New Carrollton · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in New Carrollton, MD public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Fiscal 2027 budget adoption
The Council is building the FY27 budget and wrestling with how to forecast revenues, control overtime, and avoid mid-year budget amendments. Final decisions and remaining sections (public works, rest of police) come at Wednesday and Monday meetings.
Mayoral Election
The mayor's seat has been vacant since September 9, and the council set November 9 as the special election date. The winner only serves until May 2027, and the former mayor is barred from running. There are open questions about voting machine costs and who runs the election without a city clerk.
FY 2027 Salary Structure and Budget Finalization
The budget still isn't done in September, which is unusual. The council scheduled a September 30 special meeting to work through salary tables and total compensation before the October 30 county deadline, and approved a $37,646 unemployment tax bill from surplus.
Mayor's expulsion and council transparency
The council publicly explained why it expelled Mayor Nemhard 4-1 on September 9 — citing reinstated employees in violation of a hiring freeze — while the mayor, present in the audience, disputed the statement and criticized the council's spending.
Charter § C-20 forfeiture motion against Mayor Nembhard
The council voted to remove the mayor from office under the forfeiture provision it added in 2024-2025 charter amendments, citing the reinstatement of two employees during the hiring freeze. It's a first-of-its-kind use of the provision and will trigger a special election within 65 days, with Lashley serving as acting mayor.
Citywide compensation and organizational study
The city is hiring a consultant for an audit and compensation study. Six firms competed; councilmembers ranked them individually and BRC Consulting won the most first-place votes for its clear scope alignment and quick timeline.
Pending litigation with former Chief Rice
The council has already voted in closed session to let its insurance trust offer a judgment to David Rice, a plaintiff suing the city. This affects how a legal claim against the city gets resolved.