28 May 1981 Greenbelt News Review
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6rttnbtlt CHI Board ·Reviews Year; Again Discusses Siding by Sandra Surber Smith A list of the complex issues to be decided before siding can be applied to the frame homes, a final report on the election lJltws ·lf\ruitw procedures for the annual meeting, and year-end assessments by Board members were topics of the May 21 meeting of the AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER Greenbelt Homes Inc. Board of Directors. Volume 44, Number 28 P. 0. Box 68, Greenbelt, Maryland 20770 Thursday, May 28, 1981 General Manager Tim Mitter ular meeting. He mentioned that and Staff Architect Stan Sersen while it was important to begin presented a long list of issues work as soon as possible it was which must be addressed before more important to see that proper Citizens Seek.Ways to Decrease Taxes, siding can be applied to the frame planning was performed and the homes as part of P hase I of the work done well. Increase Services In '81-82 City Budget Rehab Program. These issues in clude establishing a construction Election Pro<'ednres by Leta Mach er of Police (FOP) for four addi was for grass cutting, an expense schedule and determining which A report from the Nominations At a public hearing May 20, tional officers starting mid-year whether the park was used as a buildings are ready for siding. and Elections Committee on pro council heard the views of citi was read into the record. The golf course or not: Councilman,, Being ready for siding entails cedures for the 1981 Annual Mem Charles Schwan, while ad bership Meeting at Center School zens on the proposed '81-82 police chief had requested two having proper building heavy-up, officers fot the entire year. The mi,tting that he had never been to was distributed and the consensus budget. The budget will be telephone rewiring, and structu proposed hold-the.line budget pro the pool, felt his tax- support tor ral damage repaired. generally favorable. This year's adopted at the June 1 meet vides for no additional officers. the facility was worthwhile. Not voting procedurl's include holdin-; ing. In his budget message, the city ing that •there were services (such In addition, there was a good up cards to vote one row at a City Manager James Giese had manager made it clear that coun deal of discussion about the elec time and usini; ballots for thP the floor first •to explain the pro cil would decide policy in passing WHAT GOES ON tric equiplJlent on end units and N&E Committee election. As be posed •budget. With the use of the budget and could make such Thurs., May 28, 8 p.m. GHI An how it should be treated. Sersen fore, membe·rs can vote for the overhead projections, he empha 'changes as increased expendi nual Meeting, Center School; presented severa l drawings show Board of Directors and the Audit sized the toll of inflation on the tures. The public hearing is an (Voting following Meeting at ing the current arrangement of Committee on the ni~;ht of the an city budget. In one graph show. opportun:ty for council to hear Municipal Bldg.) the electric boxes, a proposed nual meeting as well as the next stack arrangement, and a system ing 17 items, only the cost of soft. citizen views on services and the F ri., Ma y 29 _ 7 a.m. - 8 p.m. day, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m .. in th<'. balls had gone down since 1979, •budget. Many citizens, in partic using a weatherproofing "shed" City Council Chambers, Municipal 'GHI Voting, Municipal Bldg. type enclosure. Another possibil and that because a new supplier ular people from east Greenbelt, Sat., May 30, 10 a.rn. Memorial Building. has been found. "Increases in the spoke in favor of increased police ity would be to begin siding, leav .Day Services at Greenbelt ing end units to be completed lat Board l\lernbers Review Yrar budget," explained Giese, "reflect force. Each additional officer American Legion Post Home increased costs of, doing ·business." would cost about $22,317 for sal er as soon as the electric work In a reflective spirit stirred by 136, Greenbelt R d. was firrished. Sersen stressed that President Don Voi!:'s farewell No additional employees or pro ary, fringe benefits and some Mon., June 1, 8 p.m. - Budget this list was illustrative ot the statcmC'nt as president of the grams are proposed. Even so, an equipment (a patrol car would be Adoption, Municipal Bldg. increase in the tax rate to $1.10 extra). Donald Shell, Greenbrier, sccpe of the problem but did not board, other board members also a,ddri:ss every point. Board mem summed up the year. Volk de per $100 of assessed valuation is asked for a higher pay