New council chairman vows to address hospital issues

Harrington takes gavel with plans for community responsiveness, nonprofit aid

Harrington, who served as vice chair when Exum led the nine-member group, will be in charge for the next year. Councilwoman Marilynn M. Bland (D-Dist. 9) of Clinton will be vice chairwoman.

Harrington said the council plans to launch discussions next year on how to tackle the troubled Prince George’s County health system, which includes three major medical centers in Bowie, Laurel and Cheverly and is managed by Dimensions Healthcare Corp. The hospital system, which serves 180,000 patients annually, has long suffered financially because of a large number of uninsured patients.

Though the county has been in discussions with the state for a deal to have Maryland take over the system, council members rejected an offer last spring over concerns about cost.

‘‘We will meet with health-care providers, we will meet with health-care advocates,” Harrington said. ‘‘We stand ready to collaborate and dialogue with our partners.”

The announcement was greeted warmly by County Executive Jack B. Johnson, who attended the ceremony.

‘‘I think he’s right on track,” Johnson said afterward. ‘‘It’s got to be solved, and hopefully, this is the year we’ll solve it.”

Harrington took the gavel from Exum before a crowd of more than 160 people and said the council should renew its work to respond to neighborhoods and residents.

‘‘Some might suggest that it is a time for us to pare down [services],” Harrington said. ‘‘But it is still a time of great need.”

Harrington said the county should partner with charities to boost their ability to provide housing assistance and other social services, especially in light of budget cuts anticipated next year.

‘‘I think the nonprofits are very much willing,” he said.

In his first official act as chairman, Harrington and the council voted to change the subjects tackled by each of the group’s committees.

Starting next month, groups will focus on Economic Development and Housing, Planning and the Environment, Public Safety and Transportation, and Education and Human Services, in a move Harrington said would combine common subjects.

‘‘It really matches what the citizen are looking for,” he said.

The ceremony marked the final meeting of the group for the year.

Exum said in her farewell speech that she considered the year she served as the chairwoman a success.

‘‘The work of this council has been conducted in decency, goodwill and teamwork,” she said in her speech, where she quoted Oliver Wendell Holmes. ‘‘ ‘We must sail and not drift, nor lie at anchor.’”

E-mail Daniel Valentine at dvalentine@gazette.net.