Having Ike's Ear

As a political observer, who wouldn't want to be a consigliere to a powerful elected official. See back in June 2007, I wrote one of my first pieces for Maryland Politics Watch (MPW) and I advocated that the Rockville Library not be named for the longest serving County Executive (CoEx) in our history. Well yesterday our current CoEx, Ike Leggett agreed with me using much of the same reasoning.

I don't have Ike's ear. We came to the same conclusion. It is not that Doug Duncan does not deserve something to be named after him but if the regulation is to wait for five years then let's wait the five years.

The naming rights issue had an impact in the recently completed Rockville Mayoral Race. Long time Duncan supporter and mayoral candidate, Susan Hoffmann, was widely expected to get his endorsement but Hoffmann was one of the two Rockville officials that sided with the library advocates against naming the jewel of the library system after him. Hoffmann snub of Duncan cost her his endorsement. He endorsed a full slate (and then some) of candidates for City Council but left blank an endorsement for Mayor. Duncan clearly wants the library to be named after him contrary to his public stance. What else would explain not endorsing the one person in the race who helped him in several campaigns and who he appointed to her current full-time job.

Because Ike left the Library unnamed we could revisit this once the five years are up. Come 2011 if Doug Duncan still wants the library and Ike wins reelection in 2010 then the Rockville Library will be renamed.