An Independent Newspaper Beat The Rush Please give us your copy on Mondays or at least by noon on Tuesdays. We are trying not to get swamped Tuesday nights. ews Review I Volume 62. Number 2 15 Crescent Rd., Suite 100, Greenbelt, MD 20770-1887 11tursday, December 3, 1998 . '• .. ' Cable Memo of Understanding OK'd Despite Many Complaints by Diane Oberg out a long-term contract. With pany would be entitled to a num­ Negotiations to renew Jones some reluctance stemming from ber of hearings with the burden Communications' cable television frustration with the service prob­ of proof on the city, not the franchise moved a step closer to lems and the lack of detail in the company. At an earlier meeting, completion with the Greenbelt MOU, council unanimously ap­ she had stated that these hearings City Council's approval of a proved the MOU. Council also could take a couple of years. memorandum of understanding introduced an ordinance extend- If they wished, other cable outlining the general terms of a companies could come in and contract at its November 23 regu- "overbuild," in essence to con­ 1ar meeting. Council also set Jones has hired a struct a second cable system in March 9 as the date for the refer­ consultant to look at the the city. However, no other endum on the annexation of entire system to see what company has sought to do so. Parkside at Greenbelt. must be done to The speakers at the public Cable Television hearing complained of long waits A coalition of county munici­ improve service on hold - Gerald Madison of palities and the county govern­ Ridge Road told of being on ment is negotiating a renewal of ing the current franchise agree­ hold for four hours before his the cable franchise agreement ment through February 1999 to call was answered. Torn Carter with Jones Communications. lbe allow time for completion of the of Laurel Hill Road said he had negotiators have reached agree­ franchise renewal negotiations. had more problems in five years ment on a Memorandum of Un­ Final action on that ordinance is with the cable system in derstanding (MOU) that outlines expected at the next council Greenbelt than he had experi­ the general structure of a fran­ meeting. enced in 15 years in chise renewal agreement. The Public Hearing Bladensburg. He said that he details will be worked out during During a public hearing held has found it quicker to drive to the negotiation of that agreement. early in the council meeting, Jones' office to report problems, The participating governments are most speakers raised concerns than it is to call them in by Toy Soldiers from Brownie Troop 5004 display their prize win­ now being asked to approve the with the quality of service cur­ phone. ning costumes for the "Best Parade Entry." rently being provided by the Jones Responds MOU as the framework for nego­ • photo by Tammy H. Lowry tiating the franchise agreement. company. However, Public Infor­ Karmen Bailey, government Th MOU IL for a IS.iear mation and Communications Co­ and community relations man­ renewal, with a review at year 8 ordinator Beverly Palau, the city's ager for Jones, acknowledsod Brownie Girl Scouts to ensure that the company is representative in these negotia­ that the company's response maintaining a "state-of-the-art" tions, told council that the Fed­ times have not been acceptable, Win Top Toy Parade system. Lee Afflerbach, an engi­ eral Communications Commis­ although she offered no explana­ neering consultant assisting the sion "makes it very difficult to tion for why things had gotten so by Tammy H. Lowry in glitter and glitz in their toy coalition, said that companies are tell a company to go away." If bad. She said that the company Brownie Troop 5004 soldier costumes, top hats and reluctant to make significant in­ the city were to refuse to renew hired 20 new customer service marched to their own beat as shiny black boots. In spite of vestments in cable systems with- the franchise agreement, the com- See CABLE, page 6 toy soldiers at the 7th Annual the blustery winds, the Brownies Holiday Toy Parade held at had fun and managed to display Beltway Plaza Mall on Satur­ their smiles throughout the Charrette Group Questions Work day, November 21, and walked event. The three younger sisters away with the $ I 00 grand prize of the Brownies, Kelli Lowry, for the "Best Parade Entry." age 4, Bianca Clement, age 4, In View of Metroland Plan Beltway Plaza Mall sponsored and Dana Holland, age 3, by Virginia Beauchamp 24, were full of questions about Reed said: "Now we've started to this annual event to kick off the marched in the front of the line. Between the third and fourth the value of their own enterprise put something on the table." He Prince George's County Toy Uniforms