Annapolis, MD  (11-10-09)  In his first press conference since being elected, Mayor-Elect Josh Cohen announced today the leadership and members of his transition team.  Cohen stressed the bipartisan composition of the team which he described as an “Idea Team.” 

“It does not matter to me if an idea is ‘Democratic’ or “Republican,’” Cohen said.  “What matters is if the idea makes sense.  We are facing very challenging times, but I am confident that we can rise to meet those challenges if we pull together as one community.  I and the incoming council are looking to this Idea Team to provide workable, specific recommendations that will enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of our city government.”

Cohen named Zina Pierre and Greg Stiverson to co-chair the team. Pierre and Stiverson were fellow candidates for office during the recent election. Pierre was a Democratic candidate for Mayor and Stiverson was a Republican candidate for Ward Six Alderman.

The City of Annapolis Mayoral Transition 2009 has eight committees. Each of the eight incoming alderpersons will serve in an honorary capacity on one of the committees.  The committees are: Budget & Finance, Economic Development, Environment, Government Structure & Permitting, Housing & Community Services, Market House & City Dock, Public Safety, and Transportation & Parking.

The Idea Team is charged with presenting its report and recommendations to the new Mayor and City Council by January 11, 2010.
 
Idea Team Roster

The Co-Chairs and the chairs and members of each committee listed below:

Co-Chair Greg Stiverson is the former president of Envisioning
Annapolis Foundation, president and CEO of Historic Annapolis
Foundation, and current president of the Kunta-Kinte-Alex Haley
Foundation.

Co-Chair Zina Pierre is the founding President and CEO of the
Washington Linkage Group, Inc., a full service governmental relations
and strategic consulting firm specializing in lobbying, advocacy, public
relations, grant writing and international trade.

Budget & Finance
Chair: Maurice Tose founded TeleCommunication Systems (TCS) in 1987 and
has served as Chairman of the Board, President and CEO since then. Prior
to founding TCS, Mr. Tosé was the Director of Department of Defense
Programs for Techmatics, Inc.
Committee Members:
Alderwoman Classie Hoyle
Tom Brandt
Debbie Gosselin
Shelly Lamar
Jennifer Monteith
Reza Jafari
Carl Snowden
Kathie Sulick

Economic Development
Chair: Chuck Walsh is a principal in Consensus Partners, which owns
commercial real estate within the city. He also established Artwalk, a
non-profit charitable corporation, which promotes and implements large
scale public art throughout the Annapolis area.
Committee Members:
Alderman Fred Paone
Carole Alexander
Gloria Brown
Bob Burdon
Jan Cort
Connie DelSignore
Dick Franyo
Jenelle Murph
J. Jeremy Parks
Jessica Jordan Paret
Sarah Wilkerson

Environment
Chair: Chris Trumbauer has been the West/Rhode Riverkeeper since July
2008.  For nine years, he was a biologist for the Maryland Department of
Natural Resources, where he coordinated a state-wide water quality
monitoring program.
Committee Members:
Alderwoman Sheila Finlayson
Joel Dunn
Ted Gattino
Corinne Irwin
Karen Jennings
Zora Lathan
Suzanne Pogell
Kincey Potter
David Prosten
Kurt Riegel
Rob Schnabel

Government Structure & Permitting
Chair: Doug Smith is the President of the Ward One Resident's
Association and Treasurer of the Downtown Annapolis Partnership.  He has
served as co-chair of Annapolitans for a Better Community and helped
lead the recent petition drives for a Council-Manager form of government
and for a Tax Cap.
Committee Members:
Alderman Ross Arnett
Rhonda Pindell Charles, Esq.
Michael Fox
Mark Garrity
Vicki Lathom
Vince Leggett
Bob Libson
Michael Pachler
Molly Smith
Dinny White

Housing & Community Services
Chair: Sharon Brown has worked in the affordable housing field for 20
years in a variety of positions including as property manager, housing
choice voucher specialist and counselor.  She has worked for both the
Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis as well as the Housing
Commission of Anne Arundel County (HCAAC).
Committee Members:
Alderman Kenny Kirby
Cynthia Carter       
Maria Casasco
Deneice Fisher
Armando Gonzalez
Melinda Hamilton
Devin Heritage
Kate Rollason
Rock Toews

Market House & City Dock
Chair: Judd Legum resides in Ward One and is an attorney in private
practice in the city. Previously, Judd was the Research Director for the
Center for American Progress, a leading public policy think tank in
Washington, DC. He also served as Research Director for Hillary Clinton
during her presidential campaign.
Committee Members:
Alderman Dick Israel
Sandy Cohen
Chris Fox
Allan James
Michael Jackson
John “Bumper” Moyer
Jim Nolan
Pearse O’Doherty
Craig Purcell
Cathy Schultz
Craig Sewell

Public Safety
Chair: Alderman Dave Cordle has chaired the City Council’s standing
committee on Public Safety for the past eight years.  Dave is the Chief
Investigator of the Anne Arundel County State's Attorney's Office, where
he began work in 1980. Dave is also the coordinator of the Witness
Security Program which he created in 1995.
Committee Members:
Alderman Mat Silverman
Jennifer Adams
Antonio Brown
Bill Donoho
Lee Finney
Rev. Henry Green
Debbie Johnson
Jay Martin
Vic Pascoe 

Transportation & Parking
Chair: Barbara Rasin Price was a founder and deputy director of the
Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA), a national
non-profit Washington-based organization that advocates for improved
public transportation services and provides technical assistance and
training to transportation providers, states and local communities.
Committee Members:
Alderman Ian Pfeiffer
Paul Foer
Bill Herald
Dave Humphreys
Martha Mitchell
Shelley Row
Jerry South
Chance Walgran
Jim Wildey