Diane Oberg | Article Author |

22 Sep 2016

City Manager Updates Council On Capital Projects, Budgets

by Diane Oberg

The hot topic of the September 14 city manager update was where to put a dog park in the core of Greenbelt. Other topics were a review of other capital projects, a current and prior year budget update and consideration … Read More

4 Aug 2016

BARC Director Ellen Harris Converses with City Council

by Diane Oberg

On July 20 the Greenbelt City Council held a far-ranging conversation with Dr. Ellen Harris, director of the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) as part of its series of stakeholder meetings. The last such meeting was held roughly two years … Read More

21 Jul 2016

Council OKs Police Restructuring, Considers Playground Costs

by Diane Oberg

The Greenbelt City Council approved a proposed restructuring of the city police department from Police Chief James Craze at its July 11 regular meeting. Other items included dam repairs at Greenbelt Lake, playground surfacing costs and an update on the … Read More

30 Jun 2016

Council Welcomes Raiders, Hears Homelessness Concerns

by Diane Oberg

The June 20 regular meeting of the Greenbelt City Council got off to a rousing start with performances by two Eleanor Roosevelt High School (ERHS) Step Squads. Later, council dealt with budget issues, heard a petition from a resident threatened … Read More

11 May 2016

Public Works Budget Covers the whole nine yards

by Diane Oberg

The Greenbelt Department of Public Works is responsible for keeping the city up and running with wide-ranging duties including taking out the trash; saving energy; maintaining the city’s buildings, vehicles, streets, parks, playgrounds and fields; running the Greenbelt Connection and … Read More

28 Apr 2016

Recreation Budget, Goals Reviewed by City Council

by Diane Oberg

The recreation budget accounts for roughly 16 percent of City Manager Michael McLaughlin’s proposed budget with expenditures of $4.36 million for Fiscal Year 2017. From that budget, the department operates four recreation centers (the Youth Center, Springhill Lake Recreation Center, … Read More

21 Apr 2016

Old Greenbelt Theater Reports Successful First 11 Months of Operation

by Diane Oberg

After 11 months of operation, the Old Greenbelt Theatre is operating at a small profit and is not dependent upon city funding for operating expenses, although the city provides some transition funds for other expenses. Executive Director Caitlin McGrath sat … Read More

14 Apr 2016

Proposed City General Budget Up by 1.3 Percent

by Diane Oberg

The General Government budget accounts for the city’s expenses not specific to any department such as city council, the city manager’s office, finance and administration, etc. The Greenbelt City Council reviewed this budget at a March 30 worksession. Overview City … Read More

7 Apr 2016

Council Budget Cycle Kicks Off

by Diane Oberg

The city’s annual budget review kicked off on Tuesday, March 29 with City Manager Michael McLaughlin’s presentation of his proposed budget. The first of eight worksessions to drill down into the details of each department’s budget followed the next night. … Read More

4 Feb 2016

Forebay Dredging – Beavers Readjust to Riparian Renewal

by Diane Oberg

At its meeting next Monday, February 8, the Greenbelt City Council is expected to authorize signing the documents needed to obtain permits to dredge the lake forebays to improve water quality. Council will get a chance later to specifically authorize … Read More