| I think that it is true there are times when we need change and new voices and faces in Prince George's County. That may very well be the case with the planning board, however it is important to note that Betty Hewlett was a great Planning Board chairwoman, an excellent member of the WMATA board and should she be appointed will be again. I haven't heard rumor that Ms. Hewlett will be returning to the planning board but should be appointed it is important to remember her tenure: 1) Winning the National Gold Medal Award from National Recreation and Parks Association and the National Sports Foundation for excellence in management five times---The only agency ever to win it five times. 2) A dramatic shift by the agency to incorporating citizen input into planning decisions. Even after leaving her post now as a lobbyist I remember being on the campaign trail visiting civic and community groups and seeing Betty practicing what she preached. As a lawyer lobbying for developers she took them directly to their community leaders to meet with them before going to the planning board. These meetings often ran late into the night and she would stay the entire time to answer questions and talk to individual residents who had concerns. This is what we want in Planning Board Members. 3) As chair she led many of the projects that are popular today through the approval process such as Bowie Town Center and the development surrounding the Prince George’s Plaza Metro station. Far too often I think we allow this list to become home to whisper and gossip campaigns. Has she been excellent? No. Has she made mistakes or judgements I disagree with? Yes. But to question her ethics without any decent evidence of wrongdoing is just wrong. Sorry if I am on my soapbox but at times it just becomes too much. :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Rev. Joseph Lynn Kitchen Jr. 202-210-1889 Email: joseph@... Website: www.josephkitchen.com ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Follow Me on Twitter: @josephlynnkitchen Become a Friend: facebook.com/josephkitchen :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: ~ "We do BIG things"--President Barack Obama, 2011 State of the Union --- On Fri, 6/24/11, Judy <robinsonawjr@...> wrote:
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