County Council Extends Deadline for Planning Board Chairman Applicants

The County Council has extended the deadline for applicants to apply for the Planning Board Chairman position from Monday, March 8 to Friday, April 2. This is a sure sign that the council has not coalesced around any of the three current contenders, who include Planning Board Member Joe Alfandre, former Planning Board Member John Robinson and current Mayor of Kensington Pete Fosselman. We reproduce the press release below.

Montgomery County Council Extends Deadline for Applicants for Chair of Montgomery County Planning Board

New Deadline for Applications Is 5 p.m., Friday, April 2

ROCKVILLE, Md., March 4, 2010—The Montgomery County Council has extended the deadline for applicants who are interested in filling the position on the Montgomery County Planning Board for the expiring term of Royce Hanson (Democrat). His term will expire on June 14, 2010. Dr. Hanson, who is chair of the Planning Board, has indicated that he will not apply for reappointment.

The Council expects to designate the appointee for this position as chair, with the chair serving on a full-time basis. In appointing a chairman for the board, the Council will establish the salary for the chairman within a range of $160,000 to $180,000. The deadline for applications to be received is now 5 p.m. on Friday, April 2.

No more than three members of the Planning Board may be from the same political party, and all members must be residents and registered voters of Montgomery County when appointed. Members serve four-year terms and are limited to two full terms. The position can be filled by a Democrat, Republican; a voter who declines to affiliate with a party; or by a member of another party officially recognized by the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

In addition to Dr. Hanson, current board members are Joseph Alfandre, a Democrat; Norman Dreyfuss, a Republican; Amy Presley, a Republican; and Marye Wells-Harley, a Democrat. Annual compensation for Board members is currently $30,000.

The Planning Board serves as the Council’s principal adviser on land use planning and community planning. Planning Board members also serve as Commissioners of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.

The Planning Board’s responsibilities with regard to planning include preparation and amendment of County General Plan; preparation and amendment of Master Plans and functional plans; formulation of subdivision regulations; preparation of or recommendations on text amendments to the County Zoning Ordinance; implementation of the subdivision process by reviewing and approving all preliminary plans, site plans and other plans for development; advice on the planning implication of capital facilities and programs of the County government, Montgomery College, the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission and Montgomery County Public Schools; commenting, under its Mandatory Referral authority, on plans for public facilities of local, state and federal agencies; and approval of the work program and the annual operating budget for the Planning Department and the Commission’s bi-county offices.

The Planning Board sits as the Park Commission and approves the annual Parks Department operating budget and Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budget; land acquisition contracts and major development contracts for parks; development plans for individual park facilities; policies for park operations; and park user fees.

The Montgomery County Planning Board meets all day every Thursday and often meets on one other evening a week. The entire Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission meets the third Wednesday of every month.

Letters expressing interest, including a resume listing professional and civic experience, should be addressed to: Council President Nancy Floreen, County Council Office, Stella B. Werner Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20850. Letters must be received no later than 5 p.m., Friday, April 2. It is the Council’s policy not to consider applications received after the deadline. After the April 2 closing date, Councilmembers will review the letters of application and select applicants for interviews.

Letters of application are made public as part of the appointment process. The names of all applicants are published and available for public review and interviews are conducted in public. A resume of professional and civic experience should be included with letters of application. A financial statement of assets, debts, income and family property interests will be required of all applicants. Council staff will contact applicants about the details of the financial statement. Only the candidate appointed will be required to make the financial statement available to the public.

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