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October 11, 2018 Town Meeting


Town of Cheverly
Meeting Minutes
October 11, 2018

Call to Order
Meeting called to order at 8:00 pm in the Cheverly Community Center.  

In attendance:  CMs, Ivey, Eldridge, Garcia and MacKenzie

Pledge of Allegiance

Agenda/Approval/Changes

Mayor we will be removing the Small Cell Technology item until MML sets a postion.  We have added an Grant request.

• CM  Ivey Motion to excuse CM Eldridge and the Mayor from the September 27th Worksession.  Seconded CM Stewart. Approved 4-0.

• CM MacKenzie Motion to excuse CM Eldridge and Garcia.  Seconded CM Riazi. Approved 4-0.

Minutes – Town Meeting        9/13/18
Approved

Minutes – Worksession         9/27/18
Approved

• CM  Ivey Motion to excuse CM Stewart and Riazi.  Seconded CM Garcia. Approved 5-0.

Town Administrator’s Report

Mr. Warrington the Multi-Use Court is progressing and we have been delayed by wet weather and now cold weather.  We will be doing some road resurfacing on Belleview and on Hillside at Inwood.

Chief’s Report

Chief Robshaw crime is down 14% and we remain on a steady decline.  When you look at crime, you have to look at it over a long period of time to determine if it is on the upswing or downswing.  We have issued a reward poster in an attempt to identify some individuals that we would like to speak to regarding theft that has occurred in Town.  I would like to thank everyone that helped us make our Public Safety Day a success.  I especially would like to thank Pepsi.  For the 18 years I have been involved with Public Safety Day, they have always come through for us and been a big contributor to our efforts.  I also want to thank the County Police and Air One that came and landed on our field.  I also want to thank the Sheriff’s Department and Maryland Park for their participation and the horses are always a big hit.  We also made a $500 donation to C.O.P.S. which is a Police charity that helps the families of fallen officers.  I want to bring to your attention a growing number of thefts of Toyota Camry sport rims throughout the County.  Even if you have a factory wheel lock on this type of vehicle, you may want to go buy an after-market lock since they seem to have compromised the factory wheel lock.  Personnel update; we have a new police clerk Ms. Roxana Guzman who has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and, if she so decides, may be a future Cheverly Police Officer. We have also filled the Administrative Aide position and she has a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology.  We will have an officer graduating from the Academy next week and she will begin her field training.  The down side is we are losing and officer whose wife is taking a very lucrative job in Tennessee and he will be gone by the end of the month.  

CM MacKenzie I was looking at the calls for service and was wondering what is a miscellaneous police incident and unknown trouble meant?

Chief Robshaw most of the time it is a 911 hang-up.  We are dispatched to these calls because we don’t know if it is someone in trouble that can’t speak or is prevented from speaking, but most of the time it is a kid who has been taught to call 911 and give it a try or it is accidental.  Miscellaneous are usually when the police are interacting with someone who is giving us information on criminal activity they suspect or have observed.

CM MacKenzie are the calls that go to the cell phone included in this report?

Chief Robshaw Any call that leads to an investigation or a call for service is included.

CM Stewart can you give us an update on how Team Cheverly is doing?

Chief Robshaw based on conversations I have had with people who have aided us in closing some of our cases, I would say it is working spectacularly.  Our closure rate is the highest that I can remember and I do link that to the cooperation of the residents through Team Cheverly.  Along with the radio program and the Chief’s Citizen Advisory Board have also contributed.  We need citizen involvement and to promote that we have our trailer which is being outfitted with display screens and gaming consoles.  Our goal is to roll this out at gatherings throughout the Town and draw the youth in to have some fun and positive interactions with their Police Department.  

CM Riazi I know our police officers were first on the scene just outside of town where there was a motorcycle fatality.  Do you know of motorcycle safety course available to citizens?

Chief Robshaw Prince George’s Community College offers motorcycle safety courses often, so anyone interested should look there.

Mayor an update on the Advisory Board?


Chief Robshaw they now have business cards and a beautiful sign for events.  They are not shy and express their views which are very helpful to me.  They are planning meetings and events in the future.  I have a few openings that we are looking to fill.  It has been amazingly successful and they will tell me like it is.  We are building a really trusting relationship.

