Montgomery County’s Transparency Problem
The Montgomery County Council has once again demonstrated a troubling disregard for transparency and public engagement, this time in the process of filling the remainder of Councilmember Gabe Albornoz’s term. Despite receiving 67 applications, the Council has offered residents virtually no insight into how those candidates were evaluated or why only three were ultimately selected for public consideration. I find this suspicious.
Journalist Adam Pagnucco recently filed a Maryland Public Information Act request seeking access to the applications. According to his reporting, the Council refused to release them, and 64 of the 67 applicants were dismissed behind closed doors without any public disclosure or explanation.
(https://montgomeryperspective.com/2025/11/25/council-eliminates-64-of-67-appointee-applicants-behind-closed-doors/)
This is not what transparency looks like.
Residents deserve a fair, open process, not one that appears predetermined or shielded from public scrutiny. Decisions of this magnitude should not be made in the shadows, nor should residents be excluded from understanding who applied or why certain candidates were eliminated.
Unfortunately, this pattern reflects a broader issue in our County government. Too often, the County Executive and County Council appear more focused on holding onto power and an ideological agenda such as defunding the police, restrictive policies on transportation, energy, and land use, coupled with raising taxes, than on the day-to-day needs of the people they were elected to represent. In a one-party-rule environment, accountability has eroded, and public input is frequently treated as an afterthought.
Montgomery County deserves leadership that values transparency, fairness, and practical solutions. We need officials who will listen to residents, address real community concerns, and conduct public business in the open, not behind closed doors.
If you are considering running for office and are ready to put in the hard work, please contact me directly at [email protected].
Reardon "Sully" Sullivan
2025 MCGOP Chair