New Hyattsville Council, Staff to be Sworn In

Hyattsville's six new City Council members take the oath of office later tonight down at city hall. 

The official transfer of power will take place before the second of two back-to-back city council meetings at the Hyattsville Municipal Building at 4310 Gallatin Street. 

Beginning at 6 p.m., the newly elected city council members, along with recently hired City Administrator Jerry Schiro and Director of Human Resources Vivian Snellman, will gather at city hall for an introductory reception. 

The first meeting kicks off at 7 p.m., with the current city council gathering to consider city business for one last time before the new members are sworn in. 

During the first meeting, municipal leaders will be issuing the oath of office to Schiro and Snellman. 

They will also be considering a number of items, like the purchase of $13,000 in ammunition for the police department, a $59,000 Maryland Smart Energy Communities Grant, and a $1.1 million contract proposal from NZI Construction for the Crittenden Street project. 

Perhaps most importantly, it is during this meeting that the city council will certify the results of May 7's municipal ward elections.  

Inbetween the 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. meetings, the new city council members will be sworn into office. Councilor-elect Bart Lawrence will be taking over Councilor Eric Wingard's seat in Ward 1. Councilor-elect Robert Croslin will be taking over the seat held by Council Vice President David Hiles (Ward 2). Councilor-elect Patrick Paschall will take over from departing Council President Matt McKnight (Ward 3). Councilor-elect Edouard Haba will be taking the seat left by the retiring Councilor Carlos Lizanne (Ward 4). Councilor-elect Clayton Williams assumes the four year term left by the retirement of Councilor Ruth Ann Frazier (Ward 5), while Councilor-elect Joseph Solomon, by virtue of coming in second place in the race for Ward 5's two open seats, takes over the two-year term remainder left by the resignation of former Councilor Nicole Hinds-Mofor (Ward 5). 

The new members had better be able to learn quickly, because they will immediately face a host of issues which have vexed the council recently. 

Among the items the new city council will be considering tonight is next year's real property tax rate. Mayor Marc Tartaro has re-submitted a measure keeping the same 63 cents per $100 of assessed property value tax rate which the city has had since 2006. The measure previously failed to be passed on the objections of some city council members over a lack of information about projected budget expenditures.

Hyattsville's city council meetings are broadcast live on Comcast channel 71 and Verizon channel 12. 

Agendas for both meetings are availabe in the media gallery above this article.