[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6577826,"mediaKeyId","3093042-b56266d0de6557cb29f04b517a13716c","parentId",3093042,"title","Laurel resident asks Prince George's County to fund $33,000 band organ for Watkins Park carousel","audioSeconds",136,"startMs",646000,"endMs",782000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3093042-b56266d0de6557cb29f04b517a13716c&start=646&end=782","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3093042-b56266d0de6557cb29f04b517a13716c/thumbnail_646000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6577826/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Laurel-resident-asks-Prince-Georges-County-to-fund-33000-band-organ-for-Watkins-Park-carousel","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6577826-d94e61bcdcbb9918d63944a40bc030fe/orig.mp4?Expires=1775729624&Signature=O~zTFPTsKI~rY2SdduWthyAa9HAdIfYrsS-tES9bKTorJuUnAFrMyowSkTGcCpOpmnsQW381xQXt47A8MunO-Ghgi3~sRbaan9rrIVDeqdMPQoPNPjk9WbxvdTTV7kc5fBmJ77cn-EVdxabgtoL0W~DwSBnkja5hli9o832z3jvZijQBB8U0iw3fmgta0hl3~K03X-qkVfBdb6ltaMcAUxWP33wwv7GXlPf7otEfR5GmRhS4qwU-e84UAg25GnWGeGEHttA4KE8RXkseq2PC~lECn3Ezz8uox7TAy4~8Zdr4BH8gJ3nSnZN8RdJuNWPQKZSlCkmQWH3ZtTPVNhl39A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Prince George","date","2025-04-22T00:00:00Z","article","Rory Layman of Laurel told the Prince George's County Council that he is asking for council support to purchase a band organ for the Watkins Park carousel.

“For the record, my name is Rory Layman. I reside at 16204 Julie Lane, Laurel, Maryland 20707,” Layman said. He described operating the carousel in 2017 and 2018 and said the carousel’s original organ had been separated and sold. Layman identified a comparable instrument — a 1917 Brilitzer (model noted in his remarks as a 1-50-3) named “Katie Lou,” currently located in Missouri — with a sale price of $33,000, and asked the council to support the purchase to enhance visitor experience at Watkins Park.

Layman said the instrument would “make a special and unique experience for riders as well as other visitors to the park” and called the purchase “a modest investment and well worth it.”

After Layman’s remarks, a council member asked staff to attempt to locate the instrument and report back, and the chair indicated support from council members in the room. The public hearing concluded and the council moved to closing business.

Is there a motion to adjourn? According to the meeting record, a motion was offered and the chair called for the vote; the chair then said, “All those in favor, please say aye,” and declared the meeting adjourned. The record does not provide a roll-call vote tally for the adjournment motion.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Prince George - County Council - Public Hearing - MNCPPC Budget - Apr 22, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Rory Layman of Laurel asked the County Council to support buying a 1917 Brilitzer band organ priced at $33,000 to restore music to the Watkins Park carousel. A council member asked staff to check on the available instrument; the meeting adjourned after a motion to close.","taxTitle","Prince George's County, Maryland","taxId",3378,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6577830,"Sierra Club urges Prince George's County to fund parks, climate-resilience measures in planning budget",256,182000,438000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3093042-b56266d0de6557cb29f04b517a13716c&start=182&end=438","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3093042-b56266d0de6557cb29f04b517a13716c/thumbnail_182000.jpg","/articles/6577830/Prince-Georges-County/Maryland/Sierra-Club-urges-Prince-Georges-County-to-fund-parks-climate-resilience-measures-in-planning-budget","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6577830-3586c7f526a0dba2d9a525753878dfc9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775729624&Signature=RDsC-V6X6NpY9X9~c0z7JfDllltU2v1ouyvCVgOmVubyEOKfvoGXAN7ONHGLyPg7SsuGz9Qe6NaZsyhmrihVTf7RNYpPr7HY4L5WqRZZINjBg1AScxlMZ~e4HfP8yMZdDfUOilf268tyNcUKARVcvwmmZE7bhO4xcneAn1NpCkpaOb9HJlApWoV75zA7oqsyOQMYVHzWGT3mFzQNL0oN1dZ61RiaxRmA5YV4fu2CTQlliAccho1WmTZ8e9P5NvOs9F9FnWF7cBEoxMUTWr4wrkKqNypaI7AnTvyenLONzi8GD44tDVZEopg864GbU4daJttCuP5XagAFPTRpnKg1FQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Janet Gingold, speaking for the Prince George's Sierra Club, told the Prince George's County Council at a public hearing at 1301 McCormick Drive in Largo that the parks and planning budget should include dedicated resources to implement the county climate action plan and increase climate resilience across parklands and planning programs.

Gingold said the county needs “funding to integrate climate resilience goals into all long range county plans, policies, and capital improvement” and urged robust community engagement to identify local needs. She recommended funding for designated resilience hubs — including infrastructure upgrades, local reliable electricity and staff training — and called for energy-resilience investments such as solar installations, battery storage and microgrids with priority for overburdened and underserved communities.

The Sierra Club representative also asked the council to allocate resources to implement recently adopted tree conservation and stream-buffer regulations, to adopt updated green-infrastructure standards and stormwater manuals that prioritize nature-based solutions, and to provide incentives for developers to preserve on-site natural resources and use permeable surfaces. “Please fund initiatives that augment tree cover, especially in stream valleys and near urban heat islands, including acquisition of forested lands and land in the flood plains where development should not occur,” Gingold said.

Gingold urged the council and the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) to expand park programming that raises public awareness about climate resilience, including community science programs, interpretive signage and volunteer opportunities. She also recommended funding for care of natural-surface trails, ecosystem restoration and invasive species control.

On the question of playing fields, Gingold told council members, “We urge you not to fund additional synthetic turf fields because they contain ‘forever chemicals’ that impact human health, increase surface temperatures and create hundreds of tons of waste when removed.” She also asked for resources to repair and maintain drinking-water fountains and add refill stations to reduce beverage-container litter, and for M-NCPPC leadership on solar installations, electric-vehicle charging infrastructure and electrification of vehicles and landscaping equipment.

Another commenter praised the Lake Arbor Golf Course conversion under Park and Planning as a model for reforestation, stream restoration, accessible trails and nature-based play. That speaker emphasized using local natural assets for green-job creation, invasive-species control and environmental education, and encouraged continued investment in neighborhood recreation centers such as Kentland Recreation Center and youth-leadership programs.

The public hearing included three speakers signed up to speak, according to the meeting record. The council did not take formal action on the requests during the hearing; the public-comment portion concluded and the meeting proceeded to closing business later in the agenda.

","At a public hearing at 1301 McCormick Drive in Largo, a representative of the Prince George's Sierra Club urged the County Council to fund park-focused climate resilience measures, including resilience hubs, tree conservation, stream buffer regulation, green infrastructure standards and to avoid funding synthetic turf fields.","actionData","errors"]

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Laurel resident asks Prince George's County to fund $33,000 band organ for Watkins Park carousel

Sierra Club urges Prince George's County to fund parks, climate-resilience measures in planning budget