were sewn by Troop charrettes dealing with the of preparing guidelines, or a pre­ was pleased, he said, that the Drive and welcome the arrival of 5004 co-leader, Maria Killian­ Greenbelt Metro site and the sur­ ferred concept, for a Sectional team of companies assembled as Santa and Mrs. Claus. The pa­ Clement, with assistance from rounding area, a major public re­ Map Amendment (SMA) for the Metroland had been chosen by rade consisted of numerous enter­ Marjorie Jones, Jean Clement lations event, with much hoopla. same area. Although charrette the Washington Metro Area Tran­ tainers· including dog performers, and Charlotte Neal. major media attention, and politi­ participants during the next two sit Authority (WMATA) to de­ the Parkdale High School Band, Brownie Troop 5004 toy sol­ cians on display, occurred on Oc­ hours worked carefully through velop the combined site The the Northwestern High Porn Porn diers appearing in the parade tober 15. This spectacular was all previously identified issues to concepts presented would add Squad, the Eleanor Roosevelt were Amadea Clement, Jasmine hosted by a group of corpora­ reach consensus, many felt that "some vitality and some reality" High Step Dance Team, double Clement, Brittany Freeland, tions, known collectively as their attention to preserving the to tlie· Sector Plan process, he dutchers, a dancing stilt walker, a Ashley Harrod, Keyonia Hol­ Metroland Developers. LLC, that fragile wetlands environment had said. balloonol"ogist, the Redskinettes land, Breeanna Holmes, Kierra touted plans for an upscale re­ been finessed in the Metroland Nevertheless, Reed stressed and Junior Redskinettes, the Wiz­ Jenkins and Tai Lowry. The gional shopping mall and mixed design concepL that what had been presented was ards' Dance Team and many, Brownies' Troop Leaders are use property, to be called When "Chip" Reed, represent­ ''just a concept. We feel we're at many others. Tammy H. Lowry and Maria Greenbelt Station, on the site in ing the A. H. Smith Limited the beginning, and before the be­ The Brownies were adorned Killian-Clement. question. Partnership, addressed those ginning, stages of the process." Thus those present at the present after the charrette's The point was made again Greenbelt Metro Area Sector agenda had been completed, they later by Ault. "We're in an in­ Come Help Santa Light Planning Group's fourth charrette were all suddenly attentive. terim process," Ault said. ''This only nine days later, on October Reed, who had participated from is a vision plan. It's not set in Greenbelt's Holiday Tree stone at all." the beginning in the focus group, Friday, December 4 will mark the opening of Greenbelt's 27th Environmental Issues was aware that the elegant set of Annual Festival of Lights iThe opening ceremonies and holiday What Goes On Reed particularly stressed the drawings and maps prepared for tree lighting will be held at 7 p.m. outside the Municipal Build­ Fri., Dec. 4, 7 p.m. Fes­ importance of environmental is­ the media occasion varied from ing. The Greenbelt C mbined tioir and Greenbelt Concert tival of Lights Tree Lighting, the land use map still being sues as the site is developed. Band's brass choir will P!_'CSent traditional holiday music and car­ Municipal Building. These include both flood plain worked out by the planning oling. Santa will ma an a~ce with lights blazing and Sat., Sun., Dec. 5-6. group. Accompanying him at the concerns and wetlands, he noted. siren sounding, and h Ip to light a beautifully decorated munici­ Festival of Lights (see ad). (In the Metroland's Plan only 48 final charrette was Greg Ault pal tree. The Rccrc tion Department tll serve refreshments. Mon., Dec. 7, 7-9:30 acres have been designated for from EDAW, site planner and de­ Throughout the re t of the weekend traditional craft show, p.m. Greenbelt Metro Area park and recreational uses. Ac­ signer for Greenbelt Station who featuring wor~by "Over 50 artists and rafts people, will be Sector Planning Group Meet­ cording to staff from the Mary­ had prepared the press packet il­ open to shopper;i.at the Greenbelt Co~ity Center. ing. Municipal Building. land-National Capital Park and lustrations and design concept. Special pro rams for children on u day, December 8, Fri., Dec. 11, 12-2 p.m. Planning Commission, about 130 Introductory Concepts Wednesday, December 9 and December IO will high­ Retirement party for Al acres are considered environmen­ Thursday, Noting that throughout the light the three ff anzaa, Hanukkah, Markell, Community Center, tally sensitive.) nt onal holidays K year owners of the Smith prop­ and Christll\a$. ·pect1vely. Multi-purpose Room. McCarthy and Associates, erty had been urged to reveal For co P,l information see ad.