The May 22 Greenbelt City Council meeting had a full agenda and lasted for nearly four hours. It opened with three presentations and continued with three public hearings and a new speed camera contract and four projects presented by the Planning Department for approval.
Two of these items were reported in the May 25 issue of this paper: a public hearing on whether to lower the voting age to 16 for municipal elections and a vote directing staff to draft potential legislation to revise the city charter and the city code to make the necessary amendments if council decides to go that route. A later article will cover the Planning Department approvals.
Presentations
Rusty Beeg, Chris Beeg and Dora Hamm represented American Legion Post 136, presenting poppies to all those in attendance and explaining the historical significance of the poppy for remembrance of all those who have given their lives in combat while serving in the armed forces.
June is Peace Month in Greenbelt. Mayor pro tem Judith Davis presented a proclamation to that effect to Alexander Barnes, Sr., who represented the Prince George’s County Peace & Justice Coalition and described plans for the month.
May 15 was Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week continuing through May 21 was National Police Week. Lt. Gordon Pracht accepted the proclamation on behalf of the city police department. He commented that in viewing the wall and seeing the families who had lost officers in the line of duty, he was aware that being “peace officers” is exactly their goal. He thanked council and the residents of Greenbelt for their support and concern for their safety. He and Davis both expressed gratitude that there has never been a Greenbelt officer named on the memorial wall.
Read more of this story in the June 22 News Review