Kentlands Resident Picked as New Gaithersburg Councilmember Pending General Election Results
Kentlands resident and community activist Neil Harris will likely be the newest Gaithersburg City Councilman.
The Gaithersburg City Council selected Harris on Monday night during an executive session to fill the vacancy that is anticipated as Council Member Jud Ashman becomes mayor, contingent upon the election of Mayor Sidney Katz to the Montgomery County Council on November 4. City Attorney Lynn Board was not immediately available for details on that executive session vote.
Harris is scheduled to be sworn into office on Nov. 10. A reception in the City Hall Gallery will immediately follow the swearing in ceremony. His term will end in November, 2015.
“I’m looking forward to serving the people of the City of Gaithersburg,” said Harris. “This has been my home for over 25 years, and a great place to raise my family. I appreciate the support of the City Council and I look forward to working with them and our new Mayor, and with our fellow citizens, to make Gaithersburg even greater.”
Harris is chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Kentlands Citizens Assembly. He is also a member of Montgomery County’s Economic Strategy Group and Maryland’s Area 1 Advisory Committee for the Corridor Cities Transitway. Harris is Chief Revenue Officer for Bulletin Healthcare, LLC, a publisher of daily medical news briefings for healthcare providers, according to a city press release. He holds a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Maryland University College.
In his application for candidacy, Harris listed his top priorities for the City as maintaining and improving upon the city’s healthy fiscal condition and budgeting strategies, developing strategic goals that look farther into the future, exploring opportunities to develop cohesion among the variety of commercial districts in Gaithersburg, and fostering job development by working more closely with educational institutions and businesses.
“The Council and I are grateful to all of the candidates. Their considerable talent, passion, and commitment to public service made this a really tough decision,” Ashman said in a release. “We’re excited to bring Neil on board. He’s a good fit for this community and we look forward to working together over the next year.”
Section 35 of the City Code allows for the City Council to select individuals to fill vacancies, but also provides for public petition for a special election for either or both of these appointed positions. The petition must contain the signatures of at least 20 percent of the registered voters in Gaithersburg and be received within 30 days of an appointment. Please see the City Code under the “Government” tab on the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov for details.
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