I believe that good policymaking is founded in our elected leaders’ ability to listen, connect with, and understand the lived experiences and needs of all community members they serve.

My vision for Rockville is simple yet powerful. I want to ensure that all residents receive the quality services they need and have the opportunity to engage in making policies that directly impact their lives.

No one should be left on the sidelines, and I have a unique ability to break down barriers to civic participation.

I served as a Commissioner on the Rockville Charter Review Commission. The Rockville Charter is a legal document similar to the constitution, that outlines how the City conducts business, such as holding elections, adopting ordinances, and providing services. Throughout my term as a Commissioner, I worked to propose updates to the Charter aimed at increasing civic participation.

As an affordable housing expert, I not only bring years of strong policymaking experience but also my lived experience of being displaced from my home growing up. I understand the consequences of being priced out and housing instability. I believe that every Rockville resident deserves safe, attainable, stable housing to thrive.

During the pandemic, I successfully advocated for a temporary hold on Rockville rent increases to stop unnecessary evictions among Rockville families and prevent increased homelessness. In Montgomery County, I drafted and organized a coalition of diverse communities to successfully achieve the passage of landmark affordable housing legislation.

I led a community coalition in advocating that Montgomery County expand its community engagement practices to more effectively reach underserved and low-income communities to collect feedback on proposed planning and zoning policies. My efforts led to a more inclusive general plan and changed the policymaking process for the future.

I co-founded a coalition to draft, amend, and advocate for the passage of the Montgomery County Racial Equity and Social Justice Act. Following the passage of the Act, I was appointed by the County Executive to the advisory committee charged with guiding the Act and elected to Chair the committee. My work to pass this Act also led to the creation of the Montgomery County Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice.

As a longtime, experienced community leader, I am ready to serve Rockville. I will get the job done, deliver quality services, and expand civic engagement that will create opportunities for all of Rockville.

I have spent a lot of time in East Rockville in the past several months. I attended two civic association meetings, a neighborhood potluck, and a neighborhood walk and trash pick-up. I’ve knocked on hundreds of East Rockville doors so that I can better understand the community. (My thanks to the many of you who offered me cold water, a rest on your porch, and even bug spray as I walked your neighborhood!)

Beyond being impressed by the diversity, engagement, and compassion of your neighborhood, I’ve learned about many specific concerns in East Rockville. What I hear the most, and therefore what I will focus on when elected, is:

Safe connected walkways and roadways: I will work for traffic calming measures near Maryvale Park, North Horners, and the intersection of Stonestreet and Baltimore, among other places. I will also advocate for more connections- a shared use path to the Civic Center, better access to Northeast Park and Maryvale Park, and better connections to other neighborhoods.

Equitable and Effective city services and code enforcement: Many neighbors expressed their frustration at how difficult it may be to get permits for minor home improvements such as window replacement or installing a small shed, while the City incorrectly issued permits that violate guidelines developed with neighborhood engagement. I will work to make sure the City puts its limited resources to the highest and best use in East Rockville.

Preservation and Enhancement Greenspace: On Council, I will advocate for efforts to preserve as much tree canopy, remove invasive plants, and beautify the existing parks with more shade, art, and amenities.

I ask for your support to build a vibrant and sustainable city for this and future generations.

My family and I loved our time on England Terrace. We would have been permanent residents of East Rockville if our property manager had not significantly increased our rent which forced us to move. At that time, the housing options in East Rockville were not affordable for a single-income family of a 5-year-old. I have truly lived the housing crisis that many families are experiencing. We have to make it affordable and attainable for all people who want to make Rockville their home.

I can confidently promise that I will never assume your neighborhood priorities. I’ve seen a lack of City outreach from my time in East Rockville through my time as president and board member of the revitalized TCA. I enjoyed attending the most recent ERCA meeting - my very first one! - and so many of the concerns and ideas were ones I had considered already. 

