Monroe Selected to Serve on Gaithersburg City Council

From the City of Gaithersburg: The Gaithersburg City Council has selected Yvette D. Monroe to fill the vacancy left by the passing of Council Member Henry Marraffa. The official vote of appointment will take place at the Mayor and City Council Meeting on February 6, and she will be sworn into office on February 8. A reception in the City Hall Gallery will immediately follow the swearing in. Council Member Monroe’s term will end in November, 2017.

“This was certainly a difficult selection for us, but in a good way” said Mayor Jud Ashman. “We had five excellent candidates, each with impressive qualifications. Yvette has been a very involved member of the Gaithersburg community for quite some time. We look forward to working with her and are confident that she will bring a unique perspective to local governance. We also look forward to the continued involvement of all of the candidates who already serve this community so admirably.”

“I am honored that the Mayor and City Council have appointed me to serve in this new capacity,” said Monroe. “I look forward to working with my fellow elected officials, City staff, volunteers and residents to continue to make Gaithersburg a great place to live. I also want to thank the other candidates who participated in this process as it demonstrates their commitment to the City. I, too, look forward to their continued service to our residents.”

Yvette Monroe, who lives in Olde Towne, is chair of the City’s Educational Enrichment Committee and also serves on the Olde Towne Advisory Committee. She is a past president of the Watkins Mill High School PTA, where she participated in a Parent Leadership Institute and she served on the Special Events Committee of the Montgomery County PTA. Monroe has volunteered at numerous City events, including active participation in the Holiday Giving Program, and she was named Citizen of the Year in 2016. She is the Events Coordinator/Executive Assistant at Victory Christian Church International, and holds an Associate of Arts Degree in Early Childhood Education from the Community College of Philadelphia.

In her application for candidacy, Monroe listed her top priorities for the City as continuing to support Gaithersburg becoming a cutting edge community of innovative businesses; making Gaithersburg the premier area in which to live, work and raise a family in a safe environment; encouraging affordable housing for all current and future residents; and working collaboratively with educators, businesses and community leaders towards an education for young people that incorporates the Six Pillars of CHARACTER COUNTS! throughout their academic careers and beyond.

Section 35 of the City Code allows for the City Council to elect individuals to fill vacancies, but also provides for public petition for a special election for appointed positions. The petition must contain the signatures of at least twenty percent of the registered voters in Gaithersburg and be received within 30 days of an appointment. Please see the City Code under the “Government” tab on the City’s website for details.

The next municipal election is November 7, 2017. Questions regarding elections and appointments should be directed to the City Attorney, N. Lynn Board, 301-258-6310 or lboard@gaithersburgmd.gov.

Image courtesy of the City of Gaithersburg