We Talked, Ike Listened

County Executive-Elect Ike Leggett held a town meeting earlier this evening in the Leland Community Center in Chevy Chase. The room was packed to the rafters with a large number of people (including the Mayor!) standing in the back for much of the meeting. People came not just from Chevy Chase but from all over Montgomery County and even northern Virginia.

Ike, as most people called him, is an amazingly good listener. He opened the meeting with a short set of comments and a list of his top priorities was distributed outside but he spent most of his time listening to comments from county residents. Often, after hearing a comment from the audience, he simply thanked the person without feeling the compulsion to speak to every single issue.

He did not make many promises, which seemed smart as the election is over, demands are many, and the budget will be tight. Ike also complimented outgoing County Executive Doug Duncan and made clear that he saw his job as a matter of "minor adjustments" rather than major change, though he acknowledged that one person's minor adjustment could be another's major change. Ike did promise to improve the accountability of county government and to make it more responsive and accessible to residents. According to my ear, the top (but by no means, only) concerns raised by the audience were:

1. Barry's Magic Shop in Wheaton is threatened with eviction. As part of its effort to redevelop Wheaton, the County plans to condemn the building in which is it located so it can improve the sidewalk. This may sound like small (magic?) beans in a county of one million people but don't be fooled. This issue has serious legs.

Several people from the local wizarding community came to express their support for Barry's, including the gentleman from northern Virginia whose son apparently adores the shop which serves as a meeting place for magicians as well as a store. Muggles in the room were also sympathetic as many lament the closure of unique local businesses due to development.

2. Housing. Almost every aspect of this issue was raised. Unsurprisingly, development remains a big concern. People demanded greater controls on development, including real adherence to planning and construction laws. Mansionization is clearly a major issue in downcounty areas with one resident expressing dissatisfaction that a permit for an addition can be used to radically transform and expand a house.

A Forest Glen resident expressed anger that Metro contemplated a huge development around the Metro stop without neighborhood consulatation. A woman from Silver Spring pointed out that the county guidelines have no practical impact on skyrocketing rents in her area. Others worried that the Purple Line would bring yet more traffic to Connecticut Ave.

Ike spoke out on this one, saying that he wanted to slow (not stop) the pace of development. He also expressed support for more affordable housing, making the point that preserving existing affordable housing has to be a key component of any strategy on this issue as these units are being destroyed even faster than the County can create them.

3. Transportation. The Purple Line was much discussed with many residents stating how valuable they found the existing trail while others explained that the proposed light rail would come way too close, often within feet, of their property. A few brave souls went against the prevailing consensus and said that the Purple Line was a necessary transit improvement with one man saying it would make it easier for him to get to work.

Ike expressed his support for the existing trail but also said that part of his job is to implement the County Master Plan and that the Purple Line is part of it. However, he also vowed to protect the trail. He also mentioned that the money to build it would ultimately have to come from outside sources. My guess is that he is betting (probably rightly) that it will be a long time before the money to build the Purple Line appears and the County faces a real decision about going ahead.

Several criticized the Intercounty Connector (ICC), arguing that it would promote more sprawl and invade the agricultural reserve. No one spoke in favor of the ICC, though I suspect that the ICC has more support upcounty than downcounty. Moreover, as on many issues of this sort, supporters tend to be more vocal than opponents. Unlike the Purple Line, the ICC is becoming a reality with support from both the outgoing and incoming governors.

Of course, traffic remains an enormous issue with one resident articulating support for initiatives to promote telecommuting. Others argued for more public transit, including later and more frequent Ride-On bus services. One guy suggested that the County allow vans to organize taxi services to and from bus and metro stops during rush hour. Ike laudably made clear that this is a tough issue and requires a comprehensive approach.

4. Pedestrian Safety. Like Barry's Magic Shop, I think this issue is vastly underestimated and I was tempted to rank it much higher. Numerous residents came specifically to plead for more efforts in this area. One resident argued in favor of a pedestrian tunnel under Georgia Ave. by the Forest Glen Metro as this is one of the busiest and most dangerous intersections in the County.

Many want more consideration given to pedestrians as part of transportation planning. Major constituencies concerned with pedestrian safety were the young (or more accurately, their parents) and the old (and the future old: the rest of us). One woman explained that the main street of Silver Sprung, which is blocked off on weekends, is a major pedestrian nightmare during the week. One man dreams of being able to walk from Maryland to Virginia over the American Legion (Cabin John) Bridge.

5. Education. Newly elected school board member Shirley Brandman was in the audience (as was Councilwoman Nancy Floreen, Councilman-Elect Marc Elrich, Councilman-Elect Roger Berliner, Del. Bill Bronrott, Chevy Chase Mayor Linna Barnes, and Chevy Chase Councilman Mier Wolf) so audience members got to get the ear of a member of the BoE as well the Exec.

A variety of concerns were expressed on this issue. Ike repeatedly cited the high level of education in the County as a major asset but also said we were resting on our laurels in this area. Criticisms of too much pressure on students and too much focus on testing both received applause. One man argued that the County should recruit or help to build a first-class four-year university. Perhaps we can steal College Park from our neighbors in Prince George's?

6. Immigration was the odd-man out. The second comment of the night was from a man in a suit who cited statistics on the large number of illegal immigrants in Maryland, said they were a drain on public services (no stats cited here), and wanted to know what Ike was going to do about it. Ike challenged the statistics and the assumptions behind the question to applause from the audience who, like me, did not like the demonizing of immigrants. I noticed that the questioner left a short time later.

A business owner expressed support for a day labor center as a means of preventing people trying to make a living from seeking work in retail businesses. Ike said he wanted to work with CASA on this question. One man suggested that the county police check for citizenship when they stop people for legitimate reasons. However, I would say as many people expressed support for working with immigrants as attacked them.