Prince George’s County Council confirms new planning board member amid strife

The Prince George’s County Council voted unanimously Tuesday to confirm the appointment of former state lawmaker Gloria Lawlah to the county’s planning board.

Members of the board oversee the work of the bi-county commission that handles parks and planning in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is currently suing Prince George’s County over its attempt to transfer tens of millions of dollars from the commission to county coffers.

Lawlah, 87, was a representative in the Maryland House of Delegates from 1987 to 1991; she was elected as a state senator in 1991 and served until her retirement in 2007.

The Hillcrest Heights resident has been active in state politics since then, including a position in Gov. Martin O’Malley’s administration as secretary of the Department of Aging.

Lawlah now replaces Manuel Geraldo, who has sat on the planning board since 2012 and was the last remaining member not appointed by County Executive Aisha Braveboy.

A lawyer by trade, Geraldo, 75, said he served as counsel on Braveboy’s transition team when she was sworn into office in June 2025. But in May, he was stripped of his role as vice-chair of the planning board by commissioners Billy Okoye, Brittany Jenkins and Lori Matthews.

Geraldo, a Fort Washington resident, has been a vocal opponent of the council’s actions to transfer money from the bi-county commission, including the recent dispute over the reimbursement program known as “project charges” that is at the center of the commission’s legal claim against the county.

Geraldo believes his dissent contributed to his removal from the board.

“I think so — but you know, like I said, it’s [Braveboy’s] prerogative — but I do think so because I was pretty vocal,” he told The Banner during a Monday phone call. “I was vocal because I do think it’s just a money grab by the county and the county council.”

Braveboy’s spokesperson, Brian Fischer, said via email that the administration is “very happy to have a person like former secretary Lawlah as part of the commission.

“She is very qualified, having served in Annapolis in the house and in the senate and having served in various committees holding leadership positions on the taxation and budget committees and chairing the Prince George’s County senate delegation and the joint committee on management of public funds,” Fischer said.

In her letter nominating Lawlah, she thanked Geraldo “for his years of service to the residents of Prince George’s County.” The letter said Geraldo’s term technically expired June 15, 2019, but his ouster now is notable. Geraldo said that other board members during his tenure also served beyond their designated appointment terms.

Ahead of the confirmation vote Tuesday, Lawlah vowed to collaborate with seniors to ensure quality programs and services. Lawlah also pledged to work closely with Braveboy and the county council.

“I am confident that her breadth of experience and commitment to thoughtful and equitable decision-making will be an asset to the community and to the residents of Prince George’s County,” Braveboy said to the council at the hearing.

“She truly is a treasure of Prince George’s County, and I believe we’ve all been blessed by her leadership,” the executive added.

Geraldo worries about the pressures that Lawlah and other board members will face from county leaders about future dealings — he’s seen it firsthand. He recalled a meeting he had with Braveboy and her deputy chief of staff, Devan Martin, who both urged him to support a Maryland Senate bill that would have reimagined administrative services for the bi-county commission. The bill was opposed by Montgomery County’s planning board and ultimately tabled during this year’s legislative session, which Geraldo believes was right decision.

At the hearing on Tuesday, District 8 council member Ed Burroughs commended Lawlah for her work in the state legislature. She helped extend Metro’s Green Line to Branch Avenue, secured funding for reconstructing the Woodrow Wilson Bridge and supported construction of Oxon Hill High School, according to her 2023 induction into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame.

“I think about the intellect, the grace, your commitment to Prince George’s County. You are living history,” Burroughs said. “I see your work every day in my district. You were the architect to bring National Harbor to what it is today.”

But Geraldo is not necessarily optimistic that Lawlah will be a strong successor because she has no experience serving on planning boards, and he doesn’t not know the specifics of her involvement in those projects beyond legislative work, he said.

“I’m not surprised I’m being replaced,” Geraldo said. “I kind of expected it especially since I was the one pushing back in terms of what was going on. I always pushed back on project charges. So, I’m leaving with a sense I was able to speak my mind.”

Have a tip for our Prince George’s County reporters? Tell us here.