Legendary Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson ran for Congress twice in the 1960s, for County Executive in 1978 and for County Council this year. He lost all four times. But Hanson's legacy to the county in setting its planning procedures, creating the Agricultural Reserve and steadily pushing MoCo towards smart growth far exceeds that of all but a handful of elected officials. Here is some literature from his County Executive campaign. Note his team (which included Council Members Neal Potter, Esther Gelman and Mike Gudis), his cookie recipe and the press release announcing the hire of student activist Jon Gerson (yes, that Jon Gerson) as his youth coordinator!
Showing posts with label Royce Hanson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Royce Hanson. Show all posts
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Royce Hanson for County Executive, 1978
Titans of Montgomery County, 1981
These are four of the most influential people in Montgomery County's history, standing together in a unique photo from 1981.
Norman Christeller (left): County Council Member and Planning Board Chairman. Author of the county's law requiring Moderately-Priced Dwelling Units in new residential developments and leader of the fight against the 1978 TRIM amendment.
Don Robertson (second from left): District 18 Delegate and House Majority Leader.
Royce Hanson (center): Two-time Planning Board Chairman and founder of the Agricultural Reserve.
Neal Potter (right): Six-time County Council Member and one-term County Executive.
That innocent-looking twenty-something standing with these legends is none other than MCEA's Jon Gerson, who was then a staff assistant at the County Council. Thanks for sharing the photo, Jon!
Friday, October 15, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Craig Rice: Royce Hanson's Getting Desperate
Council District 2 candidate Craig Rice sent out the following email about rival Royce Hanson yesterday.
Royce Hanson's getting desperate...
Dear Friends,
There are only 2 days until the primary election and one of my opponents is getting desperate. He's sent out 3 mailers trying to frame me as "mortgaging my campaign to special interests" while touting the majority of his contributions come from individuals.
The "special interests" he's referring to are groups like our hard-working firefighters and police, teachers, bus drivers and cafeteria workers who each have contributed to my campaign. In fact, he sought all of their endorsements and if he had been endorsed by them, they would have contributed to his campaign instead.
So is this sour grapes, or is Royce so principled that he wouldn't take money from these so-called "special interests?"
Well, in a taped interview with the League of Women Voters, that question was asked. And Royce Hanson said "I'm happy to receive contributions from anybody who wants to contribute to my campaign. I take the same position that Abraham Lincoln did. I'll walk with the devil if he's going in my direction."
See the video for yourself here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxmBXTtFmLI
Why is it ok for Royce to take money from anyone (including the devil), but not me? Sounds like old-school politics are afoot.
It appears Royce Hanson will just about say anything and mislead you to get into office. Do you want someone like Royce that will mislead you or someone like me who is endorsed by the hard-working men and women of this County, someone that will answer to YOU?
Vote Craig Rice for County Council, District 2 on Tuesday, September 14th and tell Royce Hanson he can't trick you into voting for him.
By authority: Citizens for Craig Rice, Vivian Rice, Treasurer
Tuesday, September 07, 2010
Royce Roasts Rice
To be fair, former Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson has a lot to say in this mailer other than just tweaking fellow Council District 2 candidate Craig Rice over his campaign contributions. But can you really blame us for coming up with a blog post title that NOBODY can repeat ten times in a row?
Monday, August 30, 2010
Primaries to Watch V, Part One
By Marc Korman and Adam Pagnucco.
Marc
A major fundraising report is in, the Washington Post has given its blessings from atop the mountain, mailboxes are filling up, and people who do not read this blog are finally starting to pay attention. So it is time for another installment of “Primaries to Watch.”
The problem with a list like this is it rewards bad behavior. The relatively tame District 14 and 17 State Senate challenges are not as fun to watch next to the madness of the District 16 or 19 Delegate races or the increasing nastiness of District 19 or 39 State Senate. But these races are supposed to be interesting, so here goes.
10. Hopkins vs. Berliner
Previous Rank: #10
Marc
Hopkins is hitting Berliner harder and harder through her mass emails, really taking it to him on one of his strongest issues, energy. She has attacked his loan program for home improvements, his public comments on Pepco, and his passage of a carbon tax. But it is probably too late to really change the overall momentum of the campaign. Hopkins does not have much presence outside of her geographic base of East Bethesda where she will likely do well. Berliner retains all the advantages of incumbency including a fundraising edge and most endorsements.
The Gazette endorsement is a nice feather in Hopkins’ cap and if she is thinking about her political future, she should figure out how to use big endorsements and other attributes from losing campaigns a la Laura Berthiaume (she got the Gazette in her 2006 Delegate race and later was elected to the School Board) or Ryan Spiegel (he got the Post in his 2006 Delegate race and later was elected to the Gaithersburg City Council).
