From Friends of Barry Glassman:
Harford County Executive-elect Barry Glassman completed his Cabinet selections Tuesday, announcing the remaining department director nominees for his incoming administration. The newly elected Republican announced an initial group of nominees last week. He takes office December 1, 2014.
Regarding his most recent nominees, County Executive-elect Glassman said:
“I am proud to nominate these skilled professionals for my Cabinet. Like those previously announced, these department directors meet the high bar I have set for public servants and the next generation of leadership, committed to putting people first. Together, we will make Harford County government more efficient and responsive to the citizens it serves.”
The following nominees will become acting directors of their respective departments effective December 1:
Edward Hopkins, Department of Emergency Services
Karen Rottmann, Department of Procurement
Bradley Killian, Department of Planning and Zoning
Timothy F. Whittie, Department of Public Works
Melissa Lambert, Department of Law
The Honorable James E. Malone Jr., Department of Parks and Recreation
Leonard Parrish, Housing Agency
In accordance with the county’s charter, Cabinet members are at-will employees appointed by the county executive and subject to council confirmation. Full qualifications for each nominee will be presented to the council in early December. Nominees will also be available for interviews by individual council members.
Below is a brief biographical summary of each department director nominee.
Edward Hopkins, Department of Emergency Services
Mr. Hopkins has extensive skills in multiple disciplines. Most recently, he returned after a 29-year career with the Harford County Sheriff’s Office to serve as chief deputy overseeing law enforcement, court services and corrections operations. Mr. Hopkins is also a former deputy director of operations for the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, where he oversaw the state’s disaster response in coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. An award-winning broadcaster and former public information officer, Mr. Hopkins was director of communications under Gov. Robert Ehrlich in the Maryland Department of Juvenile Services. The lifelong Bel Air resident is a former mayor and elected town commissioner, and a former chief and 40-year volunteer with the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Baltimore.
Karen D. Rottmann, Department of Procurement
Internationally accredited as a Certified Professional Public Buyer, Ms. Rottmann has more than 28 years of procurement experience in the public and private sectors. She is a Harford County resident and former award-winning employee of the department, nominated to return as its director. Ms. Rottmann’s extensive negotiation and contracting experience includes local and state governments, healthcare, electronics, education and original equipment manufacturing. She has achieved multi-million dollar cost savings and identified efficiencies in procurement practices throughout her career. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Towson State University.
Bradley Killian, Department of Planning and Zoning
Mr. Killian is a Harford County resident, most recently employed as a planning supervisor in the Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning. While there, he designed and launched the county’s Architect-On-Call Program for business and property owners, and he led public workshops engaging residents and the business community in planning efforts. Mr. Killian is also a former executive director for Delaware Greenways, a statewide leader in the development and management of byways, greenways and trails. He served on the Delaware Governor’s Advisory Council on Walkability and Pedestrian Awareness and the Public Advisory Committee for the Wilmington Area Planning Council. Mr. Killian has master’s degree in geography from Temple University.
Timothy F. Whittie, P.E., Department of Public Works
Mr. Whittie has been the department director since 2012 and he is nominated to remain in the post. A licensed professional engineer in Maryland and D.C., Mr. Whittie has 23 years’ experience in private industry. He is also a former chief of Development Services Division for the Cecil County Department of Public Works. Mr. Whittie serves on the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority Board of Directors and he is a member of the County Engineers Association of Maryland. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the University of Maryland.
Melissa Lambert, Department of Law
Ms. Lambert has 25 years’ experience as an attorney in the public sector. She served most recently as the Harford County Council attorney, where her duties included drafting legislation, reviewing and negotiating contracts, and providing legal advice on a wide range of issues. A graduate of The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, she is a former deputy attorney general in the Delaware Attorney General’s Office. Ms. Lambert is also a former assistant state’s attorney with the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office, where she founded and supervised a specialized unit on domestic violence cases. She was awarded the Governor’s Certificate of Merit in the field of victims’ rights and an Outstanding Achievement Award from the attorney general for her work in the area of family violence.
The Hon. James Malone Jr., Department of Parks and Recreation
Del. Malone brings to the Department of Parks and Recreation his experience from five terms as an award-winning legislator in the Maryland House of Delegates, including service as vice-chair of the Environmental Matters Committee and membership on both the Natural Resources Subcommittee and the Agriculture, Agriculture Preservation & Open Space Subcommittee. Program Open Space involves recreation facility development by the state. Throughout his service on many government committees and non-profit boards, Del. Malone has been cited for his commitment to youth and athletics, including his work for Boys & Girls Clubs, Boy Scouts of America and YMCA. A longtime coach and referee for multiple sports, Del. Malone is also a retired lieutenant in the Baltimore County Fire Department.
