Leggett: Managing growth will be key

Democrat marks a historic first for the county as its first African-American executive

Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2006

Click here to enlarge this photo Laurie DeWitt⁄The Gazette Newly sworn in as Montgomery’s first African-American county executive, Isiah Leggett acknowledges the crowd at Strathmore Music Center in North Bethesda on Monday night. At his side is his wife, Catherine; looking on is Circuit Court Judge DeLawrence Beard, who administered the oath.

During a meeting with Gazette editors and reporters on Tuesday, Leggett (D) said he supports a resolution on a six-month partial moratorium on development proposed by

County Council President Marilyn J. Praisner — as long as there is room for some exceptions.

‘‘I hope we could provide flexibility for areas where we have opportunities for affordable housing ...,” Leggett said, ‘‘because we have conflicting policies: We say we want slower growth, but we also want more affordable housing. So you have to allow things like that.”

Leggett’s views on Praisner’s proposal echoed his campaign stump speeches, in which he called on the County Council to harness development by revising the county’s growth policy.

Leggett officially took the helm as the county’s chief executive during inauguration ceremonies for the county executive and the County Council on Monday at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda.

‘‘The message in this past election was crystal clear: voters simply want slower growth ... but they want growth. They want proper procedures to fairly address their land use concerns, but they want growth, ‘‘ he said in his inaugural address.

Leggett is the county’s first African-American executive and only the second African American in the nation heading a majority-white suburban jurisdiction. Leggett, a county councilman for 16 years, was also the first black person elected to the council.

‘‘Very few people have asked me about or reflected on [race],” he said Tuesday. ‘‘I think that demonstrates the maturity of the county.”

This week has been all about Leggett.

‘‘This is your night,” Barbara Duncan, wife of Leggett’s predecessor, Douglas M. Duncan (D), told the new county executive during the couple’s final Executive Ball Monday night in the county’s conference center.

Duncan, who was first elected county executive in 1994and his wife were honored with a lifetime achievement award for their support of the county’s arts community, but they kept a low profile, keeping their comments to less than five minutes and ceding the spotlight to Leggett and his wife, Catherine Leggett.

On Monday, county officials, state lawmakers community leaders, supporters, a U.S. senator, congressmen and Gov.-elect Martin O’Malley celebrated Leggett’s victory.

‘‘People have asked me how I plan on including more people at the [decision-making] table,” Leggett said Monday. ‘‘Under Ike Legget’s leadership, we will build a larger table.”

Before taking office, Leggett appointed Timothy L. Firestine the county’s new chief administrative officer. Firestine was Duncan’s finance director. In addition to Firestine’s appointment, Leggett said he is most concerned about appointments for the county attorney and director of Health and Human Services. He has not announced those appointments or those for about nine other departments. He said they are likely to come early next year.

Leggett has been using a six-person team to vet county administrators and potential new hires, but he said the buck stops with him.

‘‘Every decision that has been made has been my decision,” Leggett said. ‘‘I take full responsibility for every decision and know that I will take some heat for some of them.”

Key to his appointments so far has been finding knowledgeable people who understand his vision and who can operate in a regional, national and global market, he said Tuesday.

Also high on his list of objectives are a dedicated funding source for Metro and tax incentives for technology businesses.