Why I’m Running

Plan for the City’s future in the face of economic challenges and uncertainty.

• We received a large amount of funding from the Federal government as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and have been able to use that funding in a broad diversity of programs, but ARPA funding is all allocated, and projects must be completed by December 2026. That leaves us with fewer resources in the face of new economic challenges.
• The City is continuing it’s work in economic development, including an Economic Development Strategic Plan, but we still may need to consider changes in how small businesses are supported and encouraged in Greenbelt to ensure opportunities to succeed, as well as continuing to pursue workforce development and training for our residents.
• The opportunity of the FBI headquarters is at the very least delayed, meaning we need to seek out other opportunities for smart development, while preserving what makes Greenbelt great. We know, for example, that affordable housing is a challenge across the region, and we need to figure out how to redevelop areas, such as underused office buildings and parking lots, to create more units while preserving green space. 
• The loss of federal jobs, along with the cuts to social support networks by the federal government, will be a huge challenge for Greenbelt and the region. We need to do what we can to fill in the gaps for our residents, and provide as much support as we are able.

Create a comprehensive plan for expanding and improving amenities and recreation opportunities across the city.

• One of the signature characteristics of historic Greenbelt is being able to safely walk to parks and other recreational spaces. While we may not be able to recreate that same walkable nature in all parts of Greenbelt, we can do better.  We need to enhance facilities and improve pedestrian, bike, and other transportation options citywide. Some solutions are within the City’s control, others will require advocacy to the appropriate agencies in the county and state. Several exciting projects are underway, including engineering design for bicycle and pedestrian improvements along Hanover Parkway, and a recently (August 2025) signed grant agreement for Safe Streets for All funding to develop a Vision Zero plan, but more is needed.
• With the development of Greenbelt Station, the new Motiva apartment building at Ivy Lane, and the future redevelopment of Beltway Plaza, the disparity in recreation amenities between the three sections of Greenbelt is only going to become more pronounced unless action is taken. While the proposed 20,000+ square foot indoor recreation facility to be given to the city as part of the Beltway Plaza redevelopment is a start, it is not sufficient to serve the needs of the growing population in Greenbelt West.
• In a similar vein to the Buddy Attick Park Master Plan, approved by City Council in May 2025, we need to take a comprehensive look at the parks and amenities around Greenbelt, and develop a city-wide plan to increase access, especially as new residents are moving in.

Proactively pursue equity, fair practices, and justice in city policies (including policing) and diversity and inclusion among staff and others representing the city.

• I am proud to have supported the creation of a Greenbelt Police Department Crisis Intervention Team, with crisis counselors responding to calls for service hand in hand with our uniformed police officers, and getting residents the help they need, especially when mental health issues are involved.
• Beyond just policing, we need to be proactively promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in all city policies and among city employees. A first step was hiring the City’s first DEI officer, and completing an audit of city policies and practices, including interviews with city staff. We have more work to do in this area to truly live up to the Greenbelt Community Pledge of being a respectful, welcoming community that is open, accessible, safe and fair.
• I was honored to be part of the process of forming the Greenbelt Reparations Commission, and helping select the outstanding Greenbelters serving on the committee. I am looking forward to seeing their recommendations and creating a plan for implementation.
• I was pleased to support the implementation of resident non-citizen voting in municipal elections, which will be in effect for the November 2025 election, enfranchising for the first time many active community members who happen to not be U.S. citizens, but are dedicated to Greenbelt.
• I am looking forward to hearing from voters this November in an advisory referendum about ranked choice voting , a practice I think could enhance the diversity of representation on City Council, and perhaps provide a new way to select leadership roles in addition to simple election to council. There may be other potential changes to the election processes to explore to increase voter turnout, especially in municipal elections.

Reduce the city’s carbon footprint and promote environmental sustainability while planning for resilience in the face of climate change

• In the last term, we implemented (simultaneous with the County), a Bring Your Own Bag ordinance, to restrict plastic bags and encourage reusable ones. Another initiative coming soon is Save as You Throw, a unit-based pricing model for city refuse collection that will distribute costs more equitably among residents, charging more for those who generate more trash, which promises to reduce trash generation overall, saving money on tipping fees for the city in the long run.
• While the USDA grant we received for a pilot of door-to-door pick-up of food scraps for composting ended in August 2025, we were able to continue with a partial subsidy for participating households, and I hope to be able to increase the subsidy and the number of households participating after we have a better sense of the impact of the Save As You Throw program on the city’s income from solid waste collection fees.
• We need to continue to pursue solar power on city buildings, and additional electric charging stations where warranted, projects for which are in planning stages for the library parking lot and replacing the existing charger near the Municipal Building with units that can serve more vehicles at one time.
• We should also continue to pursue bike and pedestrian improvements to reduce reliance on cars, and work to improve public transportation options. We have achieve a level of victory against the Maglev’s false promise of carbon reductions, but we need to support more initiatives that actually get cars off of the road and otherwise reduce emissions. This includes advocacy to maintain (or restore) the bus lines that serve Greenbelters, and pursuing changes to Greenbelt Road as recommended in the Greenbelt Road Corridor Plan, and pursuing funding for the Cherrywood Lane Green and Complete Streets project, long stuck in planning phases.
• Climate change is happening and as a city we need to be prepared for what that will mean for us. This means addressing potential future heat waves, which can disproportionately impact the most vulnerable among us; increasingly intense storms which could cause flooding or damage to trees and power lines; and impacts on species of plants and animals, both beneficial ones such as pollinators and those we don’t want such as invasive weeds or disease-carrying mosquitoes. Change is coming, and we need to plan for resiliency in the face of it. One exciting project that just kicked off is the Community Flood Resiliency Plan, an important step in our preparation for the future of intense storms.

Protect and support our residents in the face of the haphazard and cruel policies put forth by the current federal administration.

• In the face of the increasingly alarming behavior of federal officers, especially Immigration and Customs Enforcement, we need to do everything we can to protect our residents. I have been pleased to support the efforts of City staff in hosting Know Your Rights training sessions and legal aid clinics, more of which will certainly be needed.
• I was also proud to vote for Ordinance 1401, which codified existing Greenbelt Police Department general orders that it is not the responsibility of our local police to enforce civil violations of federal immigration law. It is still the mandated duty of our officers to apprehend violators of criminal law, but the treatment we’ve seen in the news of undocumented immigrants, or even those simply suspected of being undocumented, is reprehensible and not something our police should facilitate in any way.
• The policy choices made by the current administration to gut federal agencies, ignore scientific expertise, and slash funding for social services in order to provide tax cuts for the rich will have profound local consequences. We will need to seek creative solutions, and draw on the strengths of the community, to find the fortitude to persist and thrive.

Seeking my third term on council, I am prepared to do my utmost to be an effective advocate for the people of Greenbelt as we face these challenging times together.