[RP TownTalk] FW: Public Service

Mon May 2 23:38:32 UTC 2016

The message was being held due to the number of recipients.  Please read below

From: Jonathan Ebbeler
Sent: Monday, May 2, 2016 7:35 PM
To: 'varcher at riverdaleparkmd.gov' <varcher at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; Alan K. Thompson <akthompson at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; 'David J. Lingua' <djlingua at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; 'Christopher Henry' <chenry3240 at verizon.net>; 'crichardson at riverdaleparkmd.gov' <crichardson at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; 'Alejandro Silva' <alejandro.silva.1955 at gmail.com>; 'towntalk at riverdale-park.org' <towntalk at riverdale-park.org>
Cc: 'Chief David Morris' <dmorris at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; 'LEONARD ADDISON' <laddison at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; 'Sara Imhulse' <simhulse at riverdaleparkmd.gov>; Jessica Barnes <jbarnes at riverdaleparkmd.gov>
Subject: Public Service
Importance: High

All

Whenever there is major news, I like many of you, wonder what the real story is.  I have always prided myself in 5 years of being in office of welcoming dialogue, being impartial, open, transparent, and never pulled any punches.  No one had to guess where I was on an issue or the reasons behind it.  I was always willing to jump in the fray to provide information, to debate, to listen, and to adjust my position.

When I turned in my paperwork to serve a third term last year, I didn't sign up for what came my way including the Mayor refusing to administer the Oath of Office to me two days after my daughter was born, or the latest failed attempt to declare the seat vacant and the Mayor's admitted extensive lobbying efforts to remove me.  I did not sign up for a mid-term structural change in government that moves the Mayor from an observer to an active voting member who by representing everyone represents no one and removes his responsibility for the current financial and budget issues.

Let me be abundantly clear on one point, this is not a matter of sour grapes.  I have said from the start that I have nothing against the form or structure of government, just in how it is being slammed down the throats of the town and with recent disclosures by the Mayor answers the 'why now' and 'why this way' questions many of us asked from the start.  I fervently respect the democratic process and traditions in that even if I vote against something and am in the minority I move past it without holding political vendettas.  I am fine being the sole minority vote against the structure and I would have no issues if there was a more thoughtful approach towards the legislation.

It is deeply troubling that the legislation never made its way into the Legislative Committee.  We have standing committees to deal with issues like this so that information is presented, shared, discussed, and refined.  Bypassing standing committees defeats the due process reason they exist in the first place.  It is also unprofessional and disrespectful to the deliberative body as a whole.

Fundamentally, beyond moving the Mayor into a voting role on Council, it does one core and primary thing - it buries the responsibility the Mayor currently has for the financial matters in town.  The Mayor's Executive Order, that had no legal basis according to our Charter, was premised on a supposed 'fact' that turned out to be less than truthful; our taxable base for FY17 is higher than it was in FY15 due to the overall aggregate growth in tax assessments in town .  The truth we continue to ignore is that we are running a structural deficit and balance our budget on phantom one-time revenue items like bond proceeds we may or may not collect while ignoring our long-term under/unfunded Pension and OPEB liabilities of $3mil.  It was disappointing to be removed as a Pension Trustee after bringing to light our significant liabilities despite being the only Councilmember with professional experience in this field.

I am ok with losing a vote, having seats taken away from me etc.; I am not ok with being part of an organization that shifts blame of a financial situation from whom the law says is responsible, the Mayor and Council, onto professional staff that have no legal responsibility.  I am not ok serving in a position where requested information is obfuscated.  Knowing about, and not disclosing a financial situation for months, and introducing legislation that by its merits shifts who the finger gets pointed at for financial troubles is fundamentally not how leaders lead.  They Mayor and Council are solely responsible for the budget, not professional staff.  If we created the problem, we should fix this.  The reason and rationale behind 'why' we need to do this are specious.  The Town Administrator is already, by law, our Chief Operating Officer.  The Mayor should have allowed her to do her job and not micro-managed the day-to-day operations.  The Mayor should have done what our Charter requires, and paid more attention to the Mayoral responsibility of the financial management of the town than passing legislation that creates an inherent scapegoat.

