Rockville Planning Commissioner to run for City Council

‘‘I think everyone has his or her own style,” Britton said. ‘‘If elected, I would not move into a seat to emulate anybody.”

Since moving to Rockville in 1998, Britton has served on the Cultural Arts Commission, Planning Commission and the Rockville Zoning Ordinance Review (RORZOR) committee. The West End resident has been a local precinct co-chair for the Democratic Party.

He is managing partner of the Washington, D.C., branch of Schnader, Harrison, Segal and Lewis.

‘‘I’m not an apologist for the developers,” said Britton, who has taken on energy companies. ‘‘I challenge them when they need to be challenged. But I’m not anti-development across the board.”

If elected, Britton said he would focus on environmental and health impacts of developed areas in the city.

There is a growing body of evidence, he said, connecting the way communities are designed and people’s health. Pedestrian friendly walkways, for example, bring out more people and make for a healthier population.

Britton said he supports green construction, from buildings to community design, and connecting city services more tightly with neighborhood interests.

Mullican also jumps intocouncil race

Retired budget analyst Brigitta Mullican, who lost a bid to unseat Rockville Mayor Larry Giammo in 2005, made her candidacy for council official on Friday by submitting the requisite paperwork to the City Clerk’s Office.

If elected, Mullican, 58, said she wants to form a like-minded majority with Councilwoman Phyllis R. Marcuccio and another council member.

‘‘I think she has brought a good dynamic to the council,” she said of Marcuccio’s first term.

Mullican frequently stands before the council at Citizen’s Forum, voicing opinions on everything from what to call the new Rockville Library to proposed changes to the refuse collection system.

She is counting on an open council seat and name recognition from her 2005 mayoral race to help her take one of the council seats.

A Twinbrook resident since 1965, Mullican was easily defeated in 2005 by a 4,502 to 1,861 vote margin. She is a member of the Alliance of Rockville Citizens and the Twinbrook Citizens Association and has served on the Planning Commission. She is retired from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

‘‘I hope I can work better with the council members than the last group has,” Mullican said. ‘‘I don’t know what the problem is with those personalities.”

Both Mullican and John Britton want to repeat the election-day success enjoyed by two previous candidates who also served on the Planning Commission, Giammo, who was first elected mayor in 2002, and Councilwoman Susan R. Hoffmann, who joined him on the council the same year.

The field of candidates now includes six announced and at least five more potential candidates interested in four available council seats in the November election.

Incumbent Councilwomen Phyllis R. Marcuccio and Anne M. Robbins are seeking re-election. Theodric Anderson and Carl Henn have also confirmed they are running.

Councilman Robert E. Dorsey has not decided if he will shoot for council or mayor this time.

Only Robbins, Anderson and Mullican have submitted the necessary signatures to run for council so far. The deadline for filing for either mayor or council is Sept. 7.