The Prince George’s County Council unanimously reelected council member Todd M. Turner (D-District 4) as chair during its final meeting of the year Tuesday, and elevated to vice chair a freshman lawmaker who could help smooth tension between veterans and first-term members.
Turner said his priorities for next year include continued work on overhauling the county’s zoning maps, which he hopes will lead to an increase in commercial development, and working with County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D), state lawmakers and school system officials to ensure that Prince George’s benefits from recommendations made by Maryland’s Kirwan Commission to revamp public school funding.
Council member Calvin S. Hawkins II (D-At Large), who often served this year as a bridge between the council’s new members and its incumbents, was unanimously elected vice chair. He said he wants to work with each of his 10 colleagues to ensure that their decision-making is not overly parochial.
The gavel exchange marked the end of the legislative session for the all-Democratic council, which this year included two new at-large seats — one held by Hawkins and the other by former District 9 representative Mel Franklin.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Rachel Chason over at the Washington Post