Hyattsville · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Hyattsville public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
FY27 Legislative Priorities
The city is lining up bond-bill asks for the Maryland General Assembly: temporary housing for people experiencing homelessness, city building renovations, the environmental depot, Hamilton Street corridor improvements and a recreation storage facility. The Council will rank the five before November 16.
Council survey on service costs and workload
The committee is building a survey to find out whether low pay keeps people from serving, and how many hours council work really takes. The survey needs to be finalized at next week's meeting so respondents have time to complete it.
Public question on possible forensic examination
A resident asked whether the auditors would recommend a multi-year forensic examination of city finances, citing roughly $11 million in bond anticipation notes and a $15 million bond issuance. The city hasn't answered yet.
Thrive grant program
Thrive Program applications open September 1, 2026, and the committee will review the application at its August meeting.
Annual Campaign Finance Compliance
Three city employees still haven't filed their required annual financial disclosures, even though filings from elected boards are complete. The Commission tracks these to keep city government transparent about officials' financial interests.
Finance staffing and close processes
The committee asked whether finance staffing is sufficient and how long month-end and year-end closes take. Understaffing and slow closes can delay the city's audits and financial reporting.
2027 Citywide Election Preparation
FY27 is a big election year — a mayoral race plus one seat from each ward, with vote-by-mail ballots, poll books, and required mailings driving a big jump in the election board budget.
Ward 5 Discretionary Funds and Equity Concerns
Council members control roughly $2,500–$2,700 per ward in discretionary funds for community events, but many residents — especially non-English speakers and undocumented neighbors — don't know the funds exist or what they cover. The task force wants better website and social media outreach about the program.
Access to information and reporting for Council and residents
Council Vice President Redmond proposed better tools for Council and staff information access and reporting; residents also pressed for more transparency. A software demo is being arranged.
IT managed services contract
The City is paying up to $317,160 for a year of outsourced IT services from Clark Computer Services to keep City technology running.
Proposed project manager position
Councilmember Strab proposed adding a project manager position; the Council is weighing funding, contracting a firm instead, and using project management software.
Support for Maryland HB 1142 revenue task force
The council voted to send a letter supporting a state bill creating a task force on modernizing county and municipal revenue structures, while asking for changes to how municipal representatives would be appointed.
Personnel Manual Charter Amendment Discussion
The city wants to stop requiring council approval of the 150-plus-page employee manual, which hasn't had a full overhaul since 2006 — the change would let the city administrator keep it current with fast-changing employment law while council keeps control over pay, benefits, pensions, and staffing budgets. A public hearing is required if the council moves forward.
FEMA Grant Closeout and FY26 Budget Amendment
The city was set to appropriate the last $269,918 of COVID-19 FEMA reimbursement grant funds to wrap up spending on vaccines, equipment, and testing sites. FEMA covers 100% of these costs, so the city's budget shouldn't take a hit.
Council Rules of Procedure (Resolution 2026-01)
The council's top three leaders sponsored a resolution adopting new Rules of Procedure — the playbook for how meetings, votes, and debate work. These rules shape how decisions affecting every resident get made.