Though perhaps neither announcement at the September 11 Greenbelt City Council meeting was entirely unexpected, both were poignant. The meeting’s biggest news, though nearly last on the agenda, was that its longest-serving member, Councilmember Judith Davis, would not run for re-election this November.
As the meeting drew to its close, Davis requested permission to read a statement (see below). She said she would not run for re-election this fall, ending a period of continuous service on council that spans 30 years.
With a voice very strictly under control but with a palpable undercurrent of strong feeling, she was quick to note that she would continue to be active in public life.
Everybody in the council chamber stood and applauded her – and she visibly teared up as her colleagues gathered round her. During her long and productive tenure on council (this is her 15th consecutive two-year term), she was mayor for 16 years, Greenbelt’s longest continuously-serving mayor. Her election as mayor also meant she was the highest vote-getter in eight consecutive elections.
Her decision not to run means, as she pointed out to an audience containing most, if not all, of the potential candidates for election in November, that there will now be two places on council to be contested.
Filling Vacant Seat
Earlier in the meeting, as its first action, in fact, council identified the temporary replacement for Colin Byrd who abruptly resigned in August only a few months prior to council elections. Byrd, as Davis described it, had “left us in the lurch.”
Prior to the September 11 meeting, council met to adopt a methodology for making an appointment, as the process in this case was not specified in the city charter. With elections imminent, there was no time for a special election so council decided to identify candidates and vote on their appointment at the regular council meeting – allowing for public comment. One constraint included not choosing someone who would be a candidate in the upcoming election.
Councilmember Rodney Roberts objected to the process, saying there should have been public input and advertising to identify a field of contenders. The only candidate ultimately proposed (by Councilmember Ric Gordon) was Konrad Herling, former longtime councilmember and a citizen active in several local organizations.
Herling was duly elected and sworn in, though Roberts voted nay because of his objection to the method of choice, despite his approval for Herling. Herling then participated in the meeting, harking back to his long tenure on council.
Additional council actions will be dealt with in a future story.
Here is the text of Davis’s statement, which appears in the print edition on Page 2, under Letters to the Editor.
Judith Davis to Retire
After much deliberation and 30 years of service on the Greenbelt City Council, I have decided not to run for another term. I will never be able to thank enough all those who have offered their support, advice and generosity to me over all these years. Your encouragement helped me to continue working for Greenbelt and its residents for as long as I have.
This will be my second retirement. My first was after 35 years of teaching in elementary schools, and I still miss interacting with my students. With this second retirement, I will miss working as a member of council for my constituents and acting on Greenbelt’s behalf throughout the county, state and beyond.
The good thing is I’m not leaving Greenbelt – it’s been my home town for nearly 50 years. There will be more doors to open, more opportunities to serve. Thank you again for all your support and good wishes.
I remain Committed to Community – always! –J. Davis