Public Health & Safety I believe strongly in a multifaceted approach to public safety:

• I advocate a Police Force that keeps pace with growth and development. I recently successfully sponsored a motion to increase the number of authorized police to meet the growing number of service calls related to the recently annexed commercial areas.
• I support the Safe Cities Initiative, Neighborhood Watch and Neighborhood Policing programs as solutions to the recent increase in burglary and violent crimes.
• I believe the City should support the Hyattsville Volunteer Fire Department and with the surrounding municipalities contribute to their operational and capitol campaigns.
• Improve our street lighting and sidewalk repairs, prioritizing target areas with crime and safety concerns.
• A common sense approach to Code Enforcement that focuses on health and safety issues, Education, and voluntary compliance.

Public Works

• Successfully worked with the Department of Public Works (WPD) to accelerate utility work, street repaving, and refocusing on dangerous and unsafe streets as a priority.
• Working with DPW to institute a better reporting mechanism to keep residents informed of progress and milestones.
• Will assist the DPW to focus on incremental improvements to core services.

Budget and Management

• Working with Council and Administration to implement a transparent and accountable Budget and Resource Management program.
• We will focus on maintaining quality services without raising taxes.
• This budget cycle will produce baseline accountability and measurement initiatives in each City department.

City staff

• I will seek to introduce non-binding collective binding rights for the Hyattsville City Police on a trial basis with the possibility of expanding coverage to other employees on the completion of the trial program.
• The City needs to increase the number and depth of professional staff to keep pace with the City’s continuing growth and development.
• Working with the City Administrator to develop an evaluation process to promote accountability and professional performance standards.
• Continue to promote competitive pay and benefits.

City Communications

• The Council has adopted a Comprehensive IT plan and initiated an IT Advisory Committee. I have been appointed Council Liaison to the IT Advisory Committee.
• The first phase of the plan will focus on infrastructure and web development.
• The City needs to do a better job informing residents in a timely fashion.
• We need to develop a means to publicize and inform seniors of programs available on a variety of private and public levels.

Recreation & the Arts

• Field and Park Rehabilitation needs to be reevaluated and unsatisfactory work repaired.
• A new Plan for park/field usage needs to be developed and an equitable permitting plan developed.
• Program diversification needs to include all parts of the City.
• The City needs to partner with local schools, residents and businesses to support and encourage arts education.
• The City needs to provide more public space for performance and exhibitions.
• I support the initiative by Ruth Anne Frazier and Robert Croslin to establish a Teen Council to help develop programming for teens and youth.