Mayor and Council Members Sworn In, Getting to Business

Following an election that saw all incumbents returned to office, Bowie to new two-year terms Monday night.

James Marcos was sworn in as District 1 council member, Diane Polangin District 2, Henri Gardner District 3 and Isaac Trouth District 4. G. Frederick Robinson, who ran for re-election unopposed, was sworn in as mayor. Sworn in as At Large council members were Todd Turner and Dennis Brady, who was first elected to the council in 1994.

Polangin was chosen Mayor Pro Tem, and will run council meetings in the mayor’s absence.

The council members and mayor each thanked voters for re-electing them.

“This was my ninth campaign, and it was the most gratifying,” said Brady. The election results, he said, “tells me I am in sync with voters…It’s been a honor and a privilege.”

For Gardner, who was appointed to the council in January to fill a vacant seat, this was his first successful run at elected office. “I thank God that I am able to continue to serve the city of Bowie, to be able to work to give people a helping hand” with housing and employment issues during tough economic times, he said.

Turner, who was elected to the At Large seat after having been District 3 representative, said he was thankful for his “promotion.” He publicly surprised his wife Anita with a bouquet of roses. “It’s only with the love and support of my family that I am able to give service,” he said.

During the regular portion of the meeting, long-time local businessman Brett Schaechter asked that the council give its support for Bowie’s first full-service car wash. To be built near Mitchellville Road and U.S. Route 301 south, Schaechter wishes to have the car wash open by 2013.

Currently, the zoning on the property has a condition that prohibits direct access to U.S. Route 301. Schaechter said that without direct highway access, the car wash would not be financially viable. The council voted to support removing the restriction. The next step is for the project to go before the Prince George’s County Planning Board for site plan approval.

Also during the meeting, the council voted to delay, at least for now, a proposal by the city staff to set up a small operation in city hall where stray animals could be held on a temporary basis before being taken to the county’s main animal holding facility in Upper Marlboro. Council member Brady said he wanted county animal control officials to examine and give technical approval to what the city staff was proposing.