Brickyard Coalition Preserving Our Neighborhood 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Keith Williams at 301‐983‐5334  brickyardcoalition@gmail.com 

COUNTY EXECUTIVE FAILS TO COMPLY WITH MPIA COMPLAINT 

ORDERS PREPAYMENT OF BRICKYARD LEASE 

POTOMAC, MD –  May  10, 2012  – On March 21, 2012, a coalition of  concerned Montgomery 

County citizens filed a Maryland Public Information (MPIA) Complaint in Circuit Court to compel 

the production of  records “willfully and wrongfully withheld” in regard to the Plaintiffs’ MPIA 

request for documents submitted in regard to the Brickyard Road lease. 

Now affidavits have been filed in Circuit Court stating the County is unable to find a large 

number of  records related to the Brickyard lease.  According to these affidavits, no County 

records‐‐including emails, documents and calendars‐‐can be found for Ike Leggett, Tim 

Firestine, Jennifer Hughes, David Dise and Cindi Brenneman in regard to key matters related to 

the Brickyard lease. 

These six top officials of  our County have been unable to provide records for a six month period 

of  time, claiming they “cannot find” the following key records in regard to the Brickyard lease: 

• 

The original letter Ike Leggett wrote to the Board of  Education on November 10, 2009 

requesting that the Board of  Education lease the Brickyard School property to the 

County.1 

•  The response from the Board of  Education to Ike Leggett dated December 23, 2009.2 

•  Any records  –emails, calendar or documents—for a January 5, 2010, meeting about 

Brickyard attended by David Dise, Jennifer Hughes  then Spec Assistant to Ike Leggett, 

Gabe Albornoz and possibly Cindi Brenneman with the staff  of  the Board of  Education. 

•  Any records of  the spring 2010 meeting between Ike Leggett and MSI, even though the 

MSI minutes state it was held.3 

“It is not believable or credible” said Curt Uhre of  the Brickyard Coalition.  “How do so many 

County records  just disappear?  It begins to smell like a cover up.” 

1 The County alleges the only record they have of this letter was attached as an exhibit to a Complaint filed by Nick 

Maravell.2 The County alleges the only record they have of this letter was attached as an exhibit to a Complaint filed by Nick 

Maravell.

3 MSI “Development Task Force met with Ike Leggett to discuss possible field development opportunities in the

county. Positive discussions were conducted and points of contact were provided to help MSI continue to pursue

future development opportunities”. Source: April 13, 2010 MSI Executive Committee minutes.

 

In further violation of  the public trust, Ike Leggett also directed David Dise, Director of  

Department of  General Services, to prepay the Board of  Education $12,000 to cover the entire 

remaining lease payments for the Brickyard property for the eight year period from April, 2013 

through March, 2021, despite the lease requirement for only annual payments. 

“This action by the County Executive in apparent violation of  the Charter is yet another 

outrageous affront to the Council and Montgomery County citizens, and is an abuse of  County 

expenditure of  funds,” said Keith Williams, President of  the Civic Association of  River Falls.  “Ike 

Leggett has publicly said he doesn’t care what the citizens of  Montgomery County think, and he 

apparently doesn’t care what the County Council thinks either.” 

A coalition of  concerned Montgomery County citizens is now requesting an immediate 

investigation by the Council to determine how best to reverse this improper expenditure and to 

restore the appropriate role of  the Council in the appropriations and budget process.  Without 

this, the Council is opening the door to the County Executive’s continued abuse and disdain of  

the governmental financial structure of  our County, in clear violation of  the checks and balances 

required of  a democratic government serving the taxpaying citizens. 

The coalition consists of  several non‐profit citizens’ organizations, including the West 

Montgomery County Citizens’ Association, the Civic Association of River Falls, Inc. and the

Brickyard Coalition. 

*End*