Leak Reveals Council's Closed-Door Questionnaire for Vacant At-Large Seat
Amid growing opposition to the Montgomery County Council's plans to hold applicant interviews for its vacant position behind closed doors, a senior member of its legislative staff has leaked the candidate questionnaire that guides the first round of the process exclusively to The Montgonion.
"These questions form the basis of the Council's decision-making on who will represent the citizenry," said the staffer, who has been granted anonymity out of fear of reprisals. "The public deserves transparency in these deliberations."
Copied below are the 10 interview questions Councilmember candidates will be asked in private:
Describe how the county and its municipalities should coordinate law enforcement resources and personnel when a Councilmember intends to travel on a Sunday from a community festival in Gaithersburg's Bohrer Park to a drum beat in Takoma Park, followed by a concert in Rockville Town Center, all within a 90-minute period.
Using only a book of matches, a paperclip, and a utopian promise, describe how you would expand affordable housing options in Montgomery County.
How do you pronounce "Uy"?
For the next version of the Glenmont Sector Plan, describe the importance in the planning process of producing gauzy pastel pencil sketch renderings of reimagined spaces, and declare your position on the use of cobblestones in such representations.
Which of the following ranks highest on your Hall Pass list: Jamie Raskin, Cheryl Kagan, Wes Moore, Barbara Mikulski?
Compare and contrast how critics of the More Housing Now initiative and supporters of the No Moore movement use fear and racist dog whistles to influence zoning officials to suppress the expansion of Royal Farms and WaWa stores in Montgomery County.
What strategies would you support for MCPS to achieve greater parity and equal opportunities among its 26 high schools without rezoning any of the neighborhoods where Quince Orchard football players currently live?
What does the acronym "MPIA" stand for? a) My Pain Is Accountability; b) Most Prudently Ignored Action; c) Make Public Idiots Again; d) Maryland's Poorly Informed Assembly
Describe how racial inequity has thwarted the growth of generational wealth in Montgomery County's disadvantaged communities and share how your life history has prepared you for the challenge of surviving in a new Toll Brothers development on an annual salary of $167K.
How did Kate Stewart's ring taste?
According to a Council President statement released earlier this week, applicants who make the first cut will be interviewed a second time in a public forum. Our inside source says they will try to deliver the finalists’ responses from the closed-door interviews exclusively to The Montgonion next month.
If you are interested in applying for the vacancy, more information is available on the county website: Application Deadline is Nov. 5, 2025, for Upcoming At-Large Councilmember Vacancy
