Former Rockville mayor Phyllis Marcuccio dies

Two-term Rockville mayor and two-term city councilmember Phyllis Marcuccio passed away on Tuesday, June 5. A graduate of Rockville's Richard Montgomery High School, she served as Mayor from 2009-2011, and was reelected to a second consecutive term for 2011-2013. Very active in the community before being elected to public office, Marcuccio kept those close connections with neighborhoods and community leaders as a public servant.

Marcuccio's impact as mayor was significant. Her selections to the Rockville Planning Commission, - along with those of her successor, current Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton - curbed plans for high density urban growth beyond the redeveloped Town Center. The Rockville Pike plan was slowed in its approval process by commissioners, and ended up a much better document than the City's original expensive consultant had proposed.

Decisions made by both mayors were among the factors that led to Rockville being named the Best Place to Live in Maryland this year by Money magazine. The city has become a rival to Annandale for the title of best Asian dining hub in the D.C. region, and recently was chosen for the site of a coveted Wegmans store in B.F. Saul's Twinbrook Quarter development.

Marcuccio was a past president of the East Rockville Civic Association, a board member of the Rockville Housing Authority, and served on multiple commissions and task forces within the City of Rockville. She was among the founders of the Rockville Science Center, and a member of the Kiwanis Club of Rockville.

Mayor Newton released the following statement yesterday:

"Mayor Marcuccio was a deeply devoted public servant throughout her life and career. A longstanding Rockville resident, she prided herself as a grassroots activist and was an outspoken advocate for the city, always keeping the best interests of her community close to her heart.

“She was a stalwart champion for accountability, putting Rockville residents first when it came to making decisions as a member of the Mayor and Council.

“Whether planning for growth, keeping residents safe, wisely spending taxpayer money or protecting the environment, her commitment to protecting our quality of life and neighborhoods, was first and foremost.

“The City of Rockville is in a better place for her leadership. It was an honor to have known and worked with her.”

According to the City of Rockville, a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00 AM Friday, June 22 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 520 Veirs Mill Road, followed by a reception. The burial will be private.

Photo courtesy Rockville Channel 11

Mayoral candidates line up endorsements in Rockville

Incumbent Rockville
Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton
with 3 of the 5 past mayors
supporting her - Jim Coyle,
Steven Van Grack, Larry Giammo

Many of Rockville's past mayors remain closely engaged in city politics, and - as you might expect - their endorsements are in great demand. Incumbent Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton and challenger Sima Osdoby have both released letters and statements in the closing days of the campaign highlighting those endorsements.

Newton is leading the mayoral endorsement race, with 5 of the city's former top leaders on-board. They are former mayor and Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan, and past mayors Jim Coyle, Larry Giammo, Steven Van Grack and Phyllis Marcuccio.

Osdoby has received the endorsement of former mayor Rose Krasnow.

Former Mayor Rose Krasnow
has endorsed challenger
Sima Osdoby

As one might expect, the letter from the Newton endorsers has an optimistic tone, touting Newton's "proven, thoughtful leadership." Their letter goes on to say the incumbent has "been a steady leader who listens to all stakeholders, masters the issues and makes sound judgements." It also applauds Newton's management of the City's growth, and efforts to ensure there is adequate infrastructure to support new development. The mayors also note the City has just been ranked as the 17th "Most Livable City in America" by Livability.com.

Krasnow, by contrast, says she will be "heartbroken" if voters don't elect Osdoby, warning "Our City's future hangs in the balance." Now Deputy Director at the Maryland National Capital Park & Planning Commission, Krasnow is particularly critical of the delay in passing the Rockville Pike Plan in her statement. Newton has said the plan originally produced by a City-hired consultant was not sustainable, and needed to be thoroughly reworked by the Mayor and Council and Rockville Planning Commission.

Voters will go to the polls tomorrow, November 3.

Top photo by Robert Dyer

Krasnow photo courtesy MNCPPC

HADLEY WILL CHAIR ROCKVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR 2014

Rockville Planning Commission Chair Don Hadley was reelected last night to continue in that position for a full term in 2014. Hadley was nominated by Commissioner John Tyner, and his nomination was seconded by Commissioner Jack Leiderman. The nomination was approved by the commission 4-0, with Hadley himself abstaining.