More likely, Hopkins will spend the next few weeks continuing to hammer pretty hard at Berliner and try to pull out an unlikely win.
Full disclosure, I donated to Berliner in 2008 and serve on the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board with Hopkins.
Adam
Ilaya Hopkins had a lot of potential at the beginning of this race, but Berliner has totally overwhelmed her. He has run a classic incumbent campaign of reporting early money, rolling up lots of endorsements, taking the high road as she has gone negative and using his status as an incumbent to get into the Washington Post on the Pepco issue. This contest stopped being competitive when Berliner got on the Apple Ballot and now none of our informants believe Hopkins will win. She has to be kicking herself for missing out on the District 16 open seat. Hopkins would have been one of the favorites in that race.
The fact that we still have this contest at number ten illustrates how bored we are by the District 15 and 39 House primaries. Those races are midget wrestling compared to the titanic King-Ali and Lenett-Manno cage matches.
9. Council 2 Open Seat
Previous Rank: #9
Marc
There are five candidates in the race, but this one is really a three-way contest between Delegate Craig Rice, former Planning Board Chair Royce Hanson, and civic activist and prior candidate Sharon Dooley.
The stars may be aligning for Rice. He has the financial edge, strong endorsements, and is apparently the only candidate doing serious door knocking. Still, Hanson should have some latent name ID and people should be impressed by his experience. Dooley will be the only woman in the primary and has garnered substantial votes in the District before.
The winner here will face a spirited race against Robin Ficker, making this one of the more serious fall contests in the County.
Full disclosure, I have been doing some volunteer work for Craig Rice.
Adam
Craig Rice is now the favorite. He has the edge over Royce Hanson and Sharon Dooley in money, endorsements and prior electoral performance. Hanson last ran for office in 1978 (losing a Democratic County Executive primary to Charlie Gilchrist) and has half of Rice’s cash on hand. Dooley was crushed by incumbent Mike Knapp in 2006 and hasn’t changed much since then. She has almost no money. Rice worked very hard to beat popular Republican incumbent Delegate Jean Cryor in the last cycle and his Legislative District 15 precincts accounted for about 40% of the votes cast in Council District 2 in 2006. Additionally, MCEA will knock itself out on poll coverage in this district because Rice could be a swing vote on budget issues. All of this puts Rice over the top.
More tomorrow!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Eddie Kuhlman and Royce Hanson on Political Pulse
Eddie Kuhlman and Royce Hanson, candidates for District 2 County Council in Montgomery County, will be on the "Political Pulse" political talk show on:
Thurs, August 5th at 9 p.m.
Fri-Sun, Aug. 6th-Aug 8th, at 6 p.m. and
Tuesday, Aug. 10th at 9:30 p.m.
Political Pulse is on Montgomery Municipal Cable in Montgomery County, MD.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Why I’m Supporting Royce Hanson for County Council in District 2
By Gene Counihan.
Some press reports of Royce Hanson’s announcement last week that he would seek the open 2nd District seat on the County Council mentioned my support for his election. Since then many friends have asked me why I am such a strong supporter of his candidacy. This Guest Column provides a great opportunity for me to answer that question.
I came to Montgomery County to live, work and raise a family in 1963. One of the first community activists I met was Royce Hanson. Because of Royce’s vision and leadership in shaping our community over the years, I have repeatedly made the decision to continue to live in Montgomery County. Since the mid-sixties, Royce Hanson has had a major hand in creating the outstanding community we live in today. Royce drafted the new County Charter that was adopted in 1968. That Charter established our current Executive-Council form of government. Royce then served from 1972 until 1981 as Chairman of the Montgomery County Planning Board. During his tenure as chairman, the Agriculture Reserve Program was established and Royce became known and acclaimed nationally as the “Father” of the open space plan that has shielded 93,000 acres of land in Montgomery County from development. In addition to open space programs, Royce was the primary architect responsible for the County’s adoption of numerous planning, zoning, and growth management tools, including the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance and Central Business District zones.
Royce Hanson lived outside of Montgomery County for a number of years as he continued to build a reputation as a nationally recognized professor and visionary leader in urban planning and development. Ten years ago Royce and his wife Mary returned home to Montgomery County to resume his life-long quest to build stronger and more livable communities through active civic engagement. Before long, Royce was again serving in many community leadership posts. In addition to teaching at UMBC, Dr Hanson soon became a Trustee at Montgomery County Community Ministries and the U of MD Agro-Ecology Center and he became Chairman of the Board of the Maryland Environmental Trust. He served as co-chair of the Legacy Open Space Advisory Committee and became a Democratic Party precinct chair in Montgomery Village.
