Navarro Criticizes Leggett on Wheaton Redevelopment, Small Business Assistance

Montgomery County Council President Nancy Navarro took County Executive Isiah Leggett to task in a memo on Tuesday, criticizing his administration's "poor track record in its implementation of Wheaton redevelopment."

During a joint committee meeting at the Montgomery County Council on Friday, councilmembers discussed plans for the new Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission headquarters in Wheaton. They decided to allow the Department of General Services more time to talk with private developers and report back on April 24.

But Navarro said at the committee meeting that she was "not optimistic" about Leggett's approach, a theme she touched upon again in her memo:

Your recommendation to solicit private development proposals for redevelopment on multiple publicly owned parcels in Wheaton will likely result in delaying the decision of where to location and when to begin the M-NCPPC Headquarters.

Here are some of the specific criticisms Navarro addressed to Leggett:

- It took your administration more than eight months to decide not to move the Department of Permitting Services and the Department of Environmental Protection to Wheaton.

- The Council still has not received final regulations for implementation of Bill 6-12, Small Business Assistance Program, although the legislation passed nearly one year ago.

- Department of General Services has not started work on the three studies that were approved for FY13 in the Wheaton Redevelopment Program PDF.

Related Links:

• Council Weighs Options for Park and Planning Headquarters in Wheaton - Wheaton Patch (April 15, 2013)
• Wheaton Redevelopment: Different Site Considered for Park and Planning Headquarters - Wheaton Patch (April 3, 2013) 
• Report: Leggett Opposes Moving County Agencies to Park and Planning Headquarters in Wheaton - Wheaton Patch (April 1, 2013)
• Committee packet prepared by Council staff for April 12 meeting - Montgomery County Council website (April 10, 2013) 
• How to Voice Your Opinion About Wheaton Redevelopment - Wheaton Patch (April 5, 2013)