Leonard Parrish, Housing Agency
Mr. Parrish brings to the Housing Agency his extensive management experience in the private sector, most recently as an associate broker with Garceau Realty, where he represented buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants in real estate transactions. He also founded and managed the company’s property management, land and commercial divisions. He is a former senior project manager for Gemcraft Homes. A lifelong Harford County resident, Mr. Parrish is an executive board member with the non-profit Homecoming Project, which provides safe housing for women in recovery. The John Carroll School graduate has with a master’s degree in real estate land development from Johns Hopkins University.
What the hell does this mean for Rick Ayers?
Rick should be fine since his position is classified and doesn’t serve at the pleasure of the Director or CE. Unless, they reclassify the position which it happens anytime they dislike you enough which is better than getting fired which can happen too since they don’t keep people they don’t want. The interesting thing will be who are appointed deputies and what employees are now subject to being replaced because they were good enough to get that high and now someone rather have their family member employed there…. Govt work can suck big time whenever a new administration takes over…
That’s not correct. We just voted and there was a change to the county Charter.
Question B would amend the charter to “include all Deputy Directors of the Executive Branch in the exempt services, making them non-classified and at-will employees. These positions shall be appointed by the County Executive and subject to confirmation by the County Council.
Oh good maybe he’ll get rid of dep director at P&R who has a bad habit of telling rec volunteers false facts
I know about question B. I don’t know if Rick is a Deputy Director. He is listed as a Deputy Manager/Emergency Manager which isn’t the same as a deputy director (or it may be) just said I didn’t know. We’ll find out eventually, like I said, if they like you they will keep you and if they don’t, then they won’t.
I would like to say that the list of appointments is a good start.Hopefully this will be a change from the family and friends plan. Also, the making sure Havre de Grace gets parks and special treatment. I think Eddie Hopkins was thrust into the spotlight as a replacement for a failing ship. He was made chief deputy and ended up losing his job. He is a great choice for emergency services and an all around good person. Glad he landed on his feet after the election. Another appointment is the law department. Melissa Lambert has ties to the community and knows all the players, She is another person that is approachable and able to know the facts.I have seen her in court and have been impressed because she is professional. Again, I hope Barry doesn’t turn into a family and friends administration and only cares about making sure everyone is taken care of except the county employee. I do have one concern. Why did the council president not run for re election and then take a job within the county government. Billy is a good person and I wish him the best of luck. I am hoping the county employees get a pay raise and not just lip service.
Not only that, but why did the council (presided by Boniface) pass a bill a couple years ago that removed a 2 year ban on former council members going to work for county government?
And then why did Boniface and the council pass a pay raise for the county executive, (that got vetoed by Craig) and then call a 5 minute session to override the veto?
Put all those together and it isn’t pretty is it?
Well, the chairs have been rearranged and some good people are gone and others that probably should be gone are still around. In many cases, it is the same people in different chairs and in others there are new folks with relatively no experience in running a department even if they have done something similar in private sector. These will find out soon enough while the ship doesn’t need him/her to sail around the government waters, they will need to steer the ship in the right direction. Come in and make too many internal changes or bring in equally inexperienced deputies and the ship will run aground fast. For those that know that I am a county employee that I am off work today as I still have like 6 personal days I haven’t used and they are use or lose, so I am off… Before you critic me because I am off, be aware that 90% of the county employees already used up their personal leave by December and I struggle to use them up because I like going to work and do good deeds for our citizens.
Take the rest of the year off, no one will miss you.
Jim,
I actually have enough accumulated leave to take off for about 3 months if I wanted but I actually have work to do and there isn’t someone else there to do what I do due to specific duties. But if you are willing to pay the county extra money to hire the extra credentialed individual to take my spot for a while, I am more than willing to go to Cabo San Lucas for a little bit, specially during the winter.
i sure hope gahler takes the same approach to picking good leadership for the agency. There is a big difference from campaign in and governing. Barry needs to distance himself from Craig because of his relationship to his friends instead of thinking the best for the county. I sure hope Barry overturns the pure political move of buying property in havre de grace. Guess Craig wants to make sure he has political clout in the future. But on the sheriffs side, gahler needs to show that he has the confidence of the rank and file. Bringing capasdo in was a great move because of the badly needed leadership at the jail. On the command staff, I hope majors are picked on their merit and not to be yes men and forget where they came from. Hopeful that county government will get better and not fall back into personal fifedoms.
I’m fairly new to this great county and maybe some things were purely political here.. .lol
But I looked at that parcel of land in Havre de Geace and it would be so wrong for so many reasons to not let that become a park for everyone. Motives aside, this new Administration needs to protect that space for the County and I hope everyone finds a way to work it out.
A Certified Professional Public Buyer – what does that mean…she is certified to pay 4x the retail price for stuff that is not needed?
And who tries to fleece the govt? Yup, the private sector! That’s why we must keep you private practice folks out of public business. There isn’t anyone better at ripping of the public than private contractors…
Private contractors provide a better service or a job that govt can’t do better. (oxymoronic I Know, a job a govt worker can do better??) Only thing govt is good at is breaking things, screwing things up, military, police and public roads. That’s about it. All the rest a pretty much worthless..