Oversight Measure Goes Back to Drawing Board

Supporters of a measure they say would increase transparency in Hyattsville's city government say they are heading back to the drawing board after receiving feedback from city staff and fellow council colleagues critical of the measure. 

Introduced by Ward One Councilor Candace Hollingsworth, the measure set about to do a number of things. First, it sought to rescind a 2011 motion narrowly passed by city council which appointed then-Ward 1 Councilor Marc Tartaro as the council representative on the city's facility assessment process and on matters relating to city buildings that are not of an urgent maintenance nature.

Hollingsworth, along with Ward 3 City Council member Timothy Hunt, have said that Tartaro's involvement in those matters has obstructed transparency on the project. 

The motion also called for the city council to represent itself in all facility assessment and building modification initiatives. 

It also required department directors to provide regular project status reports for council initiatives. It also required council members to receive "any supporting material prepared by or for the city of Hyattsville" in relation to council approved initiatives. 

The provisions would also be applicable retroactively, effectively requiring city staff to hand over documents on any and all projects which the city is embarking upon. 

Councilor Ruth Ann Frazier said she didn't see the point of the measure. 

"I'm happy with the way things are, I don't really feel like I'm missing annything," said Frazier at the meeting.

Hollingsworth's motion had been sent to city department directors for comments. Their remarks were synthesized into a memo prepared by Acting City Administrator and Hyattsville Police Chief Doug Holland, who removed the names of the department heads in the comments. 

One response contained in Holland's memo said that Hollingsworth's motion would add "considerable new work" to comply. 

"If we add 'regular project status reports and/or collateral' and 'project status reports and/or briefing memos', we will simply be out of hours in the week," read one response on Holland's memo. 

"The city has neither the availability of directors or administrative staff to develop additional reports beyond the existing weekly and monthly reports," read another anonymous response on Holland's memo. 

During discussion at Monday's city council meeting, City Attorney Richard Colaresi also critiqued the measure, saying that much of the language was vague. He suggested separating the measure into different parts to address each action individually. 

Hollingsworth said that she will be addressing municipal transparency again in the future. 

"The intent was not to get wrist deep into what employees are doing on a day to day basis," said Hollingsworth. "We just want everyone on the same page without having to wait for colleagues to decide when we should be able to see something."