program. Feel free to contact Mr. Alexander Teaf at 301-446-3309.
CM Coolen I want to congratulate Micah Watson for his School Board win in the primary and he will be on the ballot in the fall. Victor Ramirez and Ed Terry will be delegates at the convention near Labor Day. The Community Market Pot Luck will be May 6th. Progressive Equestrian Riding aids in teaching persons with special needs as to how to ride a horse. The website is pets-inc.org.
CM Cook I just want the residents of Cheverly Oak Forest Court that the streetlight requested has been ordered from Pepco should be installed soon.
CM Eldridge there is a County Council bill that would require sidewalks to be improved for bicycling and walking within ½ mile. There is going to be a bike to school day on May 7th. On the 21st there will be a Spellman school beautification day. Envision Cheverly is May 19th.
Mayor I am going to keep my comments brief. We had a successful paint the town program last year and we want to do the same this year. We will initiate it this month and we will have a September 1st completion date. CSX is working with us to paint the bridge. Detective Bernard Jones was awarded Detective of the Year at a Chief’s banquet today. The Worksession Agenda is: FY13 Budget and CIP, the ward redistricting plan, the National Park Service homes, comment on future cable television needs, grant requests for robotic club and vine corps, pet signage and a budget adjustment.
Proclamation Designating Peace Month in Cheverly
Mayor noted that for the 5th year we are declaring May as Peace Month in Cheverly. He read the Peace Month Proclamation.
CM Riazi shared how peace works in her life.
- CM Riazi MOTION to approve Proclamation Declaring May as Peace Month in Cheverly. CM Eldridge seconded. Approved unanimously.
Ms. Lang this year look for the calendar next month for activities for Peace Month. Peace begins with each of us.
Public Hearing – Future Needs of Cable Television
Mayor read the public hearing opening statement. No public input. Hearing closed.
WSSC Presentation
Mayor many people have received a notice that WSSC is coming. Tonight they are coming to tell us what they are going to do.
Mr. Samuel Bjomo of WSSC discussed the water main rehabilitation project. The vast majority of these pipelines have been in service for over 70 years. The site map includes: Lockwood, Tremont, Crest, Jason, Hawthorne, Greenleaf and 59th. Rehabilitation will include 1.6 miles of replacement. Water main replacement will be mostly open trench in the same location, but there will be some relocation. Temporary water, which is above ground, will be installed during construction. There will be no interruption of service. Construction is to start in the fall of this year. Access to the homes is not required and access to property is not required. Traffic will be maintained to allow for a two way flow. During the construction phase the contract
manager will be handling all aspects of construction.
CM Eldridge can you explain the water house installations? How far off the curb?
Mr. Spigona the property line is usually 11-12 feet back from the top of the curb. Customers are notified. They are replacing the old lines with a new 1 inch service.
CM Eldridge could you discuss the phasing of repairs to the sidewalks etc...
Mr. Spigona they come in and do the water mains and pressure test them and chlorinate them. Then they will come through and do trenching and temporary paving. When we are finished with the services and main, then we will come in with our contractor at the end of the contract to repair.
CM Cook have you determined that water mains in other areas in Cheverly are sound.
Mr. Bjomo we are replacing those with breaks and it is based on dependability.
CM Coolen there are many block long dead ends. Will you do this in components?
Mr. Spignoa it will most likely be done in components in three or four phases.
CM Riazi as you mentioned earlier that you don’t do work in the winter, but does that mean that you won’t have torn up streets over late fall and winter. Belleview was not in a passable condition.
Mr. Spignoa during winter months we put in a temporary that will hold-up over the winter months. We have places in Hyattsville that have temporary areas for the past year.
CM Riazi some residents have been concerned about the replacement components behind the curb. Residents are also concerned about the removal of trees.
Mr. Samuel Bjomo we are working with your Director of Public Works and our Arborist to try to keep and replace trees after the completion of the project. Our goal is to get information via letters and door hangers to keep residents informed.