In 2006 when major development violations were discovered in Clarksburg, the County Council turned to Royce to investigate what went wrong. Because of his outstanding work and the strength of his recommendations for remedial action, the Council asked him to return to the position he left 25 years earlier, Chairman of the Planning Board. The Council knew they could count on Royce to clean up the mess and restore public confidence in the planning process and the County’s oversight of development.
During his just completed term as chairman, Royce provided leadership in filling key staff positions and refocusing the Board’s work to correct oversight deficiencies. With public confidence restored he was able to steer transformative master plan revisions of Germantown, Gaithersburg West and White Flint areas through adoption by the County Council. These bold plans will shape Montgomery County growth and quality of life for future generations.
Now, Royce wants to serve on the County Council where he will be able to work to implement the policies and plans he set in motion at the Planning Board. He remains a community activist committed to resolving our fiscal challenges in order to support quality schools, maintain clean and usable parks, and to coordinate transportation and development planning while preserving open spaces and respecting our environment.
So, you see, I’m supporting Royce Hanson’s candidacy for County Council because he has done so much to make our community the best place I know to call home. And if intelligence, integrity, vision, and experience aren’t enough, how about, I just flat out like the guy.
Royce Hanson is “good people.” Please join me in helping to elect him to the County Council.
Primaries to Watch IV, Part One
By Marc Korman and Adam Pagnucco.
Marc
Adam Pagnucco has been temporarily dragged out of retirement for another installment of Primaries to Watch. With the filing deadline behind us, the races are set for the September 14th primary.
Adam
Look folks, I am just as unhappy with the lack of mainstream media coverage of our council and state legislative primaries as you are, so I am going to help Marc with this series just this once. If there are any typos in my commentary, it means the Little Man has poured milk onto the keyboard. Off to the Top Ten most interesting primaries in MoCo!
Marc
Off the list:
District 39 Delegate Open Seat - There’s still plenty of action in District 39, but with Shane Robinson racking up endorsements, Bob Hydorn strong in Montgomery Village and the incumbents working hard, this is the calmest of the open Delegate seats. We only have ten slots and District 39 Delegate just does not make the cut.
10. Hopkins vs. Berliner
Prior Rank: #10
Marc
Ilaya Hopkins’ biggest coup since our last installment was securing the endorsement of Doug Duncan, still a strong name among Democratic primary voters. Berliner has taken Hopkins’ challenge seriously and they are both working the district hard. So far, the two have met for one debate which depending on who you talk to was a resounding victory for both candidates.
Berliner has done a good job of reminding folks about some of the good things he has done and has lined up lots of community support, got the Apple Ballot, and most recently was endorsed by the Washington Post. Hopkins has not needled Berliner as sharply as she probably needs to on some of his weak spots. She has the hot summer at door steps and at least two more debates to do so. As with most races, the next big milestone in this one will be the campaign finance reports. Hopkins is knocking on doors, but will she have the resources to compete with Berliner at the mailbox?
Full disclosure, I donated to Berliner in 2008 and serve on the Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board with Hopkins.
Adam
Roger Berliner has run a classic incumbent campaign. First, he locked up a huge district resident supporter list a month before challenger Ilaya Hopkins announced. Next, he showed a cash balance of nearly $100,000 in his January campaign finance report. Then he began rolling out waves of endorsements. All of this persuaded MCEA to put him on the Apple Ballot because they figured he was going to win.
Ilaya Hopkins is not a bad candidate. To the contrary – she was one of the district’s most prominent civic activists and had a good deal of potential six months ago. But there’s nothing that most challengers can do when an incumbent without an obvious problem executes the above strategy as well as Berliner has. A challenger in Hopkins’ position has three choices: withdraw, run a polite campaign with an eye on the future, or go negative in a long shot to win. Hopkins appears to have picked the third option as she has hit Berliner again and again and even went after one of his supporters on her website. Adding to Hopkins’ problems is the impending mail barrage by District 16 Delegate candidates that will bury her literature under piles of other candidates’ pieces. Now that the Post has endorsed Berliner, this race is almost over.
9. Council District 2 Open Seat
Prior Rank: None
Marc
District 2 has seen a lot of action the past few weeks. The district went from a rematch between Sharon Dooley and Mike Knapp to a face-off between Delegate Craig Rice and Dooley, his former supporter. Now the race has been shaken up by the entry of two-time former Planning Board Chair Royce Hanson.
