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Prince George's County Council members said they are skeptical that the county will be able to move into a new 911 emergency communications center in time to avoid paying penalties outlined in an agreement with Motorola Inc.

"How is it that we're going to be live in February 2010 when we don't even have a facility to house [the new system]?" William Campos (D-Dist. 2) of Hyattsville asked Public Safety Director Vernon Herron. Herron said the department is hoping to finalize plans to renovate a vacant building at the Melford science and technology park in Bowie in the coming months to meet the deadline.

Campos was one of several council members May 11 who questioned the county's ability to open the new center during a budget session.

"I don't see us going live. It would be amazing if we did," Campos said.

Unless the county can open the new center by February, it may have to pay a $6,000 weekly penalty to Motorola for not having room to house computers to run the county's new 800 mhz radio communication system.

The current 911 center is housed at a former school between Seat Pleasant and Largo. Herron said the building is cramped and old, and would require a significant overhaul to meet the needs of the new system.

"We're constantly plugging holes in the roof. We're constantly battling mold," Herron said. "I just don't think it's a good facility in the long term."

The new center is expected to cost $23 million. Council members scolded Herron for not preparing for the major expense sooner.

"Twenty-three million dollars is the cost of a new elementary school," said Councilman Thomas Dernoga (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel. "There's a consequence to these decisions."

Three announce plans

to run for County Council

With 15 months to go before the 2010 primary, at least three candidates have begun gathering support for a run at open County Council seats.

Samuel Epps IV, political director of the SEIU Local 199 labor union that represents hospital workers, said he is now raising funds for a run at the District 1 council seat being left by Councilman Thomas Dernoga (D-Dist. 1) of Laurel next year. The district covers the northern tip of the county and includes Muirkirk and Calverton.

Epps, a Laurel resident and member of the county's Democratic Central Committee, held a fundraiser April 18 at the Greene Turtle sports bar, charging up to $2,000 for attendees.

"The decisions we make today and in the coming months and years will decide whether we go backwards or we progress together through these troubling economic times," Epps wrote in a statement. "I will be the voice of the thousands of District 1 residents who get up every day, go to work, play by the rules, yet still struggle with mortgage payments, health care costs and an uncertain retirement future."

In District 9, which covers Clinton, Brandywine and areas south of Route 4 in the southern portion of the county, Tamara Davis Brown and Mel Franklin announced their intentions at a meeting last week of the Brandywine Democratic Club to seek the seat currently held by Councilwoman Marilynn M. Bland (D) of Clinton in the next election.

Brown, an attorney from Clinton, ran unsuccessfully for the District 27A delegate seat in the 2006 primary, and appears to hold the support of longtime incumbents. Last week, she held a town hall meeting at Surrattsville High School to discuss state spending of the federal stimulus package. The meeting was attended by Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. and State Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot.

Franklin, an Upper Marlboro resident who heads the Greater Marlboro Democratic Club, most recently made news for his opposition to building a Major League Soccer stadium in the county for the D.C. United team.

Because county law prohibits council members from serving more than two terms, five council members are slated to step down in the 2010 election. In addition to Bland and Dernoga, voters will choose candidates to replace term-limited council members Samuel Dean (D-Dist. 6) of Mitchellville, Camille Exum (D-Dist. 7) of Capitol Heights and Tony Knotts (D-Dist. 8) of Temple Hills.