Annapolis Capital Punishment

We continue to educate the public about the issue of a city manager style of government. Regardless of what Mayor Moyer and the consultants we pay for and she hires to tell us otherwise, a city manager form of government is not an assault on representative government. I am happy to publish opposing viewpoints, and have done so and will continue to do so, but this important policy issue and city charter amendment must be argued on its merits, or lack thereof, instead of the brazen b.s. undertaken by the mayor.

Enjoy reading about some of these city managers who serve their cities every day:

Daly City, CA
Patricia E. Martel (below) is the City Manager of Daly City, (pop. 103,000) the largest and most diverse full-service community in San Mateo County. Ms. Martel was appointed City Manager in May, 2005.

Ms. Martel has held executive management positions with several California municipalities including the cities of Inglewood, South San Francisco and Daly City where she previously served as the Assistant City Manager from 1995-2001.

A graduate of the University of Southern California, Martel holds a B.S. degree in Public Affairs and a Master’s degree in Public Administration.

Austin, TX City Manager Marc A. Ott (left). Austin is of course, a state capital, as is Annapolis.



Another state capital is Topeka, Kansas. Norton N. Bonaparte, Jr. ( right) was appointed the City Manager of Topeka, KS in March 2006. As city manager, Mr. Bonaparte serves as the city’s chief executive officer, responsible to the Mayor and City Council for managing the day-to-day operations of the city’s 1,400 employees and $190 million budget.

Now let us explore our own state of Maryland:

To the right is Scott Ullery of Rockville, one of Maryland's largest towns, where he has served since 2004. Ullery, 54, has 26 years of government experience. He had served as deputy county administrator in Santa Barbara County since 1997. Santa Barbara County has an estimated population of 403,134 and approximately 4,300 county employees. Rockville’s population according the 2000 U.S. Census is 47,388 and the City has about 500 full time employees.

Prior to his work in Santa Barbara, Ullery spent 18 years with the City of Tucson. He was the assistant city manager of Tucson from 1994 to 1997 and was the assistant to the city manager from 1992 to 1994. He held several responsible positions prior to that in the Department of Budget and Research.

Ullery received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Arizona and is a graduate of the University of Arizona's Eller School of Management Executive Development Program.

Gaithersburg, MD is also in one of our state's largest cities. To the left is City Manager Angel L. Jones

Education: Virginia Union University, Richmond, Virginia - Bachelor of Science in Accounting

Experience: Appointed Gaithersburg City Manager September 29, 2008; Interim City Manager/Assistant City Manager, City of Eugene, Oregon, 2007 -2008; Executive Director of Library, Recreation and Cultural Services, City of Eugene, Oregon, 1999 - 2006; Acting Director/Deputy Director, Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, City of Richmond, Virginia, 1993 -1999; Financial Manager/Analyst, Public Utilities, City of Richmond, Virginia, 1987 - 1993; Senior Auditor, Coopers & Lybrand, 1984 -1987.

To the right is Doug Miller who has served as city manager of Aberdeen, MD
since March, 2006. Before coming to Harford County, he served as the Town Manager in La Plata, Maryland for eighteen years, and before that, served as the Town Manager in Snow Hill, Maryland.

Doug grew up in central Maryland spending his childhood in Howard County and spending his high school years in Anne Arundel County (CP Notes: !!!). He is a graduate of Roanoke College as well as the University of Baltimore where he received a graduate degree in Public Administration. Doug is a Full Member of the International City and County Management Association and is also active with the Maryland Municipal League where he has served on various committees.

Takoma Park, MD Barbara Burns Matthews (above) assumed the role as City Manager on July 12, 2004. She brings 18 years of local government experience, where she last held the position as City Administrator of Manchester, Missouri. Matthews has held positions with the cities of Kansas City, Gladstone, and Kirkwood, Missouri. She has an extensive background in all areas of municipal operations, including economic development, finance and budgeting, and labor relations. Matthews has a bachelor's degree in economics and government from the University of Virginia and a master's degree in public affairs from Indiana University.


Crisfield, MD Mr. Cabby Dize (left) currently serves as the City Manager for Crisfield. He is a Salisbury University graduate and taught in the public school system from 1970 to 1978. Later Mr.. Dize was a DMV Consumer Service Investigator from 1978 - 2000.


Greenbelt, MD City Manager Michael P. McLaughlin (left) first came to work for the City of Greenbelt in October 1979 where he started out as an administrative assistant. He became the assistant city manager in 1986 and was appointed the deputy city manager/city treasurer in 1991. In 1996, Mr. McLaughlin was appointed City Manager.

Mr. McLaughlin has a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, PA and a Masters in Public Administration from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Taneytown, MD's City Manager James Schumacher directs the daily operations of the city government under the supervision of the Mayor and City Council, including the Police Department, Public Works Department, Finance Department, Planning/Zoning Department, Parks Department, and the City Clerk's Office. The City Manager also prepares and coordinates general projects including the City’s annual operating budget (currently $3.53 M), annual capital projects, six-year Capital Improvement Program, state / federal grant and funding programs, and special reports to address and correct city problems. The population is 7,200.


Pocomoke City, Bowie, and Glenarden, MD also have city managers.

Below are a few profiles of city managers from some other cities:


Charles P. Austin, Sr., (above) has been city manager of Columbia, South Carolina which adopted the City Manager System in1950. Austin has served since 2003 and is a former police officer. Population: 116,278 (2000 U.S. Census)




What do you think?? We could do a lot worse than having professionals such as these highly qualified men and women manage and administer the daily affairs of our government. Wait a minute, we are doing a lot worse!!!

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