For Immediate Release: Thursday, January 16, 2020
Deadline to submit an application is
Wednesday, February 5 at 5:00 pm
ROCKVILLE, Md., January 16, 2020—The Montgomery County Council is seeking applicants for a partial term on the County Board of Appeals. The term to be filled is currently held by Jon Cook, who will be resigning effective January 27. His term expires in September 2022. Applications for the positions must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, February 5.
By law, no more than three members of the Board shall be from the same political party. This position must be filled by a Republican, a voter who is unaffiliated with a party or a voter who is a member of another party officially recognized by the Board of Elections. This position cannot be filled by a Democrat.
In addition to Mr. Cook (Other), current members of the Board include Chair John Pentecost (Democrat), Katherine Freeman (Democrat), Bruce Goldensohn (Republican), and Mary Gonzales (Democrat). Members of County Boards, Committees and Commissions may not serve on more than one such group at a time.
Members of the board receive $15,525 annually, with the chair receiving $21,942. Salaries are adjusted each December to reflect 50 percent of the change in the Washington Area Consumer Price Index.
Duties of the Board of Appeals include hearing and deciding requests for variances from development standards contained in the County’s Zoning Ordinance; hearing appeals from certain administrative decisions rendered by County government agencies; and hearing oral argument on and deciding appeals from decisions of the Hearing Examiner on conditional uses. The board also considers and decides requests for modifications of special exceptions.
The board normally holds weekly hearings all day Wednesday and worksessions every other week on Wednesdays. If necessary to accommodate an extended caseload or continued hearings, the board may schedule hearings on other weekdays. Members are expected to prepare for the hearings by reading the cases to be heard and to share the workload of drafting and editing opinions or to follow-up on investigations on specific cases. Members work approximately 15-25 hours a week.
The principal jurisdiction of the Board of Appeals does not include the municipalities of Brookeville, Poolesville, Laytonsville, Rockville, Barnesville, Gaithersburg, and Washington Grove. The Council is not precluded from appointing someone who resides in one of these municipalities, although the Council may avoid doing so.
Letters expressing interest, including a resume listing professional and civic experience, political party affiliation, home and office telephone numbers and an email address, should be addressed to: Council President Sidney Katz, County Council Office, 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, Maryland 20850 or can be emailed to county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov. Letters of application must be received no later than 5 p.m. on February 5. It is the Council’s policy not to consider applications received after the deadline. After the closing date, Councilmembers will review the letters of application and may select applicants to interview.
Letters of application and resumes are made public as part of the appointment process. Any interviews held are open to the public and will be televised. A financial statement of assets, debts, income and family property interests will be required of all applicants. Only the appointed candidates will be required to make the financial statement available for public review.
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Release ID: 20-015