Mayor what would be great is, after you award the contract, we would like a more specific schedule.
Mr. Trimble on Tremont Avenue, I wondered if you can tell us what street will be done when? We also have some off street parking issues, so the schedule is very important to these folks.
Mr. Spignoa we will not know that until the contract is awarded. This is a water main, sewer main and house replacement. So, this is a larger job than Belleview and this will be performed by a contractor, whereas Belleview was performed by our crews. Test pits are done in order to determine where ALL the utilities are as a follow-up to the markings by Miss Utility.
CM Riazi things were stored for a long period of time on people’s property and they need to be removed in a timely fashion.
Commissioner Melanie Hartwick-Davis the General Manager of WSSC and I have been working to improve communication in town. There will be a community meeting and consulting the Green Infrastructure Plan before work begins.
Introduction FY13 Operating Budget and CIP
Mr. Warrington assessments have gone down and as a result our tax revenue has gone down. The Mayor and Council will add and subtract and do what they need to do. We run a very efficient ship, but we have to be even more efficient. We need to increase our revenue and reduce our expenditures. We have to get through this for 3 years as assessments are for three years. I am proposing that we freeze the open Laborer position and Police Officer position for the next year. We are proposing a salary freeze for the next year. We are proposing increasing the tax rate, which does not necessarily mean an increase in taxes. We are looking at varying our tax rate for multi-family areas. We a reduction of tangible personal property taxes as a company in the industrial park has
gone bankrupt. We have to pay the note on our bond for the police department and we have included funding for the needed trash truck.
CM Thorpe we need the citizen’s input. So, please contact us on your feelings regarding the budget.
Mayor please look at the Newsletter, we have been putting a great deal of information in there to let you know how we are coming to our conclusions. The Town government in Cheverly regarding the amount of the budget that is feet on the street versus the administrative layer is amazing. It is a tradition in this Town to spend it to supply the workers the tools to get the job done.
Charter Amendment Resolution CAR-1-12 Raising the Tax Cap
Mr. Warrington our current tax rate is .48 cents and our tax cap is .58. Part of the reason for this is as mentioned earlier, we may want to look at all aspects and use a different tax rate for some of those different classifications. We are looking to raise the cap in order to look at a differing rate, not for the single family residential areas. Passing tonight would allow us to consider different rates during the passing of the budget in June.
- CM Eldridge MOTION to adopt CAR-1-12 Raising the Tax Cap from .58 cents to $1.80. CM Riazi seconded. Approved unanimously.
Introduction O-1-12 Amending the Street Section to Require a Permit
Mr. Warrington this ordinance relates to public utilities. The Mayor and Town Council have the ability to require public rights-of-way restoration by various companies. The issues we have had are relatively minor. In the last year and a half it has been the little things that have been difficult. This will require a permit and a fee for cutting the streets and sidewalks in town.
CM Eldridge will this encompass the WSSC work we heard about tonight?
Mr. Warrington this will go into effect in July.
Resolution R-3-12 Authorizing the Execution of Documents for Land Purchase
Mr. Warrington I have been asked by Counsel to have this Resolution passed, which would authorize me to execute documents for the purchase of a parcel of property at 5701 Landover Road.
Mayor I will give more information on this matter after we go to settlement.
- CM Riazi MOTION to adopt R-3-12 Authorizing the Town Administrator to Execute Documents for a land purchase. CM Thorpe seconded. Approved unanimously.
Town of Cheverly
Summary of Action
April 12, 2012
- CM Riazi MOTION to approve a Proclamation Declaring May as Peace Month in Cheverly. CM Eldridge seconded. Approved unanimously.
- CM Eldridge MOTION to adopt CAR-1-12 Raising the Tax Cap from .58 cents to $1.80. CM Riazi seconded. Approved unanimously.
CM Riazi MOTION to adopt R-3-12 Authorizing the Town Administrator to Execute Documents for a land purchase. CM Thorpe seconded. Appr
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