Greenbelt resident Peggy Higgins was part of a small group recently attempting to gather sufficient signatures to stop a city charter change so there could be a referendum. She learned that it’s nearly impossible to gather the signatures required, even when the petition is overwhelmingly popular, yet it was also a “wonderful experience,” she says and reaffirmed her decision of 31 years ago to move to Greenbelt. What follows is her account.
My journey began this last month when the city council voted, by a one-vote majority, 4 to 3, to change the city charter. As a result, I’ve been part of a small group of those connecting with Greenbelt registered voters, inviting them to sign a petition. The effort aimed to collect enough signatures to formally stop council from changing the city charter regarding the city manager residency requirement.
Why the Petition
The charter, the city’s founding document, requires the city manager to live in Greenbelt. Council’s change to the charter allows them discretion on a case-by-case basis to decide whether city residency will be a requirement for the new city manager, in the middle of a search that is already well underway. The voter petition asks to stop council’s action and allow the voters to decide by referendum during this November’s upcoming election whether to make the change.
Overwhelming Support
As I went to events and door to door, I universally found Greenbelters to be interested and willing to engage in the issue. Ninety to 95 percent of those approached signed the petition. Each voter who signed affirmed this issue should be decided by the voters and that the residency requirement should be the same for all (rather than case-by-case). Many did so emphatically, saying: “This makes no sense.” “Is this council action legal?” “I don’t usually sign petitions, but I can absolutely sign that.’’ “It’s a no-brainer.”
This response was true whether talking with voters who were parents at Springhill Lake Elementary dismissal time, parents with their entrepreneurial children at the Greenbelt Elementary Spring Fair, neighbors in my Greenbelt East neighborhood, GHI residents, shoppers leaving the Co-op or Safeway, fellow members of the Golden Age Club or participants at the Farmers Market and Green Man Festival.
About 85 percent of those who signed were insistent that the city manager live in Greenbelt. Many feel the city manager residency requirement is a core issue as to their understanding of who and what Greenbelt is. Their remarks included: “Hell, no.” “They should be impacted by the consequences of their decisions. They should have skin in the game.” “I can’t believe they would consider someone who doesn’t want to live in Greenbelt.” It was a bit surprising to me but as a group African American residents in particular were forcefully adamant on this point.
A number of residents who signed were also concerned because the charter change is case-by-case, with different rules for different applicants. They also questioned how it was possible for a charter amendment to be changed based on a one-vote majority. Several even questioned if the process was legal.
Not Enough Signatures
So what happened on the petition drive which ended May 21? While 90 to 95 percent of the registered voters approached signed, we were only a small group getting signatures and didn’t reach enough residents in the 40 days to reverse council’s action. Even so, we submitted 811 voter signatures directly to council at the Monday, May 22 evening meeting.
Recognizing that council was not required to comply with the petition, we pointed out that 811 is 32 percent of the roughly 2,500 voters who vote in Greenbelt elections. We asked that council not dismiss the petition of 811 Greenbelters and have this issue go to referendum.
Process Concerns
This issue additionally raised several process concerns. Based on the experiences of these petitioners, we can suggest the following:
1) That the city charter be amended so that the threshold of a successful petition for referendum be 20 percent of the average number of voters in the previous two city elections.
Currently, to achieve a referendum, 20 percent of registered voters must sign a petition. Greenbelt voter registration used to be done within the city by the city clerk’s office. Now registration for city elections is part of the county process, resulting in a significant increase of registered voters but not necessarily an increase in those who vote. Thus, only a small percentage, approximately 2,500 of 15,000 eligible voters, actually engage in voting in Greenbelt elections, but the requirement for residents’ petitions has dramatically increased over recent decades and thus this recommendation;
2) That the charter be amended to require a threshold of a council super-majority for charter changes or alternatively for voters to decide charter changes via referendum.
(Re)Discovering More of Greenbelt
The purpose of my journey was to talk with fellow residents about the situation and collect signatures. In the process, I re-discovered my delight in living in Greenbelt. I met residents who have lived in Greenbelt just two months and those who have lived here 57 years. It was in meeting thoughtfully engaged people of both sides of the issue that made it so special for me. Although a 31-year Greenbelt resident, I had never attended the Green Man Festival or the Farmers Market. What a wonderful experience I’ve been missing all these years. That’s going to change.
I learned in a tangible way how the New Deal Café, in addition to good food, is a warm, welcoming regular gathering place. I witnessed the friendly, active use of our city parks. I observed the camaraderie of Greenbelt Nursery School families getting together for a Saturday afternoon potluck celebration. I saw and appreciated first-hand individual residents’ beautiful gardens and the thoughtful foundational planning for GHI and the integration of the woods among those homes.
At some homes, I had longer conversations – with a resident still grieving the recent death of their spouse, a resident of 57 years moving at the end of the summer to a senior living facility, a resident who had been in the first graduating class at St. Hugh’s Elementary School and several pairs of grandparents who live “a stone’s throw” from their adult children and grandchildren.
I was also introduced to Floppy, a stray cat, who has become a cul-de-sac’s neighborhood cat in one Windsor Green neighborhood. As my friend who lives in the cul-de-sac and I went door-to-door, the cat followed her. After we knocked on one door, the neighbor opened his door saying, “I wasn’t going to answer the door until I saw Floppy with you.”
Many thanks to all I met. It was a great experience, especially in post-Covid times, to re-connect with how vibrant and engaged the people of Greenbelt are. I invite you, too, to get out, become engaged and enjoy our community.