Joel Biermann
Town of University Park
Vote-by-Mail no later than
Tuesday, May 7th, 2024
(in-person voting on May 7th)
Re-Elect Mayor
We Already Accomplished a Lot!
During my first term, we made significant progress in University Park. In many cases, our active citizenry played a critical role in these achievements.
Protecting our Children
My top priority is public safety. After assuming this role in 2022, I instructed our police to conduct twice-annual active shooter drills with sister agencies and PG County Police at the UP Elementary School. This is now part of our police officers' annual training.
Pedestrain Bridges
For over eight years, the Town deliberated how to install the two pedestrian bridges over Wells Run at Beechwood Road and Van Buren Street. Few believed we could overcome our challenges and differences to complete this project. After 11 months as your mayor, we approved the way forward.
Reasonable Speed Limits
We pride ourselves in being a walkable and bikeable community. Working with the Council, we adopted a town-wide reduced speed limit--one of many factors that contribute to safer streets.
Town Administrator
I first supported a part-time Town Administrator when I represented Ward 1 on the Council. When he retired, it took some time for the Council and me to agree on a suitable replacement; however, the choice we made has exceeded our expectations. We are currently searching for a candidate to fill the role permanently as our interim Town Administrator plans to move in mid-2024.
Tot Lot Upgrades
We completed our new Tot Lot playground in April 2023. A group of town residents with young children were vital to helping us select proper equipment. The new playground is ADA-accessible and features a pollinator theme that will educate our youngest residents on the importance of pollinators and our efforts to protect them.
Enhanced Traffic Sign Visibility
We love our trees and foliage, but sometimes they obstruct our signs. Older signage and limited lighting in some areas of town also contribute to poor signage visibility. With my first budget proposal in 2023, the Council approved funds for color-matching signpost reflectors that our Public Works Department has been installing to enhance visibility and your safety.
Protecting Our Parks for Future Generations
When a development threatened Guilford Woods (10+ acres of sturdy trees and precious habitat north of College Heights), I was reminded that it's easier to protect the environment when we are proactive. I prepared an ordinance that the Council approved requiring an automatic referendum if a future Mayor and Council attempt to sell, lease, or repurpose our Town's public park space.
Stormwater Management
Working with the Council, we have appropriated more than $1 Million in federal ARPA funds to town-wide stormwater management projects that are currently in the planning stages. We have also made significant progress with Prince George's County on a Stormwater Management MOU to make repairs and upgrades to our stormwater systems, starting with a system in Ward 5.
Traffic Calming
Various residents and neighborhood groups have asked for traffic calming devices, and I have done everything possible to accommodate them. Residents on Van Buren Street and the north and south ends of Pineway requested speedhumps that we facilitated, sometimes despite pushback within the Council. The role of Mayor should be responsive and facilitating to resident' concerns.
Making Government Work Better
During my first year as Mayor, we moved consent agenda items (i.e., resident permit requests) to an administrative approval process. This change has decreased Council meeting times, but importantly, it ensures Town residents can more quickly and efficiently obtain permits.
Subsidizing Compliance Costs
As a councilmember, I successfully obtained a $100 rebate to subsidize compliance with the Town's gas-powered leaf blower ban. During my first mayoral term, over 100 homeowners who purchased ANY new battery or electric-powered lawn equipment (e.g., not limited to leaf blowers) have received this rebate. It's your money, and I wholeheartedly support giving it back to you.
Improved Public Safety Communications
WIth funding from my first budget, we launched a public safety message alert system, Nixle, for residents wishing to receive real-time alerts of local emergencies and community advisories. Simply text your zip code to 888777 or go to the Town's website or Nixle.com to create customized alerts.
But We Have More to Do!
A vision is only as good as a leader's ability to execute. My supporters and I share the following Vision for our community, but if you have not yet shared your thoughts and ideas, please join my Team and contribute to the Vision. And, if you re-elect me to a second term, I pledge to continue taking Bold, Decisive Action to execute this Vision. After all, a Vision is only as good as a Leader's ability to implement it.
Combatting Crime & Enhancing Safety
As crime has escalated around us, University Park will remain vigilant and proactively mitigate threats. We will employ technology to ensure our officers are alerted to criminal activity and we will enhance communication with our residents. Our police will continue to improve community outreach and community policing initiatives to build the trust and goodwill of our residents. Our police will continuously improve our active shooter training until we are an exemplar for our surrounding communities.
Town Hall Enhancements
We WILL finish our efforts to upgrade the Town Hall and make the appropriate expansions to accommodate Council meetings and community events. When complete, the enhancements will be ADA-compliant and will cost far less than initially projected several years ago.
We will aim to complete these upgrades with grants, current savings, and responsible financing that will negate the impact to taxpayers.
Public Transportation
When our community was originally developed in the 1920s-1930s, the developer extolled University Park as a commuter's paradise--provided you owned a car.
Town residents highly approved of the Town's former bus transportation program (~70% in a 2023 poll), and I will work to bring it back. Residents who cannot drive were highly dependent on this service, and many other residents who were conscious of their environmental footprint also appreciated this amenity. Still others who infrequently used it found it helpful during inclement weather.
Low-Energy
Street Lights
PEPCO is moving towards offloading their street light infrastructure onto municipalities. We will engage them in the formal process that is currently being developed to take ownership of our street light infrastructure and will upgrade these lights to low-energy LEDs. We will also explore lighting options that may lessen light pollution and enhance visibility of our night sky. We will pay for these upgrades with funds currently budgeted for the cost of our high-energy consumption lamps and will not increase costs for property owners.
Environmental Protection
We will continue to pressure PG County and State officials to enhance oversight of development projects that impact the water quality in Wells Run.
We will also promote recycling initiatives, in particular by providing recycling bins throughout our public spaces.
A Sense of Community
For our children and adults who are young at heart, we will create a festive spirit during the holidays. Commercial-grade decorations will adorn Queens Chapel Road and/or our perimeter roads to brighten our town during the holidays and cultivate lifelong memories for our youth.
We will also enhance our relationships with the University Park Civic Association. Volunteers are the lifeblood of a community, and our Town will assist the UPCA in any way possible.