Each candidate has their strengths. Dooley has run for the seat before and knows the district well. Rice won a tough election in 2006 and picked up a lot of institutional support before Hanson got into the race, including the Apple Ballot. Hanson has some name ID, will have no trouble raising money, won the Post’s endorsement and will be an ace on development issues.
Now the weaknesses. Dooley may have topped out in the “slow growth” year of 2006 with around 35%. Rice won in 2006 on a Democratic wave and had poor fundraising. Hanson has not run for office since the 1960s and may not be prepared for a grassroots, door to door campaign.
Watching this one shake out will be great fun for political junkies all summer. One key issue will be whether Hanson comes off as a responsible, experienced voice or someone bitter and dismissive of his former bosses on the County Council.
Full disclosure, I donated to Rice’s Delegate campaign.
Adam
Royce Hanson is the most intriguing candidate in the county. He has not run for office since he lost to Charlie Gilchrist in the 1978 County Executive Democratic primary. Hanson is a living legend: the father of the Ag Reserve, the inventor of many of the county’s planning tests and procedures and arguably the leading advocate of smart growth (though some disagree over how that is defined). But there are so many questions. Will Hanson hit the doors? Where will his fundraising come from? What will his message be? What does he believe about non-land use issues? If he is elected, how will he get along with a County Executive and a County Council that he frequently disagreed with as Planning Chair? Will any of the county officials with whom he fought try to block him from being elected?
Delegate Craig Rice is a good campaigner with lots of endorsements. His state Legislative District (15) accounts for at least a third of Council District 2. But he is not a great fundraiser, does not know nearly as much about the county as Hanson and the candidacy of Poolesville Commission President Eddie Kuhlman could peel away some District 15 votes. Rice will have to work hard to beat Hanson. Sharon Dooley is a veteran civic activist who works hard for her community and on behalf of progressive causes. She has always had trouble raising money and now Hanson’s candidacy threatens to draw away a great deal of her environmentalist support.
More tomorrow!
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Royce Hanson: Why I am a Candidate for Montgomery County Council
Following is former Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson's statement explaining his reasons for running for the District 2 (Upcounty) council seat.
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Montgomery County is at a defining moment in its history. The next County Council must work harder and smarter to sustain our shared vision and to make Montgomery a place to live for our children and grandchildren that is even better than it has been for us.
Nowhere are these challenges greater than in District 2, which must be met in the face of a serious structural deficit in county finances.
• Managing Clarksburg’s growth and provision of community services.
• Bringing jobs to Germantown and completing its town center.
• Expanding Montgomery College to meet up-county higher education needs help people update skills and change careers.
• Improving Olney and Damascus town centers.
• A new master plan for Montgomery Village.
• Approving construction of an up-county hospital site.
• Completing Little Bennett Park and connecting park trails from Seneca to Little Bennett and the Patuxent.
• Starting the Corridor Cities Transitway.
• Initiating Bus Rapid Transit in the I-270 and Georgia Avenue corridors Protecting the Ten Mile Creek watershed.
• Strengthening protections of the Agricultural Reserve.
Every citizen must do what one can to help meet these challenges. I believe my experience and problem-solving skills can help meet these and other challenges the county will confront in the next four years. That’s why I’m in this race and why I ask for your help and support.
Here are my priorities:
To ensure a working majority on the County Council that will champion smart, independent, effective planning for healthy, sustainable communities, the environment, and economic growth.
To address the county’s fiscal crisis, so that we do not continue stumbling into budgetary disasters.
To sustain and strengthen our educational system, from pre-school through post-graduate programs so that we remain the intellectual and economic capital of Maryland.
To ensure a working majority on the County Council that will champion smart, independent, effective planning for healthy, sustainable communities, the environment, and economic growth.
To address the county’s fiscal crisis, so that we do not continue stumbling into budgetary disasters.
To sustain and strengthen our educational system, from pre-school through post-graduate programs so that we remain the intellectual and economic capital of Maryland.
To protect and improve the nation’s most honored local park system.
To support economic development that creates a sustainable tax base.
To accelerate the construction and operation of a 21st century transportation system including the Corridor Cities Transitway, connected bikeways, pedestrian-friendly streets, Bus Rapid Transit, and improved traffic management to reduce congestion so that we spend more time with family instead of traffic.
To protect the future of the Agricultural Reserve as a working landscape and invaluable source of fresh food as well as an environmental and cultural treasure.
To foster, especially in the communities of District 2, new approaches to community participation and governance that strengthen stakeholder voices in decisions that affect the kind and quality of public services and facilities that are delivered.
I hope that my record will speak for my ability to get important things done that serve the public.
