Hyattsville · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Hyattsville public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Possible forensic audit of multi-year financial management
A resident asked the Council to formally reprimand the City Administrator over bonuses and audit problems, and the administrator delivered a lengthy defense covering audit restatements, bonus policy and her own compensation. Councilmember Schaible demanded open discussion but was cut off by the Mayor, with the matter sent to closed session.
Ranked choice voting and Flock cameras (resident petitions)
Multiple residents urged the Council to implement ranked choice voting for the May 2027 election and to direct the Board of Supervisors of Elections to bring an implementation plan by November 2. A presentation is tentatively scheduled for October.
Elected officials' compensation review
City elected officials must file annual financial disclosures under state ethics rules. Ward 4's Edouard Haba filed cleanly, but Ward 5's Kelson Nisbett has issues with his form that the Clerk's Office will chase down — worth watching in case an amended filing is needed.
Automated License Plate Reader technology
A large bloc of residents urged the Council to cancel the Flock ALPR contract, citing privacy risks, data sharing with ICE, and lawsuit exposure in other cities. The Police and Public Safety Committee will make a recommendation to the Council in early 2027.
Automated Stop-Sign Camera Enforcement Program
The city is rolling out automated stop-sign cameras to slow speeding, and the task force worries the cameras could be placed disproportionately in lower-income neighborhoods or communities of color. They want a city presentation on how camera sites are chosen before the program advances.
Unresolved FY23 audit recommendations
The treasurer responded to all ten Audit Committee recommendations — including raising the capitalization threshold to $10,000, shortening month-end close, and adding financial-condition indicators to audit reports — and said the long-delayed FY24 audit should be filed in about three weeks, with the ARPA single audit close behind.
Finance staffing vacancies and aging accounting software
The city is pulling the plug on its long-troubled ERP software contract and plans a new RFP by the end of March, looking at platforms like Tyler's cloud system and OpenGov with AI capability. The broken system risked payroll errors and forced staff through cumbersome multi-screen workflows — expect a lessons-learned document before any new vendor contract comes to council.
Riverfront Street Takeover and Ward 4 Road Repairs
A resident says the neighborhood has paid full property taxes for six years while maintaining its own streets, snow removal, and trash — and the city's takeover has been pushed off another two years.
42nd Avenue sidewalk after child's injury
Five days before the meeting, a 12-year-old wheelchair user was struck by a distracted driver near her home on 42nd Avenue between Decatur and Crittenden — a block with no sidewalk. Waszczak and Strab pledged to push to expedite the sidewalk, though right-of-way limits make it complex.
Traffic Calming and Streets Projects Update
Public Works presented speed humps for Lancer, Longfellow, Stanford, and the 4000 block of Nicholson, plus longer-term work at 42nd/Kennedy and 43rd/Oglethorpe. The proposed Nicholson Street connection drew resident opposition over emergency access, traffic, and parking.
Kennedy Street Project contract change
The Council added about $123,000 to three maintenance contracts — tree work, stormwater/bioswale upkeep, and lawn mowing — to cover more work than originally budgeted.