Council Meeting Preview: Transportation Funding, UM-Shuttle and More

Tuesday night the City Council will vote on a budget policy resolution, University of Maryland shuttle service fee and a letter to the state's Department of Transportation that requests assistance for various city projects.

The meeting begins at 8 p.m. at , 4500 Knox Road. It is open to the public.

Anyone who goes to the meeting can park in the City Hall parking lot for free. Pick up a pass at the customer service window inside the building.

Here is a summary of some agenda items:

• Transportation Funding

There is a motion on the table to send a letter to Maryland’s secretary of transportation, regarding capital transportation projects planned over the next six years. Allocated in the budget is in College Park. In addition to gratitude for this allocation, the letter further includes:

1. support from the council for over-arching goals outlined in the plan, especially the priority of sustainability;
2. a request that the College Park-University of Maryland metro be designated as a transit-oriented development;
3. support for the and MARC train expansion;
4. a request for assistance in making College Park more bike- and pedestrian-friendly.

• Fund Balance Policy

The Mayor and Council will vote on a fund balance policy to comply with the guidelines of the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB). The board is an independent organization that establishes and improves standards of government accounting and financial reporting.

• UM-Shuttle

Council is set to approve payment of $6,000 to the University of Maryland Department of Transportation Services so that College Park residents can use the university’s shuttle system through Aug. 31, 2012. This is down from the initial proposal of $10,000 for the 12-month memorandum of understanding.