Potomac is governed at the county and state levels. The county government consists of an elected nine-member County Council and an elected county executive.
Five of the councilmembers are elected from districts, with Potomac, Chevy Chase and Bethesda represented by District 1 Council member Roger Berliner (D). The other four members are elected at large, or by voters from the entire county. This is to ensure that Potomac residents are represented on County Council by five of the nine members: the District 1 member and four at-large members.
Councilmembers and the executive serve four-year terms, and the Council appoints a president and vice president who each serve a one-year term.
The Council meets as a whole on Tuesdays, with committee meetings throughout the week. Public hearings on proposed legislation usually take place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings at the Stella V. Werner Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville.
Council meetings, as well as news and analysis shows dealing with the issues raised, air on the County Cable Channel 6.
<lst>COUNTY EXECUTIVE
County Executive Isiah Leggett (D)
240-777-2500
e-mail: ocemail@montgomerycountymd.gov
101 Monroe St., Second Floor
Rockville, MD 20850
MONTGOMERY COUNTY COUNCIL
Potomac is represented in County Council by the District 1 councilmember and four at-large members. Visit the council Web site at ww.montgomerycountymd.gov/council.
Any correspondence sent to the Council president is shared with all other members of the Council. The current president is Phil Andrews. With very rare exceptions, all correspondence sent to any councilmember becomes part of the public record and is available for review by interested parties.
Contact information for individual council members is listed below. Written correspondence to the whole council or individual council members may be sent to:
Stella B. Werner Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue Rockville, MD 20850.
Call 240-777-7900, fax to 240-777-7989 or e-mail county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov. Hearing-impaired citizens may call the TTY line at 240-777-7914.
The County Council is a public body subject to local and state sunshine laws. Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are open to the public. Closed sessions are allowed in certain prescribed circumstances, such as to discuss personnel matters or government real estate acquisitions, or to receive advice from attorneys.
The Council offers free subscriptions to the weekly mailing of the Council and committee agendas by e-mail, and the cable television schedule of broadcasts of Council sessions. To get on the mailing list, call Legislative Information Services 240-777-7910 or e-mail the Council at county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov
Roger Berliner (D-1), current council vice president
District 1 includes Potomac, Bethesda and Chevy Chase.
240-777-7828
councilmember.berliner@montgomerycountymd.gov
Marc Elrich (D-At Large)
240-777-7966
councilmember.elrich@montgomerycountymd.gov
Nancy Floreen (D-At Large)
240-777-7959
councilmember.floreen@montgomerycountymd.gov
George Leventhal (D-At Large)
240-777-7811
councilmember.leventhal@montgomerycountymd.gov
Duchy Trachtenberg (D-At Large)
240-777-7964
councilmember.trachtenberg@montgomerycountymd.gov
Other councilmembers, representing districts outside of Potomac:
Michael Knapp (D-District 2 — Upcounty)
240-777-7955
councilmember.knapp@montgomerycountymd.gov
Phil Andrews (D-District 3 — Gaithersburg, Rockville), current council president
240-777-7906
councilmember.andrews@montgomerycountymd.gov
Nancy Navarro (D-District 4 — Burtonsville, Eastern County)
240-777-7968
councilmember.navarro@montgomerycountymd.gov
Valerie Ervin (D-District 5 — Takoma Park, Wheaton, and Silver Spring)
240-777-7960
councilmember.ervin@montgomerycountymd.gov
BOARD OF EDUCATION
The eight-member board is the county’s official educational policy-making body and is responsible for the direction and operation of the public school system.
Although board members are divided into regions (Potomac falls in District 2) in order to ensure that there is representation from different geographical areas of the county, all members are elected at-large. There is one student member of the board who is elected by the middle- and high-school students of the county. The student member’s vote does not count in certain cases.
To contact the School Board, go to www.mcps.k12.md.us/boe, call 301-279-3617 or fax 301-279-3860. The web site is updated regularly with Board of Education agendas, minutes, announcements, invitations for public comment on new policies and other information. E-mail for any Board of Education member should be sent to boe@mcpsmd.org. E-mail is shared with all members of the Board.
Shirley Brandman (At Large), current board president, first term expires 2010
301-320-6564
Patricia O’Neill (District 3) current board president, third term expires 2010
301-320-7600
Judy Docca (District 1)
301-670-3234
Term expires in 2010
Laura Berthiaume (District 2)
301-279-31261
Term expires in 2012
Michael A. Durso (District 5)
Term expires 2010
Christopher S. Barclay (District 4)
301-431-7736
Term expires in 2012
Philip Kauffman (At Large)
301-924-3133
Term expires 2012
Student Board Member: Term expires June 30, 2010
Tim Hwang
STATE GOVERNMENT
The state legislature convenes in Annapolis for 90-day sessions to consider and pass legislation. The session begins in early January and ends in early April. Potomac is represented by Districts 15 and 16. Maryland has a bicameral legislature with 141 delegates in the House and 47 senators in the Senate.
Executive Branch
Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown (D)
100 State Circle
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-974-3901
1-800-811-8336
fax: 410-974-3275
Visit www.governor.maryland.gov/mail/ to send a message online.
MARYLAND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
District 15
Sen. Rob Garagiola (D)
James Senate Office Building, Room 104
11 Bladen St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
301-858-3169
rob.garagiola@senate.state.md.us
Del. Kathleen Dumais (D)
House Office Building, Room 350
6 Bladen St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
301-858-3052
kathleen.dumais@house.state.md.us
Del. Brian Feldman (D)
House Office Building, Room 223
6 Bladen St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
301-858-3186
brian.feldman@house.state.md.us
Del. Craig Rice (D)
House Office Building, Room 223
6 Bladen St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
301-858-3090
craig.rice@house.state.md.us
District 16
Sen. Brian Frosh (D)
Miller Senate Office Building, 2 East Wing
11 Bladen St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
301-858-3124
brian.frosh@senate.state.md.us
Del. William Bronrott (D)
House Office Building, Room 411
6 Bladen St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
301-858-3642
william.bronrott@house.state.md.us
Del. William Frick (D)
House Office Building, Room 217
6 Bladen St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
301-858-3454
bill.frick@house.state.md.us
Del. Susan C. Lee (D)
House Office Building, Room 414
6 Bladen St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
301-858-3649
susan.lee@house.state.md.us
U.S. CONGRESS
House of Representatives
U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-8)
The 8th Congressional district of Maryland covers about half of Montgomery County and a small part of Prince George’s County.
1707 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-5341
fax: 202-225-0375
51 Monroe St., Suite 507
Rockville, MD 20850
301-424-3501
fax: 301-424-5992
Visit www.house.gov/writerep/ to contact Van Hollen online.
U.S. Senate
Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D)
202-224-4654
503 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
Visit mikulski.senate.gov/Contact/contact.cfm to contact Mikulski online.
Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D)
202-224-4524
509 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
Visit cardin.senate.gov/contact to contact Cardin online.