Council Adopts Fiscal 2012 Budget, Roberts Dissents

After 10 work sessions and two public hearings dating back to March, the Greenbelt City Council adopted its fiscal year 2012 budget last night in a nearly unanimous 5-1 vote.

The budget, which contains $25,472,200 in expenditures, represents about 2.1 percent more in spending over FY 2011 and includes a variety of changes since first proposed by City Manager Michael McLaughlin on March 28.

A few of those changes include an extra $120,000 in highway user revenues from the state, as well as roughly $145,000 in savings through a handful of city-staff vacancies that will remain vacant.

The council also pulled back on plans to provide a 2 percent increase in cost of living adjustments for city employees; however, a one-time, 1 percent bonus made its way into the final budget, costing about $159,000.

Mayor Judith "J" Davis, who said city staff and employees have “suffered” the most in recent budget cycles, expressed the hope that the 1 percent bonuses would “hopefully sweeten” things up a bit.

The city also intends to end its public-private relationship with the Beltway Plaza Mall, costing about $40,000, to redirect one full-time police officer to regular patrols.

Councilman Rodney Roberts was the lone dissenter in the 5-1 vote, unwilling to approve increases in both apartment and commercial office inspection and licensing fees. 

The budget now includes a $160 hike for commercial offices, bringing the total fee up to $285. The annual apartment inspections will run $110, up from $100. According to documents, the increases are expected to draw in an additional $84,000 from commercial offices and $46,000 from apartments. 

“I’m still bothered by the increase,” Roberts said prior to the budget’s passage, citing a listless economy and the “very delicate balancing act” business owners face each and every day.  

Roberts, who said he would have otherwise voted for the budget, also expressed frustration over not seeing a more explicit vote among the council over the fee increases.

“I’m just questioning the process here,” he said, referring in part to a memorandum being voted on, and which only outlined changes to the city manager’s original budget. “Something is amiss.”

Mayor Davis reiterated to Roberts that the fee increases were included within the city manager’s initial budget, and consequently didn't belong in the memorandum because it was meant to just include changes made to the initial budget.

Still, Roberts suggested the fee increases were hidden in the budget, given that only a straw poll, he said, had been conducted over the increases during a prior work session, and they were therefore not highlighted sufficiently enough for the public.

“No, it’s not hidden,” said Mayor Davis, explaining that the budget process was no different than in several years past. “This is the way we do it.”

For her part, Councilwoman Silke Pope said she was “satisfied” with the budget’s outcome, and also countered Roberts’ claim that the budget had been "balanced on the backs of businesses."

“I think we made some good and thorough decisions,” she said, later adding: “I have a good feeling about the budget.”

Mayor Pro Tem Emmett Jordan said he was pleased with the budget outcome overall, though cautioned plenty of fiscal challenges still loom ahead. 

Councilman Edward Putens was not present during the 5-1 budget vote; however, he did turn up later in the evening and provided a “for the record” affirmation of support for the budget to City Clerk Cindy Murray.