By HANNAH MASSEY
Sam Denes has served as the city councilmember for Hyattsville’s Ward 1, which stretches from east of Baltimore Avenue to west of 42nd Avenue, since 2021. As he nears the end of his first and only term, Denes spoke with the Life & Times (L&T) to reflect on his four years in office, discussing his achievements, challenges, and future goals.
A passionate advocate for sustainable urban planning and community engagement, Denes ran for council with a focus on expanding bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, improving street safety, and promoting responsible governance. He said his commitment to these issues is fueled by his love for the outdoors and a desire to make Hyattsville a more connected and livable city.
Before joining the council, Denes was involved in the city’s Health, Wellness and Recreation Committee, served as president of the Arts District Hyattsville Master Homeowners Association, and regularly volunteered with the city’s food distribution program. He also works in environmental policy for a federal agency, specializing in offshore energy development.
Denes credits former Ward 1 Councilmember Bart Lawrence with “planting the seed” for his eventual candidacy, and he now reflects on his time in office as he prepares for the next chapter.
L&T: If you were to describe Hyattsville in one word, what would it be?
Denes: If I were to describe Hyattsville in one word, it would be “community.” I’ve lived in a number of states around the country, and this is the most I’ve ever felt a sense of community. I’ve never had this much connection to my neighbors in any of the places I’ve ever lived before, and I love it.
L&T: Did you meet your goals as a councilmember?
Denes: I could say unequivocally that I did reach some of my goals, particularly when it comes to projects focused on vulnerable road users, pedestrians and cyclists. Rather than viewing streets as just ways for cars to move quickly, we’ve shifted the community’s focus to being able to exist outside of a steel box and get around in a way that’s not reliant on cars. More crosswalks have been painted, more bike lanes and bike trails have been created, and lighting has been improved on trails and sidewalks. I’m really excited to see that happening.
L&T: Were there any goals you set for yourself that you didn’t achieve?
Denes: I wanted to see ranked-choice voting come to Hyattsville. I still think it should. I talked to the Board of Elections and clerks a couple of years ago about making it happen, but it didn’t pan out. Since then, Councilmember [Danny] Schaible [Ward 2]has really taken up the mantle. I also wanted to see changes to our tax code. Right now, we tax commercial and residential property the same way, and that doesn’t really make sense. I think we can create a more equitable system for collecting revenue if we implement additional changes to our property tax program.
L&T: What is something you learned while being a councilmember that surprised you?
Denes: I was surprised by how much consensus there is on the council. There’s not a lot of dissent. We work really hard to get everyone to support something or to make it a reasonable process. Sometimes that means things get slowed down, but it was surprising how many unanimous votes we had.
L&T: How involved was the public in the city’s decision-making during your term?
Denes: I hear from community members constantly. When I’m out walking my dog, I’ll have someone come up and ask about a city issue. We get a lot of emails and phone calls. There are people who are very involved and very concerned about the city, and they want to see Hyattsville improve.
L&T: How was communication among councilmembers?
Denes: Councilmembers are people. Some people you vibe with, and you communicate easily with them to discuss things, even if you don’t always see eye to eye. Different councilmembers have different preferences — some prefer talking on the phone, some want to talk late at night, others prefer email. You just meet people where they are. There are certain councilmembers I talk to a lot, and others I don’t talk to as much.
L&T: Do you regret any of your votes as a councilmember?
Denes: I don’t regret any of my votes. None of them make me concerned about the future of Hyattsville. But there is one area where, if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t have been as supportive of a lot of the projects we tried to undertake with our American Rescue Plan [Act of 2021] funds. There were a lot of great ideas put forward, but we as a council asked a lot from staff and dedicated a significant amount of time trying to get these projects done. In hindsight, I think we could have been more judicious with those funds. I don’t specifically regret any of my votes, but I do think we, as a council, could have handled that better.
L&T: Why did you decide not to run for reelection?
Denes: I spent the past year really deliberating over whether or not to run again. My wife joked that I was changing my mind weekly. I struggled with the idea because I feel like I have more to offer and more that I would like to accomplish. But I also feel that I wasn’t able to be as effective as I wanted to be as a councilmember. For whatever reason, I struggled to make sure the projects I started actually got over the finish line. I want to do more, but I’m not sure I’m the right person to get it done as effectively as I’d like. Up until Jan. 20, I was still undecided, but after the presidential inauguration and the drastic changes to my day job situation, it just became untenable for me to commit to another four years. I was incredibly stressed, concerned with separate aspects of my life, and unable to devote the time, energy and emotional investment required for the council.
L&T: What advice would you give to individuals interested in running for city council?
Denes: Keep your mind open. Understand that at the end of the day, it’s about relationships and working with people. Focus on the things you want to get done, but be willing to put time and effort into things that others want to get done because, together, more things will get done well. Pay attention to the community, listen to the residents — they know more than you do — and try to have fun. The meetings can be long and challenging, but it’s a lot better when you have a smile on your face. Try to enjoy it.
L&T: What do you hope to see in Hyattsville in the next five to ten years?
Denes: I would like to see vibrant, active, comfortable and inviting commercial spaces. We have great residential areas, but what I’d really love to see is three main commercial hubs — West Hyattsville, the Mall at Prince George’s, Hyattsville Crossing — full of people who feel comfortable being out on the street, not trapped in their cars. I want to see more people enjoying those areas along Route 1, hopefully with new restaurants and businesses thriving. I’m really excited for that type of future.
L&T: What do you hope the new city administration will accomplish in the next few years?
Denes: What’s front of mind right now is the budget season. I’d like to see the budget process become less acrimonious. I want the city to be more prepared and more effective at communicating our financial situation. If we can do that, I think the community will have a better understanding of what city staff are trying to achieve. But it’s going to take some time. We’re moving in the right direction.
The L&T also reached out to Councilmember Rommel Sandino (Ward 5) — the only other current city councilmember who is not seeking reelection — for comment, but had not received a response as of press time.
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Hannah Massey is an undergraduate journalism student at the University of Maryland.