Recreation Council

Barbara Pejokovich We had a great turnout for Public Safety Night and we had a lot of donations for the dessert table. Saturday, October 13th will be the Flea Market 8:30 to 2.   Next meeting is Tuesday, October 23rd.  The Halloween Party will be Saturday, October 27that he Community Center and the parade will start at Gast Park. We need help.  We are asking teens to get the service hours you need and will qualify for the scholarship if you help us out at our events.  You can call me to sign-up at 301-773-5883.  We also have the Holiday Party and Easter Egg Hunt where you can get hours as well.

Green Infrastructure Committee

Sheila Salo the Cheverly Green Infrastructure Committee and Masters Gardeners want you to know as you put away your gardening tools, your gardening should still be active by composting and wildlife need shelter and water.  Baywise knows no seasons and the Master Gardeners will come out.  So, 9 private sites and 3 public sites have been certified as Baywise.  Go to our website www.greencheverly.org.  October 20th at 10 am there will be a nature walk to show the Cheverly Green Infrastructure’s efforts in restoration.  The meeting place is 5607 Greenleaf (my house) where it will begin.

Cheverly Day Committee

Mayor no report.
Planning Board Report

Mayor the meeting was postponed this month.  There was an MDE meeting here in Town to discuss the Smith Brothers permit request.  We got a lot of input from residents.  We are discussing an air quality station in our area as the closest one is in Upper Marlboro.  We are working with other Towns to try to get one closer to get a better feel for the air quality around us.

Citizen Input
  
Dave Kneipp from Inwood Street.  There were two residents that received the Prince George’s County Beautification Awards, they were Zak and Britney Fister of Cheverly Avenue also Carlos and Katy Diaz of 63rd Avenue, which was also the yard of the year in Prince George’s County.

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Grant Request – Green Infrastructure Committee

Mayor this is a time sensitive grant, so we are doing it tonight rather than at our Worksession.

Dave Kneipp what we are proposing is the planting of a Food Forest at the Kilmer Street Park.  Hyattsville, College Park and Greenbelt all have Food Forests that a eight of us visited.  The idea of planting plants with berries and nuts will draw people into the park.  This grant will allow us to establish the beds and provide signage.  We can do this now in anticipation of the spring.

 Mayor I am in favor of this grant, but one of the things we have to do with this space is establish a Master Plan.  We have a public process for doing this and that establishes the future for the space.  Typically, to amend a Master Plan it involves a three month process to make sure we have public input.  This is small enough and easily removed that I feel we should go forward on this in spite of not having a Master Plan.

• CM  Riazi Motion to approve the grant to the Green Infrastructure Committee for $400 to establish three beds at 6301 Kilmer Street.  Seconded CM MacKenzie. Approved 4-0.


Traffic Survey - Recommendations

Mr. Warrington the Mayor and Council asked the Staff to provide a rank order of the top ten of the recommendations made by the traffic engineer.  We have put that together and Mr. Torres has assigned costs to these items.  We are close to the amount of funding allocated for this year and we hope to have them done before winter.  We are looking to use paint rather than asphalt in order to get a feel for all these crosswalks.  We will do all the handicapped access ramps and putting in an asphalt raised crosswalk after the ramps are in will have no impact.  The Mayor and Council want to do a hard education campaign and this will allow the word to get out and provide a visual concept to people as to where these raised crosswalks will be installed.  

Mayor I am recommending that we do install a raised crosswalk at the south side of 63rd Avenue at Inwood which is not on this list of recommendations.  I am also receptive to the Jason Street speed hump to slow speed and would request that Mr. Torres suggest the best possible and effective location for this item.  This will control speeding when school is not in.  We also need to work with both PTA’s to promote an education campaign to improve the situation.

CM MacKenzie I do like the idea of going slow.  When I talk to my constituents they want enforcement.  We should do anything we can to get these traffic laws obeyed.  I would like to see if Mr. Torres can come up with some different striping in the crosswalk to give it some attention grabbing alert.  I have gotten a positive feedback from Anna Hawkins who is here about extending the No Stopping in front of her property and I got positive feedback from her neighbors to the south of her.  

Mayor we will reach out to the Chief.  Enforcement is not always the most effective means to address this.  We will ask Juan about the crosswalks.  

CM Ivey I think we should maintain this process as slow and deliberate.  We shouldn’t be looking to take on too much that would impact our budget.

Mayor we have been investing money to improve the walkability of our sidewalks on the west side of Town and will be doing so on the east side of town next year.    