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Hanson Websites Registered (3 Updates)
In the surest sign yet that former Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson is running for County Council, the websites roycehanson.com and roycehanson.org have been registered according to Whois. Both sites were registered through GoDaddy. The listed registrant for roycehanson.org is John Kendrick, P.O. Box 528, Poolesville, MD 20837.
Update: RoyceHanson.org is active. This is a go!
Update 2: He's filed!
Update 3: The Post's Miranda Spivack attended Hanson's campaign announcement.
Monday, July 05, 2010
Royce Hanson Tribute Video
Here's a tribute video from the Planning Department for former Chair and rumored District 2 Council candidate Royce Hanson.
A tribute to Royce Hanson from M-NCPPC on Vimeo.
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Royce Hanson in District 2? (Updated)
MANY people are telling us that former Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson is going to run for County Council in District 2 (Upcounty). The Post's outreach to Hanson has set tongues wagging and we have heard rumors of a secret meeting between the former Chair and a group of environmentalists yesterday. Hanson ran for Congress twice in the 1960s as a Democrat and has a resume almost as long as God's.
Update: The Post's Miranda Spivack agrees with our report.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Hanson Blasts Leggett’s Proposed Police Consolidation
In a blistering letter sent to the County Council, outgoing Planning Chair Royce Hanson is blasting a new proposal by County Executive Ike Leggett to consolidate the county’s Police Department with M-NCPPC’s Park Police. Hanson’s opposition to the proposal is not unusual, but the blunt language in his letter certainly is!
In his latest round of proposed budget cuts, Leggett estimated that “consolidated command, combined call dispatch and redeployment of Park Police officers” would save $2 million. Hanson disagrees, saying the proposal “is bad public policy and management,” “imperils the safety of park users, especially in down-county parks” and will not save any money. Hanson calls the proposal “another attempt by the Executive to wrest power over the park system and park land.” Hanson claims that the average cost of a Park Police work year is $101,000 compared to the $117,000-123,000 average cost of a county police work year. He says, “There has been no underlying analysis of the assumptions used to reach the purported savings nor any impact statement.” Translation: Hanson thinks the $2 million number is pure fiction.
Hanson summarizes his position with this statement:The proposal is a first step toward destruction of a great park system, and ultimately, the [Park and Planning] Commission. The Executive has made no secret of his interest in taking control of the parks. Even though it is clear that the only way money might be actually saved through a merger of Commission functions and County functions is through a merger of the [county’s] Department of Recreation into the [Commission’s] Department of Parks. Such a merger was accomplished 40 years ago in Prince George’s County. The result is a far richer recreation program than we have in Montgomery County. By dismembering the Park Police the predictable result will be a decline in park safety, which will then be used as an excuse for transferring the entire department and its management of all of the County’s parkland to the Executive. This will place 10% of the County’s land area that has been acquired over the years and dedicated to active and passive parks, conservation areas, and environmentally protected areas under direct political control, rather than in the trust of the independent Park and Planning Commission. This is a result that I shall oppose with every bit of energy and resolve I can muster.
We reproduce the entire letter below.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
What It Takes: Montgomery County Planning Board Chairs from Hanson to Hanson
By Marc Korman.
Montgomery County Planning Board Chair Royce Hanson is not seeking reappointment and the Council has begun advertising the vacancy. Before looking forward, it might be helpful to look backwards at some Planning Board Chairs.
Hanson has served three terms as chair, with two from 1972 to 1981 and the current term. He has accomplished much in that time. In his initial stint, he helped establish the Agricultural Reserve. He was brought back in 2002 partly to get the County past the problems associated with Clarksburg. Under his leadership, the County is well on its way to moving White Flint, Gaithersburg West, and the Purple Line forward. But his successor will need to keep these on track, deal with the Policy Area Mobility Review that has been one of the centerpieces of the last two growth policies, and continue to navigate the tricky politics of growth.
There have been a few names in the running so far including Kensington Mayor Pete Fosselman, former Planning Board member John Robinson, former Chair Gus Bauman, and a now debunked rumor about Councilman Mike Knapp.
To get a better idea of what the Council might be looking for, let’s take a look at the backgrounds of the recent Planning Chairs during what I will call the Hanson period, covering his first period as chairman until now.
Royce Hanson (1972-1981) - Before his first tour as Chairman, Hanson had an extensive political and academic background. Hanson ran for Congress in 1966 and 1968, managed a Judge’s campaign, and was a Democratic convention delegate. He was President of the Washington Center for Metropolitan Studies and a Professor at American University. He also served as a Board member for a year before becoming chair.