As co-founder and chair of the Rockville Pedestrian Advocacy Committee, I know the challenges and the opportunities to make it safe for everyone to walk and/or roll. Residents of East Rockville should not have to wait for a pedestrian count study in order to get a crosswalk by Maryvale Park. That’s an easy, foundational infrastructure fix. And I will work for an innovative and thoughtful solution to the dangerous crossing at Park Road and 355. I’ve literally walked the (dangerous) walk. I do this walk every time I go to City Hall from the Q series bus from Twinbrook. It’s unacceptable that residents of East Rockville do not have a better option for crossing to Town Center. I’ll work hard to make this crossing enjoyable and safe.
Finally, I loved the idea I heard at the last ERCA meeting about a safe, shared-use path that will connect East Rockville to Twinbrook. Our neighborhood would love to be able to walk/roll/bike safely and easily to East Rockville, and I will make that happen. My track record of advocating for and making real progress on a pedestrian bridge to connect south Twinbrook to 355 (by Twinbrook Quarter) is proof that I am tenacious when it comes to connecting communities. 

I will earn your vote not only from my experience as a resident of East Rockville but also through my track record on the issues and my sincere belief that all communities deserve equal access to City Hall. 

I will earn your vote not only from my experience as a resident of East Rockville but also through my track record on the issues and my sincere belief that all communities deserve equal access to City Hall. I’ll be walking the streets of your neighborhood every year, not just in an election year. When you see me, be sure to say hi!

There’s so much on the line for Rockville. Whether its supporting local schools, investing in public and pedestrian safety, or protecting our neighborhood businesses, there’s a lot of work to do and I’m ready to do it.

I will help make our neighborhoods and schools safe. I’ll work to make sure people don’t spend their entire paycheck on housing. And I will fight for smart growth that fits our future needs.

East Rockville needs more connections to Rockville’s Town Center. It needs sidewalks and a well-thought out pedestrian/cycling strategy to connect to other paths within Rockville to create a comprehensive network where people can move around the city they way they choose to – walking or rolling. With that comes an increase in focus on pedestrian safety. I have a proven track record of improving pedestrian safety in King Farm. I will bring that to the City Council and work with everyone to improve pedestrian safety and bring us to VisionZero.

I will listen and engage with East Rockville. I know that I don’t know everything about East Rockville’s issues and problems. Just as I don’t know every issue around Rockville’s many neighborhoods. I want to get out to your neighborhood associations, hold listening sessions and find other ways to engage you where you live. You are busy – Councilmemberrs who want to learn should go to you, not the other way around.

My name is Danniel Belay and I am running to represent our great city as a problem-solver, and voice on the City Council. My qualifications include 2 years on the City Board of Supervisors of Elections and 4 years of federal service. 

My vision for East Rockville include affordable housing, public safety, and  supporting our businesses. In 2021 the previous Mayor and Council adopted East Rockville Design guidelines to include zoning and residential construction for East Rockville neighborhoods. I plan to expand on these plans with the next Mayor & Council. In addition, I will make sure to fully fund our police force so we can control crime in our neighborhoods. I am also a supporter of rent stabilization in which the County has adopted. 

Vote for me on Nov. 7th and lets make East Rockville and Rockville as a whole better for all of our families!

My civic experience in the City of Rockville began 16 years ago in 2007 when I volunteered to serve as an outreach chair, then former treasurer and eventually the past president of my neighborhood civic association.  

Since 2007, Richard has established relationships and has been extremely supportive of the East Rockville neighborhood. 

Richard has worked with numerous residents of East Rockville on various issues over the last 16 years.

For example, when the ERCA board sought tax advice on which not-for-profit entity that the East Rockville Civic Association should establish, he reached out to myself for professional tax advising, which I voluntarily provided. Additionally, when the Pump House needed facility improvements, Richard was there to advocated for the Association by reaching out to the Director of Park and Recreation, Burt Hall.

Moreover, when a developer wanted to build a public storage facility next to Maryvale Elementary School, Richard joined your neighborhood residents, Peter Witzler, Patrick Schoof, and Kashi Way to advocate for the safety of school children by opposing the construction of a public storage facility adjacent to an elementary school.

