Prince George's County Council adopts consent agenda, authorizes letters and schedules watershed work session

The Prince George's County Council on Feb. 25, 2025 adopted its consent agenda, authorized several official letters to state and regional partners and introduced a resolution on watershed financial assurance that will receive a work session later this week.

The council approved the consent agenda by roll call after a motion by Council Member Fisher and a second from Council Member Olson; the motion passed 9-0. The consent agenda included approval of the Feb. 18, 2025 minutes and the first readings of two council bills: CB-17-2025, which the agenda described as relating to landlord-tenant relations and providing for relocation payments and first right to reoccupy certain rental housing deemed unfit for human habitation; and CB-18-2025, described as imposing an excise tax on certain telecommunications services in lieu of sales and use tax and related funding requirements.

Jabari Cooper presented the General Assembly committee report and said the committee voted to support several state bills, enumerating those items for the council. Cooper said the committee "voted to support House Bill 1422, state government, Maryland Reparations Commission," and listed additional bills the committee supported. The council voted 9-0 to authorize the chair's signature on the letter transmitting the council's positions on state legislation (motion by Fisher; second Olson).

The council also approved an additions agenda and, by separate motion, authorized the chair's signature on proposed correspondence to Janie Nam and Victoria Caldulo at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments supporting the Northern Prince George's East–West bikeway planning study (motion by Olson; second Fisher; vote 9-0).

Council members reconsidered a previously approved letter opposing a proposed magnetic levitation transportation system after staff requested a minor technical change. Council Member Fisher moved to reconsider; Eric Olsen seconded and the reconsideration passed 9-0. Following the change, the council voted to authorize the chair's signature on the amended letter (motion by Council Member Janogas; second Olson). That motion passed with seven ayes and two abstentions; Vice Chair Burrows and one other member recorded abstentions and the clerk announced the final tally as 7-0-2. During discussion before the authorization, Cooper described the change as technical: "There was nothing substantively changed and it didn't comply with the clerk's rule process," he said.

The council introduced CR-7-2025, "a resolution concerning watershed protection and restoration for the purpose of Prince George's County's watershed protection and restoration financial assurance plan, for approving the Prince George's County financial assurance as required by state law." The Office of Law reviewed the resolution and told the chair, "The Office of Law has had the opportunity to review CR7 and find no legal impediments." The council held the hearing and scheduled a work session in the TIE committee on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2025, for further consideration.

No votes were taken on CR-7-2025 at the Feb. 25 meeting. The council adjourned after the scheduled items.