Norman Christeller (1981-1989) - Christeller was appointed to fill a vacancy on the County Council in 1972 and then elected in his own right in 1974. He resigned from the Council in 1978 for a presidential appointment to the Department of Agriculture which never occurred. He also served on the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee. Following his time as Chair, Christeller went on to organize and chair a nonprofit dedicated to promoting low income housing. He passed away in 1999 at 75.
Gus Bauman (1989-1993) - Bauman served as legal counsel to the Planning Board for four years in the 1970s. He went on to serve as litigation counsel for the National Association of Home Builders. He also worked at law firm Beveridge & Diamond in the 1980s, where he returned after his time as planning board chair and an unsuccessful campaign for County Executive.
William Hussman (1994-2001) - When Montgomery County elected James Gleason as its first County Executive in 1970, William Hussmann became the first Deputy Chief Administrative Officer. Hussman became CAO from 1972 to 1978. He held the position again in the early 1990s under County Executive Neal Potter. Hussman also served as Rockville City planning director and was, according to one Washington Post article, a developer at some point in his career.
Arthur Holmes (2001-2002) - Holmes had already served on the Planning Board for seven years when he was appointed Chairman. He was a retired Two Star Army General. He had been chief executive of a business in Silver Spring until 1995. He was also the Planning Board’s first, and so far only, African American Chair. Holmes currently serves as Director of the County Transportation Department.
Derick Berlage (2002-2006) - Berlage was elected to the County Council in 1990 and reelected in 1994 and 1998, where he chaired the Land Use Committee and the National Capital Transportation Planning Board. He also worked in the private sector as a real estate attorney. Berlage now serves as St. Mary’s County’s Director for the Department of Land Use and Growth Management.
Royce Hanson (2006-2010) - After his first two terms as Chairman, Hanson directed the Committee on National Urban Policy of the National Research Council. He was a professor at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota and Dean of the School of Social Sciences at the University of Texas. He returned to Montgomery County in 1998 and taught at the University of Maryland and George Washington University.
The experience has been varied, with several having political experience and a mix of public and private job experience. They have also all been men, which based on the current rumors is a streak likely to continue. At least two of them, three if you count Hanson twice, previously served on the Planning Board.
Many MPW readers have long memories so if you think I’ve missed an important part of someone’s background or made another error, please post it in the comments.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Royce Hanson is Stepping Down, Council Seeks Replacement
Following is the press release from the County Council.
The Montgomery County Council is seeking applicants to fill a 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 has indicated that he will not apply for reappointment. The Council expects to designate the appointee as chairman. 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. Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, March 8.
FOR INFORMATION: Justina Ferber 240-777-7938
Montgomery County Council Seeks Applicants for the Position of Chairman of Montgomery County Planning Board
Deadline for Applications Is 5 p.m., Monday, March 8
ROCKVILLE, Md., December 21, 2009—The Montgomery County Council is seeking applicants to fill a 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 has indicated that he will not apply for reappointment.
The Council expects to designate the appointee as chairman. 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. Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, March 8.
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; Amy Presley, a Republican and Marye Wells-Harley, a Democrat. Annual compensation for Board members is currently $30,000 (The deadline for applying for the vacancy created by the passing of board member Jean Cryor, a Republican, is 5 p.m., on Wednesday, Jan. 13.)
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. On average, a Planning Board member can expect to spend at least two full days a week in scheduled and informal meetings. Additionally, substantial time is required for preparatory work and other activities related to Planning Board responsibilities.
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., Monday, March 8. It is the Council’s policy not to consider applications received after the deadline. After the March 8 closing date, Councilmembers will review the letters of application and select applicants for interviews to be held April 8 or soon thereafter.
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.
# # #
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Growth Policy Panel Discussion
The Town of Chevy Chase, Citizens Coordinating Committee for Friendship Heights, Town of Somerset, Edgemoor Citizens Association, and East Bethesda Citizens Association will host a panel discussion on "Proposed Changes to the Growth and Zoning Policies" on Monday, October 26 from 7 to 9 p.m at the Town of Chevy Chase Town Hall located in the Jane E. Lawton Center, 4301 Willow Lane.
Montgomery County Planning Board Chairman Royce Hanson, former Planning Board member Meredith Wellington, Chamber of Commerce representative Patricia Harris, and Western Montgomery County Citizens Advisory Board member and East Bethesda resident Ilaya Hopkins will discuss the new proposals in a public forum moderated by Charles Duffy, host of MMCTV’s Political Pulse.
Friday, October 02, 2009
Montgomery County’s Most Influential People, Part Five
Here are the five most influential non-elected people in the county. Their key advantage: you can’t vote against them to get rid of them!
