Photos
On Friday evening, June 10, I joined other Rockville residents in Town Center to hear Mayor Phyllis Marcuccio announce her decision to seek reelection. Among those in attendance were Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz, Sen. Jennie Forehand, and former Rockville Mayor Steve VanGrack.
Seats were set up in the pavilion area in front of the stage. Many senior citizens took advantage of the seating while other people stood or sat near the sides of the stage. After several short speeches, Mayor Marcuccio began her remarks. Several minutes into the speech, the mayor and all those who turned out to hear her speak became victims of the one of the most bizarre and arrogant abuses of authority I have experienced.
Dozens of people were sitting in chairs placed on and around the Town Square fountain. Suddenly, without warning, the fountain was turned on. People were getting soaked and began scrambling to get out of the way of the water. Imagine what it must have felt like for the mayor to try to continue her speech and keep her composure, while the fountain is spewing water and kids are running into the water screaming and yelling. She finally had to abandon the speech. The remaining speakers made attempts to give their statements, but by then it was futile and the program came to an abrupt end.
The blame for this outrageous act, this insult to an elected official of this city and to the people who were there, rests in the hands of city manager Scott Ullery. It also presented a serious safety hazard, as water from the fountain moved perilously close to electrical wires.
I later discovered that the mayor had a permit, issued by the city, to use the stage from 6 to 8 p.m. She had made arrangements with Burt Hall, director of recreation and parks, to have the fountain in front of the pavilion turned off from 6 to 8 p.m. Unfortunately, Mr. Ullery took it upon himself to override Mr. Hall's authority, and arranged to have the fountain turned off at about 6:40 p.m. and back on at 7:30 p.m.
It is common for the fountain to be shut off for community events, and a schedule on the city's Web site shows that for June 10, the fountain was scheduled to be off between the hours of 6 and 8 p.m.
I now ask that City Manager Ullery make a public apology to the mayor, to the officials that were there to speak on her behalf and to the citizens of this city that went to a public event, expecting to hear an announcement from their mayor but instead were humiliated and treated with no regard for their safety and well-being. Mr. Ullery, it is the least you can do.
The author served as Phyllis Marcuccio's campaign manager in 2009. He is not serving in that capacity this year.
Brigitta Mullican
12:24 pm on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Who is in charge and who makes the City's decision? This is not the first conflict of this type.
I have seen city policy abused and could do nothing about it. In fact, it appears that the City Council has little control on what happens in Rockville. It is a struggle between the city manager and the city council.
Piotr Gajewski
3:13 pm on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Brigitta,
As a sitting Council member, I feel no struggle between the City Manager and the Council. I can also represent that the Council has complete control over what happens in Rockville, as per the City Charter, and we exercise that control to the fullest.
The incident about which Mr. Joe Jordan writes is regrettable. The City Manager failed to follow policy by granting free use of a City facility to a political candidate and providing special arrangements for the event. He has apologized for this error in judgment.
It is regrettable that the Mayor requested this special treatment. The City typically charges for the use of the stage for a planned event and a contract is signed. If the City were to offer the Mayor the free use of the pavilion, and made special arrangement with respect to the fountain, it would have to do it for any other citizen who requests it. It is regrettable that the Mayor apparently did not realize that her request was inappropriate.
I appreciate the Mayor’s sentiment, as reported on the Patch that she has “’tried to be discouraging’ of people who have cried foul and volunteered to come to her defense.” It is regrettable that she does not have more influence with Mr. Jordan, her former campaign manager, who seems intent on pointing fingers and laying blame. Given all the facts, I fail to see how doing this helps the Mayor.
Jim Coyle
4:01 pm on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
I am surprised that Brigitta has asked about our form of government especially from someone who has served the city well on many Boards and Commissions. All the power at City Hall is concentrated in the Mayor and Council who are the policy makers and community leaders; the City Manager implements their policies by ensuring that the services are delivered. I don't think there has been any question about this arrangment for the past 50+ years of the City's successful management. Leadership requires mature judgment about the proper handling of administrative and services matters, not finger-pointing and public attack of City employees. Unfortunately, too much of the latter has been occurring lately on even trivial matters. At least the Mayor, when this unfortuate incident happened, maintained a sense of humor when she said that "someone is raining on our parade!" (paraphrase)
Brigitta Mullican
5:26 pm on Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Jim,
I am trying to make a point that our City Council doesn’t have much influence of changing too much in our city. I have been following the city issues for as long as I have known you, actually longer.
I find that some council member only rubber stamp what is presented to them without a lot of scrutiny. I prefer council members who do some really good review and question alternative actions.
You know that I know our city's form of government. I find that past city councils have changed very little. There is plenty that I am not so happy about. I have no option but to accept the status quo.
Regardless of what I write or say, I do love Rockville and volunteer all my time to connect my community. I also love you, but don't always agree with you. Also, I didn't agree with all your decision when you were on the Council.
Brigitta Mullican
Theresa Defino
1:38 pm on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
While the fountain incident is unfortunate, I believe Mr. Ullery already did apologize, though I am not sure this was warranted. If her sister knew, what was the problem? To call the situation "one of the most arrogant abuses of authority" would seem a rather hysterical claim and ignore slavery, civil rights abuses, the war in Bosnia, slaughter in Rawanda, to name a few... we are talking about a fountain. As many know, Mr. Jordan abused the state's FOIA laws when he investigated me and another citizen in an attempt to shut down those of us who oppose city subsudies of Red Gate. I am still waiting for my apology from Mr. Jordan for that. He also used his position as head of the Gold Advisory Board to make demands on city staff as well as consultants. So much for abuse of authority...
Theresa Defino
1:41 pm on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Golf, not Gold
Doug in Rockville
7:05 pm on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
I don't exactly think this should be made a campaign issue. I do however, appreciate Mr. Ullery acknowledging his error.
Piotr Gajewski
8:16 pm on Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Hear, hear. But for Mr. Jordan's post, I don't think anyone was interested in talking about this. Not the Mayor, not anyone else I know.