[IHHAAC Update] IHHAAC Action Alert

[IHHAAC Email Newsletter]

FOR IHHAAC MEMBERS & FRIENDS

Action Urgently Needed

IHHAAC learned about this action a few days ago and has been consulting
with civic activists throughout Councilmanic Districts 8 and 9, asking
their views about a lame duck County Executive filling vacancies in key
jobs and about their personal knowledge of the nominee, David Byrd. Here
is what we heard in response.

First, while a County Executive has the right to fill vacancies, it is
inappropriate at best for a lame duck to deny his successor the right to
fill important positions with nominees of his/her own choosing. In the
current case, the terms of four of the five commissioners have expired and
the term of the fifth expires in June. The next county executive should
have the right to fill all of those positions.

Second, the issue here is not a referendum on Sam Parker's tenure--the
term of his term of office has expired, although he continues to serve
until replaced or he resigns. Rather, the issue is the right of the next
county executive to choose his own appointees to positions large and small
and not to be saddled with appointees chosen by his/her predecessor.

Third, five of the nine serving Members of the County Council are term
limited. Successors will be elected in the fall. The new Council should
have the right to pass judgment on key officials to serve during their
joint terms of office.

Finally, from conversations with many civic leaders who know him, we have
learned that they consider David Byrd to be unqualified and unfit for the
vitally important position of Chairman of the Prince George's County
Planning Board.

We understand that some members of the County Council share our concerns
and are opposed to the Byrd nomination. Accordingly, it is vitally
important that they hear directly from the citizens of Prince George's
County.

Action Requested: The IHHAAC Board of Directors urges its members to call
and write to their Members of the County Council in opposition to this
nomination. The County Council has scheduled a public hearing on this
matter for Tuesday, March 2. It is important that as many civic activists
as possible appear in person to express their views.

IHHAAC will keep you posted of developments as quickly as we learn of them.

Steve Pyles
President

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Johnson seeks to oust head of Prince George's planning board

Prince George's County Executive Jack B. Johnson is trying to get rid of
Samuel J. Parker, Jr. (right), the man he appointed to lead the county
Planning Board, according to Parker and several county sources familiar
with the matter.

Johnson wants to replace Parker, who has served since 2005, with Johnson's
Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, David Byrd. If Byrd is confirmed for
the four-year term, it will prevent the next county executive from
choosing his or her own planning chairman for several years.

With a role in approving much of the county's development, the planning
board chairman is one of the most powerful appointments a county executive
can make. It is unusual for a lame duck executive to seek to remove a
chairman of the Planning Board -- especially one he selected.

After hearing rumors that Johnson planned to replace him, Parker said he
went to members of the County Council Thursday to find out if it was true,
and that they confirmed it. Parker said he understands that he serves at
the pleasure of the county executive, but he felt disrespected that
Johnson had not talked to him about the ouster.

"I found out about it secondhand," Parker said. "My issue is not that it
was done. It is how it was done. ... We have to get to a point where
personality doesn't drive decisions or how you treat people."
Parker said he does not want to fight the ouster.

Byrd said he plans to meet with members of the council to discuss his
nomination.

"I'm grateful that Mr. Johnson continues to have confidence in me to
continue to serve the residents of Prince George's County in a capacity
such as this," Byrd said during a recent interview.

As a newly-elected county executive, Johnson tried to get rid of former
Planning Board Chairman Elizabeth M. "Betty" Hewlett -- an appointee of
the previous county executive, Wayne Curry -- before her term was over. In
order to do that, Johnson needed state legislation. The General Assembly
approved the bill, which became known in Annapolis as the "Betty bill,"
but then-Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) killed it.

In Parker's case, the timing is even more unusual considering his term
ended in June and he could simply remain in place until a new county
executive is elected.

Byrd said that he did not know the circumstances surrounding Johnson's
decision to get rid of Parker, and that he wouldn't speculate about them.
"The county executive decided to make a change," he said. "For a
particular reason why he made it, you'll have to ask Mr. Johnson."

A request for comment made Saturday to Johnson's spokesman, John Erzen,
was not returned.

Parker said he has begun a lot of initiatives that he had hoped to bring
to fruition, including Envision, the county's ambitious plan to involve
the community in developing a plan for the future and revising the county
zoning code.

Sylvester Vaughns, vice chairman of the Planning Board, said over the last
couple of days he had heard "scuttlebutt" about a replacement, but he
didn't think it was true. He said it "would be most unfortunate" to lose
Parker.

Meanwhile, Byrd said he looks forward to leading the board, if the council
chooses to give him the opportunity.

"The process has begun and I look forward to meeting with members of the
council and answering any questions and concerns they they might have,"
Byrd said.

-- Ovetta Wiggins and Jonathan Mummolo
The Washington Post