raise for as craft classes) for everyone needed to fund existing programs police officers. Council stated that ber Della Dona'ldson raised the scri;;cd his t'l!:ing on the job of thrcughout the community, he at existing levels. it was policy to raise salaries question cf what was acceptable board president as a "fill-in" until stated his objection ·to the view Retirement contributions, ex across-the-board. That raise ls to Pepco. somco:1e could serve permanent that Greenbriar only received one plained Giese, "Is the exclusive proposed at 7c:c or $100,900 for all ly, He said he felt he had not re city service. Mitter reported that manage reason the budget proposes an in city employees. cci\"ed ful: cooperation from all User Fees ment would review these issues. crease." The city has recently Bob Zugby, Greenbriar, stated board m et> brrs and that the nrxt Around the rallying cry "Let the dis.:us::; opfions, evaluate costs, been required to conti,ibu'te to the that he was willing to pay $20-48 bo:1.rd pre: idcnt should use a people who use the facilities pay develop a timetable and then re state retirement fund's accrued more a year for extra police pro GHI <'Ontinnrd on page 8, <'Ol. 1 for them," Maplewood resident port to the board at the next reg- I' birty. This cos would amount tection. "People living east of the George Loutsch suggested user to $115,000 each year for 40 years. P arkway see very little of th e ser fees be imposed. He objected to Giese explained that the first pay_ vices in the center of the city," spending beyond the constant tax ment could be deferred one year, he said. Councilman Richard Cas rate of 99c per $100 of assessed but the annual contributions taldi noted that the city did have GHI ANNUAL valuation. As the Recreation and would then be higher. In response recreational programs such as Parks budget was discussed, to questions, Giese noted that even ballfields In that area. Police ..,.. Loutsch emphasized again that re if the city converted to another protection is the only real service tired people deserved considera "'., MEMBERSHIP retirement system, benefits would needed, Zugby implied. ;z tion and property taxpayers probably cost as much and city Another Greenbriar resident "'Ill should not be burdened by provid employees could choose to stay in complimented the city staff on its ing these services. "Working ~ ---=- the present system. budget presentation. However, MEETING people can afford to pay it," he THE COOPERATl1t. Mayor Gil Weidenfeld led the she noted that the swimming pool said. Weidenfeld and Recreation audience through the budget page deficit was the same cost as one Director Hank Irving pointed out by page. Although he had to ask, policeman. Several people felt that that many activities arc self-sus "Anybody have any questions or residents who used facilities taining and fees are charged _for comments?" for the first few should pay for them. Weidenfelil adult teams that use the ballfields. items, citizens soon made their noted that paradoxlcatJy raising TONIGHT Irving added that many of the views known. At first the sugges pool fees brought in Jess because recreational activities benefited tion of some citizens - to increase fewer people used the pool. Most senior citizens. Weidenfeld felt THURSDAY, MAY 28 services and cut taxes - was no pools in the area are subsidized, CITIZENS cont. on page 4, col. 4 ticea,bly contradictory. However, he added. Councilman Thomas 8 these citizens later suggested a White found the pool a recreation p.m. CITY TAKES TITLE way to increase revenues: institu al bargain because it pays 75~~ ot Center School Aud itori um ting user fees for recreational ac its way. He questioned whether On Thursday, May 21, the tivities. the city should support a golf City of Greenbelt took title to Additional Police rourse, however. Giese noted that the land (.09945 acre) required Major Items To Be Voted On: ~quest by the Fraternal Ord- part of the cost for the golf course for access to the Baltimore Washington Parkway m,erpass through the Greenbriar condo • Authorizatiori to Borrow Money from the National NOTICE OF :ninium project. City Manager Consumer Cooperative Bank for Financing Rehabilita James K. Giese personally de. tion - Phase II SPECIAL MEETING livered a check in the amount cf $29,176.38 to Clifton L. Brown, Prrsident.of Greenbriar • Member Petition· to Expedite Phase I Rehabilitation of FISCAL YEAR 198 1182 BUDGETS Condominiums Phase I. Frame Homes The city now has access to THE GREENBELT CITY COUNCIL HAS SCHEDULED A the overpass area on both sides • Member Petition to Suspend Phase n Rehabilitation Special Meeting - Monday, June 1, 1981 - 8 p.m.