5. Jon Gerson, Director of Community Outreach, Montgomery County Education Association
12 Votes
Reader: The political voice and face of MCEA, still the best endorsement in Montgomery County.
Reader: May not have the awesome power he had in 2006, but Gerson is still a kingmaker and MCEA is a force to be reckoned with.
Reader: The Apple Ballot still yields incredible power as a voter tool. I choose not to elaborate any further.
Reader: The much-hyped Apple Ballot is purported to drive at least 5% of voters, depending on who you ask. Whether you believe that or not, one thing is for sure, and that is that whether or not it leads to victory, it is definitely not a good thing for a politician to be off the Apple Ballot. Most of them know this, and so the Apple Ballot strategy is factored into most every campaign in the County.
Adam: This is all about respect for MCEA’s Apple Ballot, which remains the WMD of MoCo local politics. Pity the poor politician who gets caught in the blast zone.
4. Gino Renne, President, UFCW Local 1994, Municipal & County Government Employees Organization (MCGEO)
19 Votes
Reader: Labor’s top dog in Rockville.
Reader: The most militant labor leader in the county. Depending on whom you ask, that either makes him more or less effective.
Reader: Knows how to use union power. He even looks like an extra from the movie “Hoffa.”
Reader: MCEA, SEIU 500 and MCGEO are the three most important county unions, and among the most important political players in the county. Gino has Bob Stewart, who’s a tough organizer, and the two play hardball well.
Reader: Gino understands what we’re dealing with, takes the most hits of any union when it comes to loss of employee base and is still willing to try to work out a sustainable budget plan.
Reader: Great combination of brains and brawn!
Reader: They get their people out when needed and certainly make their voices heard. I may not always agree with the way they do things, but they are often effective.
Adam: After all these years, MCGEO’s fearsome overlord still knows how to break balls and bust heads.
3. Adam Pagnucco, Author, Maryland Politics Watch
30 Votes
Reader: No other nonprofit, lobbying outfit or media outlet produces the consistent churn of news, research, and other salacious tidbits that emerge from Maryland Politics Watch. It is no wonder that readership has skyrocketed in such a short time and that this blog’s coverage of local politics has now jumped leagues ahead of any mainstream media outlet. It is both a testament to Adam Pagnucco’s hard work and smarts, but also a statement of the disheveled state of our local news outlets. Politicians and advocates alike ignore Pagnucco’s blog to their peril.
Reader: His blog is the MoCo political bible.
Reader: Adam, you’ve taken this blog which had some nice analysis and made it a bit more pointed. Drives me crazy sometimes but everyone reads it. And you actually listen to people and report and analyze intelligently. Ironically, my least favorite story was the one you said that was the most read.
Reader: Every elected official in the county reads MPW [editor: not quite]... and cares what is said about them in the blog. Politicos check it daily (at least) to find out what’s going on ... or to find out how it’s being covered. Mainstream media sources use it as a source, not always with attribution. As MPW’s primary blogger, Adam Pagnucco has solidified it into the state’s leading political blog. One recent indication of its influence: Saqib Ali chose MPW as the engine to launch his recent attack against Nancy King, recognizing the unique ability of MPW to further his agenda.
Reader: Makes and breaks political fortunes. Beware the pol who crosses him. The Gazette and Post are so 90s.
Reader: Has seen a startling rise as a key opinion maker in the County. Many think he is becoming more influential than the Washington Post in political circles, especially as the big paper crumbles. His missives are lucid, nimble and indispensable.
Reader: Because everyone on these lists reads him. One of the few people smart enough to know how to cite real authority but also knows that the numbers were probably juked to begin with.
Reader: This is not done to butter you up ‘cause we have our differences on some issues but you have worked hard to deserve a spot.
Reader: Don’t get a swelled head, nor is this a transparent ass-kissing move. You happen to actually be influential given that many decision-makers consult your blog regularly.
Reader: The political landscape in Montgomery County will never be the same since Maryland Politics Watch partnered with Adam Pagnucco. He is smart, brash, well-informed, has a sense of humor and oh by the way... his blog can make or break a political career. The first thing I do every morning is to check the blog to read what he is reporting. I know that I’m not the only one. There is a new sheriff in town!
Reader: Your posts are must reads around the state. MPW is now featured every day on the Post.com. The Sun now has a reporter who appears to do little more than cover your blog posts – and respond to them. As the Post and Gazette contract and limit local coverage to reporters/editorialists fresh out of distant colleges, Adam will become more powerful at setting the press agenda. He could take this enterprise private and make a good living from the comfort of Forest Estates.
Andres Pagnucco (blogger’s son): Where’s my Daddy??