Furthermore, I have advocated with Charles Littlefield and Linda Ekizian , when East Rockville needed support on an East Rockville issue, Richard Gottfried, was there to lend his support.

In fact, Phyllis Marcuccio, the former mayor of Rockville, supported Richard’s previous campaigns for City Council, and is currently supported by Phyllis’ sister, Claire Marcuccio Whitaker, a resident of the West End neighborhood.

As a result of Richard Gottfried’s East Rockville neighborhood advocacy efforts, Richard is well acquainted with Julie Palakovich Carr, a D-17 Maryland state delegate and resident of East Rockville. Other East Rockville residents that supported Richard Gottfried’s previous elections include former retail store owner Ruth Hanessian.

If elected, Richard will continue to advocate for the East Rockville neighborhood, just as he will advocate for all the City’s neighborhoods.

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I have spoken with many people in East Rockville, including at my campaign’s East Rockville Ice Cream Party last month, and I have learned about what priorities are important for East Rockville.

My priorities for East Rockville include:

1. Ensuring that the city supports and engages with all neighborhoods, including East Rockville and Twinbrook (where I went to preschool many years ago). In order to build a strong and inclusive Rockville, it is essential to engage with all neighborhoods within our community. 

2. Improving public safety and security. East Rockville has had its unfortunate share of crime over the past four years. I am committed to implementing comprehensive measures that will ensure a safer environment for all residents, including ensuring that the police department is fully funded. By focusing on strengthening community policing efforts, improving emergency response systems, and enhancing public safety infrastructure, we can create a Rockville where families feel secure and businesses thrive. 

3. Reinvigorating Rockville Town Center and stopping wasteful spending. Many people in East Rockville have expressed concerns to me about businesses leaving Town Center. Fixing Rockville Town Center without wasting city funds is critical to maintaining our community's unique character and saving tax dollars for more support of Rockville’s residents.

4. Enhancing government transparency. By increasing transparency throughout the city government, we empower citizens with the information needed to make informed decisions and hold officials accountable.

5. Promoting diversity in the city government. We need to ensure that the city is supporting all of its residents, in all neighborhoods and in all economic backgrounds. 

6. Pedestrian crossings over 355. East Rockville deserves to have better pedestrian crossings over 355. I am committed to working with our county and state partners to make sure that our communities east of 355 (like East Rockville) have better pedestrian crossings over 355.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as one of your City Councilmembers for the past four years. Serving others is the underlying principle guiding my professional life and is the reason why I work as a pediatrician, served active duty in the US Navy, and serve you as one of your City Councilmembers.

One of the reasons I ran for City Council four years ago was to ensure that all neighborhoods are treated equitably. Residents of East Rockville should be treated the same, have their requests addressed and have the same investment in infrastructure as the West End (or any other Rockville neighborhood, for that matter). And while we have made some progress on addressing the discrepancy, it is clear that more work needs to be done.

Over the past four years, I led the effort on issues ranging from addressing climate change to keeping our City and Staff safe—all in a fiscally prudent way. I look forward to building on that progress in at least three ways:

1. Public safety: improving street safety for all forms of transit; eliminating financial and access barriers to youth afterschool and summer camp programs; addressing all sidewalk deficiencies; decriminalizing and appropriately treating mental health and substance misuse; ensuring our police department is fully staffed with the appropriate and well qualified personnel

2. Environment: accelerating the implementation of Rockville’s Climate Action Plan by reducing the barriers for residents and businesses wishing to decarbonize their energy usage; expanding renewable energy installations on city property, where feasible; ensuring that electric vehicle charging station installation is equitably distributed throughout the city

3. Budget: Prioritizing the continued provision of high-quality City services while ensuring that City Staff are compensated appropriately; recruiting and retaining businesses to expand Rockville’s vibrancy and tax base.

Again, thank you for trusting me to serve as one of your City Councilmembers for the past four years. I hope to earn your support, once again, to build on the progress made thus far.

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