I am, however, not ok having my reputation impugned through no fault or actions of my own.  During the Jey's Auto legislation, the Mayor hid information from Council and reported to the public that despite his best attempts to negotiate a deal, the land owner refused to either accept our offer or provide a counteroffer.  The landowner, during a meeting when this was reported, got to his feet and called us all liars.  He is right.  Council was lied to, the public was lied to, Jey was lied to.  Jey negotiated and very fairly countered $650k to our $500k.  Real Estate agents are required by law to present every offer made to their clients, it was troubling that the Mayor made a unilateral decision that because our offer was not accepted, decided that no counteroffer needed to be disclosed, going even further to claim none was made; until of course we were all called liars.

It is deeply troubling that despite a clear policy directive and five years later, through 4 unanimous votes on Resolutions/Ordinances in 2011-2013, the Mayor has yet to implement what the vote required - acquisition of the land.  This is, of course, a policy choice.  We can have a brand new Town Hall or we can act to do something about derelict properties.  We cannot do both without a significant tax hike.

It is troubling that although I did what was required by the law in terms of getting resolution after resolution passed, the Town Hall process did not follow the law.  Resolution 2009-R-10 required a committee be created to evaluate the possibility and potential of this expansion and draft a report with consensus opinions for Council by May 2010 with vetted options, locations, etc.  Public Hearings were held, but staff can produce no such report.  We have proceeded forward blindly since then.  We did however, move very quickly in 2010 to put the policy of rebuilding Town Hall into motion;  if only the same expediency was supported by the Mayor on Jey's Auto maybe Riverdale Park would not be the only major municipality without significant redevelopment on the Route 1 corridor.  It is quite frankly embarrassing that a municipal building that costs millions is a bigger priority than improving the economic health of our town.

For me however, the final decision came when I read through a lawsuit filed against the town last week by Gregs Towing.  In it, there were significant accusations of unfair business dealings and overt charges of racism.  The local business and procurement legislation I authored, was created and implemented to avoid this exact situation.  We just settled one lawsuit with Gregs Towing.  I cannot and will not be associated with a town government where charges of racism are made.  I want to be judged through the actions and deeds of myself, not those of an administration I have some significant concerns with and no longer trust.

Moreover, the Mayor and CM Thompson met with UMD officials without any professional courtesy to inform or invite me to a meeting that has clear implications to my role as Chair of Economic Development.  Despite the obvious policy differences with the Mayor, I have always routinely kept the Mayor and all members of the Economic Development Committee and Council informed as to progress being made.  I sincerely hope that the town does not lose potential deals that are 100% lined up at this point, just requiring the town to say yes to grant requests for monies already appropriated in our current budget:

1)      Bikram Yoga wishes to expand to take up 100% of the 2nd Floor

2)      Town Center Market wishes to expand and improve their Patio for seating

3)      Janish Brewery wishes to open a Brewpub at Town Center

These are deals and relationships I have worked hard to make happen over the last few years, there is nothing for the town to do further other than to say yes to the grant requests.  Please do so in this budget year.

Every decision, every vote, every policy, every piece of legislation written was done so with the interests of the town in mind.  I have always tried to do the right thing despite any disagreements.  In the 5 years I have been on Council, there has been a significant change in the trajectory of the town for the better.  That being said, it is time for some fresh people and ideas and this doesn't mean a Councilman Archer or Mayor Thompson.  It is obvious to me, with the lack of direct engagement by CM Thompson on his legislation, and the continued dismantling of most of the things the Mayor knows I care about, that my effectiveness would be limited at best for the next year.

I have no interest in sitting in a seat to keep a title.  I sat in the seat to make a difference, to change policy, to change the direction of the town.  When the legislation I authored is being reversed and with little hope of being supported on future efforts, I would prefer to focus my energies on things that matter to my businesses, my family, and other organizations I support rather than beat my head against the wall for the sake of calling myself a Councilman.  I sincerely hope that those interested in public service come out and challenge for the seats next May.  I have enjoyed my time serving the Town of Riverdale Park but my wife and I have decided to move onto bigger challenges elsewhere.

Effective 8pm EST on 2 May 2016 I resign the seat of Councilman, Ward 1 of the Town of Riverdale Park.

The Honorable Jonathan W. Ebbeler
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