Montgomery County Council spokesman-turned-council-candidate leaves post
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Version 0 of 1. For the past 11 years, Neil Greenberger’s job as Montgomery County Council spokesman has been to help its members get their message out to the public in the most favorable light — through news releases, videos and a public-access-television interview show. But some council members were dismayed this year when Greenberger said he was considering a job change in 2018: to county council member. There is ample precedent for county employees seeking office, as long as they do it on their own time. But Greenberger, who is running for an at-large seat, would be speaking for the council by day and — at least on some issues — criticizing it by night. That would include council member Hans Riemer (D), the sole at-large incumbent seeking reelection in 2018. He did not return a phone message Friday. Greenberger has been openly critical of the council’s decision to raise property taxes last year. He’s issued a “guarantee” that he would never vote to raise taxes beyond “the charter limit,” meaning more than the rate of inflation. Something had to give, and Friday afternoon, it did. Greenberger’s boss, council administrator Steve Farber, announced that Greenberger had requested “a voluntary transfer” to another county post, this one in the public information office of County Executive Isiah Leggett (D). “Neil told me that he wants to avoid any conflicts that could arise between his duties as Legislative Information Officer and his campaign activities,” Farber said in an email. As recently as last week, Greenberger told Montgomery Community Media that he saw no problem with remaining in his council job. But he said Friday that he requested a move because Farber and council attorney Robert Drummer, who he considers friends, were “being hammered” by council members and media attention about the situation. “I intend to make many new friends over the 18 months and do not intend to lose any,” said Greenberger, 62, a former sports reporter for The Washington Post, who made $148,000 a year in the council position. Farber challenged Greenberger’s assertion that he had been “hammered.” “No. Council members understood that it was my job to address this personnel issue,” he said. Asked whether council members wanted Greenberger out, Council President Roger Berliner (D-Potomac-Bethesda) declined to comment. He did say: “I do think it was good judgment on the part of Mr. Greenberger to reconcile his desire for public office and his previous responsibilities to represent the council. There was an inherent conflict that could have arisen.” |