Hyattsville Council Absenteeism by the Numbers

Absenteeism on the Hyattsville City Council has been an issue for some time. The city council as a whole had an average 78 percent attendance rate in 2012.

Last night, the effects of absenteeism from the city's elected leaders manifested itself in its most basic form: a lack of a quorum. As you may now by now, the Hyattsville City Council needs at least six members to conduct business. Last night, the city council only had five members in attendance. This meant that the city council couldn't, per the city charter, hold any discussion of city business, and delayed any official progress on building a consensus for how to proceed with the University Hills Green Street project.

Absenteeism was also a factor during a March 2012 meeting which fell into disarray after the city council was unable to muster the needed six votes to approve an agenda. Four council members were absent from that meeting, which saw the city council split five-to-two over an amendment to the meeting agenda.  

Councilor Candace Hollingsworth (Ward 1) and Councilor Shani Warner (Ward 2) had the best attendance records in 2012, missing only one of last year's 42 city council meetings. 

Councilor Carlos Lizanne (Ward 4) had the most absences in 2012, missing 22 out of 42 meetings. Lizanne, whose council seat is up for election this year, will not be seeking another term, ending a 10 year career on the Hyattsville City Council. 

Former Councilor Nicole Hinds Mofor (Ward 5) had the second most absences last year, missing exactly half of all council meetings in 2012. Mofor, who endured a complicated pregnancy last year, resigned earlier this year to devote more time to raising her newborn child. 

Councilor Eric Wingard (Ward 1) had the third most absences last year, missing 16 out of 42 meetings. Of those, 11 of Wingard's absences occurred between September and December 2012. Wingard's council seat is up for election this year. He has said he plans to run for re-election, but as of Tuesday, March 26, he had not yet filed his paperwork. 

Councilor Paula Perry (Ward 4) missed eight meetings in 2012. Council Vice President David Hiles (Ward 2) missed five meetings in 2012. Mayor Marc Tartaro missed three meetings last year. Both Councilor Matt McKnight (Ward 3) and Councilor Ruth Ann Frazier (Ward 5) missed only two meetings last year.