Newest member will replace Amy Presley in July 2016 after her two consecutive terms on Board
SILVER SPRING, MD – The Montgomery County Planning Board, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC), will have a new member, transportation engineer and planner Gerald R. Cichy, PE, AICP. On Tuesday, June 14, 2016, the County Council unanimously approved the appointment of Cichy to the Board, effective July 22. He replaces Board member Amy Presley, who is leaving after serving two consecutive terms and is ineligible for reappointment. Her last Board session will be July 21.
Like Presley, Cichy is a registered Republican. By law, the position had to be filled by a Republican, a voter who declines to affiliate with a party or by a member of another party officially recognized by the Montgomery County Board of Elections. In addition to Presley (R), current Planning Board members are Chair Casey Anderson (D), Vice Chair Marye Wells-Harley (D), Norman Dreyfuss (R) and Natali Fani-González (D).
“In joining us, Gerald R. Cichy will hit the ground running, especially as we review important transportation policies, from the Purple Line station improvements to the Bicycle Master Plan,” says Board Chair Anderson. “His experience with transportation issues in the County will be incredibly valuable as we make hard decisions about roads and transit.”
About Gerald R. Cichy
Cichy is well prepared to serve on the Board, having worked at the Maryland Transit Administration/ Maryland Department of Transportation on projects such as the Corridor Cities Transitway, Purple Line light rail system and regional transit-oriented developments. From 1979 to 1984, he was director of transportation for Montgomery County and collaborated with federal, state and county agencies as well as developer and citizen groups to solve mutual problems. During his tenure, Cichy worked with Planning Department staff to coordinate implementation of master plan transportation projects.
Among Cichy’s achievements is a patent for a bus rapid transit vehicle with doors directly opening to transit platforms. He is a recipient of the Federal Transit Administration’s “Innovative Idea Award” for a 200-mile bus rapid transit system supplementing the Metrorail system in the Washington, DC region. In 2016, he graduated from the Senior Leadership Montgomery program. Cichy holds master degrees in both city and regional planning, and civil engineering from Catholic University. The 77 year-old Rockville resident has lived in Montgomery County for nearly 50 years.
About the Montgomery County Planning Board
The five-member Planning Board oversees the Montgomery County Planning Department and Department of Parks, and advises the County Council on land use and community planning. The Chair serves a full time position on the Montgomery County Planning Board and receives a salary of $200,000. The part-time Board Members receive an annual salary of $30,000. They also serve as Commissioners of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, a bi-county agency established in 1927 to protect public land.
As part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, the Montgomery County Planning Board works to:
- Manage physical growth.
- Plan communities.
- Protect and steward natural, cultural and historical resources.
- Provide leisure and recreational experiences.
Learn more about the Montgomery County Planning Board.
Accessibility
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission encourages the involvement and participation of all individuals in the community. In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M?NCPPC) will not discriminate against individuals with disabilities in its services, programs or activities. M?NCPPC works to make its facilities and materials accessible and to hold public meetings in locations that are, likewise, accessible. M?NCPPC will generally provide, upon request, appropriate aids and services and make reasonable modifications to policies and programs for persons with disabilities (e.g., large print materials, listening devices, sign language interpretation, etc.). For assistance with such requests, please contact the M-NCPPC Montgomery County Commissioners’ Office, at least a week in advance of a meeting or event, at (301) 495-4605 or at mcp-chair@mncppc-mc.org.Maryland residents can also use the free Maryland Relay Service for assistance with calls to or from hearing or speech-impaired persons; for information, go to www.mdrelay.org/ or call (866) 269-9006. Residents may also call the TTY number, (301) 495-1331, for assistance.