Follow The Leaders: Barnes, Davis, Kimmel Take Charge, More Political Notes

By Danielle J. Brown, Maryland Matters

July 9, 2025

Former Del. Darryl Barnes has a new job as chair of the Prince George’s Planning Board after a unanimous vote of the county council Tuesday to appoint former Del. Planning Board.

“He is a unifier. He is someone who understands the importance of working equally with the executive branch as with the legislative branch,” said County Executive Aisha Braveboy (D), who tapped Barnes for the position. “He is someone who I believe will play a major role, an important role, in ensuring that the future of this county is as bright as the people in this room.”

A standing-room-only crowd filled the council chambers with supporters, including current and former state and county legislators and business and community leaders. Former Seat Pleasant Mayor Eugene Grant gave rousing remarks in support of Barnes.

“In this land, Prince George’s County, there’s been a lot of strange songs [that have] been sung for the past several years, but now the lyrics are changing,” Grant said. “Now the tune is changing. Now the beat is changing, and that change is coming through brother Darryl Barnes.”

Barnes was a Democratic state delegate from 2015 to 2023 representing the the 25th District. As chair, he will lead a five-member board that administers subdivision regulations in the county, approves various site plans and advises the county council on any proposed changes to zoning, among the body’s various duties.

The board, with the Montgomery County Planning Board, form the bi-county Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, which acquires, develops, maintains and administers a regional system of parks.

Each member serves a four-year term. Barnes’ term will run until June 2029. He replaces former chair Peter Shapiro, who was appointed in April 2022. Shapiro’s last day was June 14, said County Council Chair Edward Burroughs III.

For now, the board has only four members, after the February resignation of William Doerner. Braveboy has yet to name a replacement for Doerner, who would serve until June 2026.

Barnes, who runs his own government relations firm, Barnes International, thanked the dozens of people in attendance with a goal to create an atmosphere for the county to “win, win, win.”

“This is a great day that we have now to forge new relationships and talk about things in which we want to transform this county to be,” said Barnes, who served as chair for the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland. “Park and planning will not be just for parks and recs in the county, but a destination for the world.”

Kimmel moves into top job at Maryland Food Bank

After working with. the Maryland Food Bank for more than a decade, Meg Kimmel was appointed to lead the statewide food distribution network on Monday.

“I am honored to lead the Maryland Food Bank at this important moment,” Kimmel said in a written statement. “I’m excited to continue the work to feed our neighbors and build stronger communities alongside our incredible teams, our network of food distribution partners, and our many donors, volunteers, and supporters.”

The food bank’s board of directors said Monday that they had selected Kimmel as the next president and CEO of the nonprofit organization. She will be taking over for former President and CEO Carmen Del Guercio, who is stepping down after holding those titles since 2016.

The Maryland Food Bank serves as a meal assistance hub for a majority of the state, connecting with local food banks and pantries to expand outreach for families needing extra help putting food on the table.

Kimmel has been with the Maryland Food Bank since 2012, serving in a variety of roles from the chief strategy officer to vice president of marketing and communications. She leaves her current position as the food bank’s chief operating officer to fill her new roles.

“By working together, we can both feed people who need a meal today and address the barriers that create hunger and hold it in place,” Kimmel said in the written statement.

Davis takes over as chair of Maryland Saves

Maryland State Treasurer Dereck Davis, a member of the MarylandSaves executive committee, was tapped Monday to be chair of the Maryland Small Business Retirement Savings Board, which oversees the management and operation of MarylandSaves' workplace saving program.

Davis succeeds Joshua Gotbaum, who served as chair for the past seven years and who will continue to serve as a member of the board.

State Treasurer Dereck Davis (D) and Gov. Wes Moore (D) at a January Board of Public Works meeting. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters)

In a statement from the board, Davis called MarylandSaves “a vital program that empowers Maryland workers to invest in their future financial security.”

“It’s a valued benefit that small and medium-sized business can offer their employees, at no cost to the employer,” his statement said. “I’m proud to support this important retirement savings solution for Maryland’s workforce.”

Gotbaum said MarylandSaves’ program of emergency and retirement savings through payroll deductions is already helping thousands of Maryland businesses and tens of thousands of Marylanders. I look forward to Treasurer Davis’s leadership as MarylandSaves continues to innovate for Marylanders and other programs throughout our nation.”

MarylandSaves was created under the Maryland law that required most businesses in the state to offer their workers a retirement savings program. Launched in 2022, the program now offers “thousands of Maryland employers an easy way to comply with the law,” said Executive Director Glenn Simmons.

“MarylandSaves is easy for employers to manage and offers an emergency savings feature that lets savers access their contributions to cover unexpected expenses,” Simmons said. “Employees are enrolled automatically, have full control over their accounts, can choose investment options, change their savings rate, or pause and reactivate their automatic savings later.”

Participation in the plan is voluntary, but businesses that join — or that offer their own retirement plan to their workers — are eligible for a waiver of the annual $300 filing fee with the State Department of Assessments and Taxation.