Bladensburg council adopts emergency ordinance to fund 57th Avenue repair

The Bladensburg mayor and council on June 8 adopted an emergency budget amendment to pay for urgent road repairs on 57th Avenue.

Town staff read Ordinance 18-2026, described as an emergency amendment to the FY2026 operating budget, to reallocate $14,100 from highway-user funds for mill-and-overlay services and full-depth base repairs at 4219 57th Avenue. The work was performed by Resurface Inc., job number 26207, dated May 13, 2026, and the town administrator authorized the payment before the ordinance was introduced.

Council member Blunt moved and Council member McBride seconded the motion to adopt the ordinance. During discussion, staff explained that WSSC was on-site for a separate repair and that coordinating with that government utility and the vendor made it a sole-source, cost-effective action that saved the town an estimated $4,000–$7,000 compared with a later standalone repair. Council members asked whether bidding procedures were required; staff responded that because the vendor was already performing adjacent work in coordination with a government utility, piggybacking the contract was appropriate.

The council approved the ordinance by voice vote ('the ayes have it'). The ordinance was authenticated and will be posted in town hall as required by the charter; staff said the ordinance is effective June 8, 2026.

Ending: The council treated the repair as an emergency, authorized the appropriation, and directed that the ordinance be recorded and posted under the town charter. No further amendments were made on the floor.