This will be Hadley's first full term as chair of the city's planning body. He was nominated as chair this year, after former Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio declined to reappoint former chair Jerry Callistein to the commission when his term expired. Hadley has been critical of pressures from development interests to urbanize the city as a commissioner, and as a 2013 candidate for the city council.

ROCKVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION NOMINEES SKEPTICAL OF ROCKVILLE PIKE PLAN

A very significant item on the agenda of tonight's Rockville Mayor and Council meeting (7:00 PM at City Hall) is the appointment of two citizens to vacant seats on the Rockville Planning Commission. Those who fill the seats could well determine the outcome of the Rockville Pike Plan, and the future of the city's APFO.

Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio, who has been critical of plans to promote urban density in suburban Rockville,  has had mixed success with her previous appointments. While Marcuccio has had the opportunity to completely shift what has, in recent decades, been a pro-development body, there is still not a solid majority in opposition to the Pike Plan.

If one were to place bets on the 5 sitting members' potential Pike Plan votes, well, that would be difficult.

Only Jack Leiderman is a likely NO vote. David Hill and John Tyner II are likely YES votes, if the changes they've suggested are approved.

But Dion Trahan and Don Hadley have yet to reveal their hand. Both have been skeptical of the urbanization concept the plan represents.

2 YES, 1 NO, 2 UNKNOWNS.

Enter 2 new members:

Mayor Marcuccio has nominated Charles Littlefield and Anne Goodman. Both are skeptics of the Pike Plan. Littlefield served on the Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance committee in 2011, and issued his own Minority Report that dissented against attempts to weaken the ordinance.

In his report, Littlefield made clear that he feels a strong APFO is essential to protect residents from out-of-control growth:

"As a member of this Committee I witnessed an aggressiveness on the part of certain developers, elected officials and public planners to push through large-scale residential development regardless of public opinion. The impression they made on me left me firmly convinced that Rockville's APFO/ APFS should not be weakened. From the perspective of a Rockville resident/ homeowner, the APFO 'evens the playing field' between everyday citizens and organized, connected and financially powerful developers. Without this tool, it would be virtually impossible for citizens to stop an undesirable development project from occurring and negatively impacting our quality of life."

Goodman also expressed concern "about the potential for weakening the APFO to allow more development" in her Pike Plan testimony.

While Marcuccio and Councilmember Bridget Newton owe much of their political support to voters who favor limiting growth and building heights, councilmembers Tom Moore and Mark Pierzchala are running (for council and mayor, respectively) on a more aggressive development platform.

It could be a contentious meeting tonight, as a result.

If approved by the council, could strong arguments by Littlefield and Goodman lead to a 5-2 or 4-3 defeat for the Pike Plan? Can they get majority support tonight, with outgoing councilmember John Hall as the potential deciding vote?

Intrigue! Suspense! Stay tuned!

ROCKSHIRE RESIDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT FUTURE OF KARMA ACADEMY PROPERTY

Quite a few residents of the Rockshire neighborhood of Rockville turned out at Monday night's Mayor and Council Meeting.

They voiced concerns during the Citizens Forum segment of the meeting about the fate of the former Karma Academy property on Watts Branch Parkway.

The property is owned by Montgomery County, and the county has not yet specified what it intends to do with it.  Rockshire residents who spoke at the meeting urged the city to obtain the property, and merge it with the adjacent Wooton's Mill Park, owned by the city.

Councilmember Mark Pierzchala said that, realistically, the county will not simply hand over the expensive real estate for little or no money.  Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio suggested it could be a good site for the Rockville Science Center she has long advocated for.

Residents have good reason to be concerned. The county could sell the property to a developer for a massive, dense townhome development. Or it could choose to keep it, building a school, soccer fields, or a shelter/clinic facility, as residents of Twinbrook Forest had to deal with until recently. The county council once tried to build a homeless shelter on property it obtained in an expensive Bethesda neighborhood of single-family homes, until outraged residents raised a ruckus.

Likewise, the county should not underestimate the Rockshire Association, which sued Rockville's Mayor and Council and Planning Commission over a development dispute during the 1970s.