2. Royce Hanson, M-NCPPC Chairman
31 Votes
Reader: This guy makes the decisions that average voters really care about.
Reader: Especially this year with so many master plans and a new growth policy, Hanson and the planning board have a huge impact on development itself and the sometimes nasty politics surrounding it.
Reader: By determining which projects move forward and when, Royce helps shape our skyline and layout. He’s one of the less visible (and less accountable?) powers in Montgomery County.
Reader: Royce Hanson is currently pushing through growth policy changes and the adoption of a CR zone that will have more radical effects on Montgomery than anything done by the County Council this term.
Reader: In a community where land use battles make an MMA match look like a Precious Moments tea party, Royce commands the respect of all sides.
Reader: Representing the various land use/development communities: Three master plans in the works, plus the annual growth policy. Need I say more?
Reader: The clear leader of the Planning Board and staff. He calls the shots and directs the show.
Reader: He’s gotten some good results out of an agency that has fewer people to do more work. Master and Sector Plans are getting produced. He butts heads with County Council Members, but that is healthy.
Reader: If there is one issue that never goes away in Montgomery County politics, it is development. That’s why the Chair of the Planning Board is one of the most influential people in the County. What Montgomery County looks like in 30 years will be due in no small part to the work of Royce Hanson, the Planning Board and the planning staff. But more importantly, these land use decisions have a huge impact on politics, especially for County offices. Many an officeholder can trace their victory (or defeat) to issues related to projects that went through Hanson’s hands.
Reader: His role on the planning board with the added perspective of a second chance decades later gives him huge say over the future of our county. His new vision, carefully crafted in consultation with Glenn Orlin, will guide our county for the next 20 years no matter who is elected in 2010. However, will lessons learned over the past 40 years in our county serve us well in plotting the next 40 years? Or, has this economic downturn truly resulted in a reset in our thinking which could open the door to new thinking beyond Hanson, Orlin, and Rollin Stanley? It must drive a person like Marc Elrich crazy to have tried for multiple elections to gain a seat on the County Council only to have his ability to shape policy constrained by nameless, powerful bureaucrats like Orlin and Hansen. It should be a lesson to all of the multitudes looking for an At-Large seat.
Adam: Living legend, planning pioneer. Fabled creator of the Ag Reserve. Laid out the basic functions and processes of the Planning Board more than thirty years ago that are still used today. Was the Democratic nominee for Congress in 1964 and 1966, a time when many of today’s elected officials were sucking pacifiers.
1. Jerry Weast, MCPS Superintendent
32 Votes
Reader: Longest serving superintendent in MoCo – no further explanation needed.
Reader: Oversees half the County’s budget. He does it with focus, determination, statistics... and charm, which is an effective combination.
Reader: The public schools are the core of the economy. Jerry Weast is the core of the public schools. He’d make a damned good candidate, too, if he ever decided to run for office.
Reader: Influence has waned significantly, but controls half of the county’s budget and can still dance circles around his board.
Reader: He’s an incredibly powerful school superintendent, plays smart politics which makes him even more influential. He’s much less influential then he was 5 years ago, before first Ervin and then Navarro, Docca, Brandman, Barclay etc. joined and took over the school board, and when Valerie replaced Subin as Council Ed Chair. He controls the largest chunk of the county’s budget, so he’s #1 on the list. He has the best PR operation in the county, probably to the detriment of our county’s students.
Reader: Whether you like him or not, he has moved MCPS to being one of the top school districts in the country.
Reader: Is there another leader in the county whose exploits have been studied by Harvard? He is smart, savvy, and strategic. He controls the largest public enterprise run at the local or state level in our county. A bad word from him could sink many a politician with the Post editorial board who seem to eat out of his hands.
Reader: Won’t be here much longer, but has wielded tremendous power during his tenure and gets great results in the school system. People may not like how political he is, but it has certainly been beneficial to the students of Montgomery County.
Reader: It is a testament to the value placed on public education in Montgomery County that Jerry Weast can be at the same time so polarizing and also be so firmly planted in his post. He does have the good fortune to run a school system in a wealthy, well-educated jurisdiction (it is hard to fail when you have such quality material to work with). Despite his successes, at this point the controversies are more remembered, and many would agree that it is time for him to go.
Adam: Brilliant bully still rules the schools. Will go down as a Hall of Fame power broker. He will only be fully appreciated after his successor comes in and gets bulldozed. Mark my words – the last thing the politicians want is to create another all-powerful Superintendent who regularly upstages them like Jerry Weast.
Well, those are our results for 2009. We’ll give the spies a little time to react, so enjoy the abuse they heap upon us next week!
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