Familiar faces return to office, and greet new colleagues

Election day brings excitement, disappointment, and a general sigh of relief no matter which side you are on. With Election Day 2007 now history, Bowie voters have a clear picture of what their city government will look like.  

In an overwhelming victory, Mayor G. Frederick Robinson was returned to office for a fifth term. It had been a costly and hard-fought battle between Robinson and his challenger, D. Michael Lyles, but Robinson won with more than 76% of the votes.  

Robinson focused on his accomplishments over the last eight years during the campaign, including creation of the Bowie Police Department and battling developers. At his victory celebration, he promised to "…keep working on the things I’ve talked about all along."  

The challenger, Lyles, a former District 4 city councilman, hopes that changes in the city council will also mean changes in direction. Though he does not plan to run for office again, Lyles holds hope that "… business owners and progressive folk on the council" will follow through with some of the plans they campaigned on.  

The City Council returned to work this week with three new members. Diane M. Polangin won the seat in District 2 with almost 41% of the vote. District 4 elected Isaac Trouth with almost 65% of that vote. And new At-Large Councilmember Geraldine Valentino-Smith was elected with more than 47% of the vote. 

For all the new City Councilmembers, there are several high-profile issues for them to deal with. Speeding is a major concern for many citizens as Bowie grows, and many also see a need for growth in the new City Police Department with more investigative capabilities. All the new members say they want to work on the problem of frequent power outages in the city, as well as finding a way to save the Bowie Health Center. Other issues include youth recreation facilities and senior housing.  

The Mayor and City Council have interesting challenges ahead as Bowie continues to grow and works to maintain the quality of life that has made the city an attractive place to live for many years.

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