Councilmember Tom Moore lauded the large turnout. He said the Karma Academy was "already on our radar," but that the appearance of so many residents would surely move the issue up on the council's list of priorities.

"TEAM ROCKVILLE" TAKES FIELD EARLY IN 2013 CITY ELECTION, PIERZCHALA RUNNING FOR MAYOR

Slates are back in Rockville city politics. Whether voters still obey them, will be just one intriguing outcome of the November 5 Mayor and Council elections.

The first slate - "Team Rockville" - has already gone public: Councilmember Mark Pierzchala is running for mayor, and Councilmember Tom Moore, Virginia Onley, Julie Palakovich Carr and Beryl L. Feinberg are in the race for the four council seats.

Two questions have been answered: Will there be slates? And will Pierzchala run for mayor?

But others remain, before one can get a true sense of the dynamics of this race.

Will John Hall run for mayor? Will Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio run for reelection? And will the council vote on the Rockville Pike plan before, or after the election?

Former councilmember Anne Robbins is also expected to run, and would be a formidable challenge to the lesser-known candidates on the "Team Rockville" slate. Robbins is skeptical of smart growth, having noted that advocates have been talking about "getting people out of their cars" since the 60s, with little results.  She brought an independent streak to the council, referring to herself as "the Lone Ranger" during a contentious council meeting over a decade ago.

Pierzchala won election primarily on his strong work on behalf of the College Gardens neighborhood as a citizen, and diligent attendance and engagement at city meetings. Once on the council, he has pivoted to take an aggressive pro-development stance, and has helped organize two summits on Rockville's future.

Tom Moore is a first-term councilmember who often sides with Pierzchala on issues. He recently made news beyond the city limits when he questioned the use and storage of data collected by license plate readers onboard Rockville police cruisers.

Virginia Onley is the only other member of the slate who has name recognition at this early stage, having run for council previously. If I recall correctly, Onley is one of the relatively few candidates smart enough to use the Citizens Forum during the election season, as a free platform to reach voters. It's surprising more candidates don't utilize that forum. Larry Giammo made hugely-effective use of it during his successful campaign for mayor.

Now, of course, the other question is, who else will throw their hat into the ring?

Drew Powell and Dion Trahan are two former candidates still actively engaged in city politics and government, but there are certainly others who could make a run, as well. Stay tuned.

If there's a Rockville citizen you think would be a great mayor or councilmember, feel free to put his or her name in the comments section below (there is an option to post anonymously, if you wish).

ROCKVILLE COUNCIL REVOLTS AGAINST MAYOR'S COMMISSION PICKS

The Rockville City Council had issues with two vacancy appointment decisions proposed by Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio at last night's Mayor and Council meeting.

Three councilmembers, John Hall, Tom Moore and Mark Pierzchala, declined to support one of Marcuccio's nominations for the city Board of Supervisors of Elections, activist Drew Powell.

Powell has been a longtime opponent of developer influence in city and county elections, and was an outspoken critic of individual candidates' campaign finance activities in the 2011 city election.

Was this political payback, or simply a desire to explore other candidates, as some councilmembers suggested?

It has been established practice for mayoral nominations for appointments to be honored.  The fact that Marcuccio raised objection to that protocol as a councilmember in previous years was raised.  Marcuccio did so, but then-Mayor Susan Hoffman still prevailed in having sole power of nomination.

Thus the rejection of Powell was unusual.

Councilmember Bridget Donnell Newton joined Hall, Moore and Pierzchala later in the meeting in endorsing the reappointment of Kate Ostell to the city Planning Commission. Ostell is a longtime commissioner whose term actually expired last summer.

Marcuccio suggested it was time to add fresh blood to the commission. The four councilmembers disagreed.

This appointment is highly significant, as whoever is appointed will cast a powerful vote on the Rockville Pike Plan, on which billions of dollars in developer profits hinge.  Marcuccio has been critical of the plan, and her appointment could complicate approval of what appears to remain a developer-friendly document. Others feel Ostell's experience and involvement in the lengthy Pike Plan process add value to the commission's final deliberations, which will follow a public hearing on it.