Courtesy of the City of Hyattsville
In an attempt to keep citizens informed about how the City of Hyattsville is spending its money and what types of projects are taking place in and around the city, the Life and Times has compiled a list of some of the most important agenda items from August city council meetings (in this case, the Aug. 5 meeting — the most recent, as of printing — due to the council’s usual summer break). “Consent items” are routine and typically pass in one motion without discussion. “Action items” are considered individually for a council vote. Video of Hyattsville City Council meetings, as well as the full agendas and accompanying documents for those meetings, can be found here: hyattsville-md.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx
Public Wi-Fi Pilot Project (Consent Item)
The council approved the installation of a fiber-optic cable between 4310 Gallatin Street (the site of the current police headquarters and the Hyattsville Municipal Building) and 3505 Hamilton Street (the site of the new police headquarters), for a total of approximately $266,000.
Looped into the same agenda item is a public Wi-Fi pilot project. Free public Wi-Fi will be installed at Robert J. King Memorial Park, Driskell Park and Hyatt Park, according to the Aug. 5 council agenda item. However, the itemized service estimate from company Systems Application & Technologies, Inc (SA-Tech) also lists 38th Avenue Neighborhood Park, Nicholson Park, Dietz Park and the new police building at 3505 Hamilton Street as recipients of public Wi-Fi. The quote from SA-Tech places the Wi-Fi project cost at approximately $423,000.
The relationship between the fiber-optic cable connecting police headquarters and the public Wi-Fi project is not stated outright in either the agenda or the service estimate.
Environmental Depot (Consent Item)
The city is negotiating a lease for 4631 Baltimore Avenue, right at the intersection of Charles Armentrout Drive and Alternate Route 1, adjacent to the city’s Public Works Department facility. The current plan is to use the building as the potential site of a Hyattsville Environmental Depot — a place where residents can dispose of hazardous waste, as well as recyclable materials that cannot be collected curbside.
The city plans to sign a 21-year lease for the building (from Aug. 1, 2024, to July 30, 2045) at an initial rate of $4,932.50 per month, to increase at a rate of 1.75% annually. Currently, the Aug. 5 council agenda states that the lease amount should not exceed $45,000 for the first year, but the listed monthly rent of nearly $5,000 would appear to exceed this figure.
Driskell Park (Consent Item)
The council approved the purchase and installation of two new pavilions at the Driskell Park Rec Center — a smaller one to be placed at the entrance (approximately 490 square feet), and a larger pavilion to be placed at the back of the building (approximately 1,730 square feet). Both will be used as outdoor classrooms. The total cost for both projects is $281,843.
The Spot (Consent Item and Action Item)
Hyattsville has entered a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with the Revenue Authority of Prince George’s County in order to develop The Spot via $681,685 in grant funding, to be spent by Dec. 31. The council also approved the purchase of park and playground equipment for The Spot from Playground Specialists Inc. (the same provider of similar playground equipment in other city parks) for $250,000, using American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, or ARPA, funds. Listed items include a netted merry-go-round and a small hammock swing.
Hyattsville Teen Center (Consent Item)
The council approved two renovations for the exterior of the new teen center (not to be confused with the youth center at the Driskell Park Rec Center) at Nicholson Street and 40th Avenue, not far from Hyattsville Middle School. These renovations include the installation of a walking path, bike rack and pour-in-place site work — all, essentially, the setting of concrete foundations — for a total of $43,000, as well as the installation of playground equipment — including a double hammock, basket swing, and wobble board — for approximately $200,000.
Public Hearing for Traffic Calming Petitions (Consent Item)
The council scheduled a public hearing, to take place Oct. 7 at 6 p.m., to consider public testimony regarding the traffic calming petitions submitted for the 5600 block of 31st Avenue (Ward 4), the 6000 block of 43rd Street (Ward 1), and the 4000 block of Nicholson Street (Ward 2). Residents of all three streets have requested the installation of speed bumps, and residents of the 5600 block of 31st Avenue have expressed openness to having a speed camera installed.