CM Riazi I want to compliment staff on their input.  I think these recommendations make good budget sense.  On the face the No Standing signs around Spellman sound good, but where do they que-up.  I would like to have a deeper conversation with Spellman as to what would work for them.  Part of the traffic study is to narrow the area where we are going to put in a raised crosswalk at 63rd and Inwood.  Could we do markings to show the narrowing so people could get an understanding of what is being proposed?  I don’t think enforcement, but rather the members of the PTSA handing-out the education information.  This may be a place to use our police sign to help educate them.  I understand the mid-line speed hump, but what about a sidewalk mid-way on Jason?  Also, are we going to have the painted version of the crosswalks at Gast Park?

Mayor I am all for painting, but I am more cautious about changing the contours of roadways.  I don’t want to put down the striping and still have them there in 5 years. I like the idea of using the police sign.  Like hey running a stop sign will cost you this much money.  You are right that the PTA must educate their members.  We would need a longer look at crosswalks on Jason and a speed hump will have the same profile as a crosswalk, but we don’t want a crosswalk mid-street since there are no stop signs.  We are going to put that on the Worksession agenda for additional discussion.  This will be the package that we will move forward with at this time.  

CM Riazi do we really need to move on this tonight?

Mayor yes, we are going to move on these recommendations tonight.  Perhaps we can get the Chief to have a conversation regarding the bus routes in town.

CM MacKenzie I think we asked the traffic consultant to look at improving the bus routes?

Mayor we will follow-up with the consultant.

• CM Ivey Motion that the Mayor and Council approve the recommendations in this initial traffic improvement initiative.  Seconded CM Stewart.  Approved 4-0.

Father Charles I am a little confused as to what is exactly in front of the Council tonight.  I did receive a message from CM MacKenzie regarding the extension of no parking and I would like to be kept aware of these modifications.  Second, is to address the raised crosswalk on Jason Street as the roadway is converted to one way when there is school drop off and pick up.  We would request that it not be a crosswalk as we do not allow the children to cross the street.  A speed hump would be better for us.  

Mayor we may not put it outside your gym door so no one mistakes it for a crosswalk.  Also, to your other item, we are not pursuing that at this time.

Adoption  O-5-18 Amending the Housing Code

Mr. Warrington the change in this legislation comes out or out Police Department/Code Enforcement division.  There is an issue with properties not being inspected for rental licenses.  There is no provision for revocation if there are 3 scheduled rental inspections and access is not granted by December 1st of the year.  There is only a handful that this law will allow them to deal with this matter.

• CM Stewart Motion to approve O-5-18 Amending the Housing Code.  Seconded CM Ivey. Approved 4-0.

Mayor and Council Announcements

CM MacKenzie the last regular community market will be Saturday the 20th and there will be a costume swap.  A small donation if you don’t have one to trade.  On October 21st there will be a self-defense class and it is free.  The New Carrollton library is open.  The Cheverly Weekday Nursery will be this month.  There is discussion of shading by MNCPPC at Euclid Park could maybe be added to the Worksession

Cm Riazi Election day is November 6th and the deadline for registering by mail and online is Tuesday, October 16th and Thursday, November 1st in person.

CM Stewart make sure you are registered and get out and vote.  In honor of World Mental Health Day which was yesterday, make sure you take care of yourselves.

Mayor   the Newsletter does say September on the backside, but it is Octobers on the front.  For the Worksession we have GNS Grant, Kilmer Park Street Food Forest, Lawrence Woodworth Park playground proposals, Traffic Survey review, Graffiti on the Parkway Bridge, Potential Speed Control Program, LED Streetlight Discussion, MML Sponsorships, Electronic Signs, Smith MDE Permit, the Code Enforcement Process and Elections Supervisor Proposals.

















Town of Cheverly
Summary of Action
October 11, 2018

  • MOTIONCM  Ivey to excuse CM Eldridge and the Mayor from the September 27th Worksession.  Seconded CM Stewart. Approved 4-0.
  • MOTION CM MacKenzie to excuse CM Eldridge and Garcia.  Seconded CM Riazi. Approved 4-0.
  • MOTIOIN CM  Riazi to approve the grant to the Green Infrastructure Committee for $400 to establish three beds at 6301 Kilmer Street.  Seconded CM MacKenzie. Approved 4-0.
  • MOTION CM Ivey that the Mayor and Council approve the recommendations in this initial traffic improvement initiative.  Seconded CM Stewart.  Approved 4-0.
  • MOTION CM Stewart to approve O-5-18 Amending the Housing Code.  Seconded CM Ivey. Approved 4-0.