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Council considers pausing PGCMA membership and plans to set aside funds for county/state advocacy
Summary
Council members raised concerns about the Prince George’s County Municipal Association (PGCMA) financial transparency and recommended pausing membership; they asked staff to identify $10,000–$20,000 for direct advocacy at the county and state level if the city reduces PGCMA funding.
Several council members questioned continued financial support for the Prince George’s County Municipal Association (PGCMA), citing recent mismanagement and opaque communication by that organization. Council members proposed a one‑year pause in membership and suggested reallocating the small contribution toward direct advocacy to cover county and state lobbying needs now that PGCMA’s chapter structure and lobbyist arrangements are changing.
Why this matters: local advocacy is one channel for municipalities to influence county and state policy that affects funding and regulation. With PGCMA’s chapter model under review and restrictions on chapter‑level lobbyists through the Maryland Municipal League umbrella, Greenbelt council wants to preserve direct advocacy capacity.
Mayor Pro Tem Kristen Weaver and Councilmember Jenny Pompey both said they would prefer to hold city funds while monitoring the organization’s response; Councilmember Silke Pope suggested a one‑year pause to mirror College Park’s approach. Staff said they could find $3,200 in the current allocations to shift from the PGCMA line and could draw from legal services retainer to fund a contracted advocate for county/state legislative tracking and advocacy. Council asked staff to propose specific advocacy funding options ($10,000–$20,000 suggested range) and possible partnerships with neighboring municipalities for shared advocacy before Monday’s vote.
