Former Mayor Cohen Settles In to New Job with State

Former Annapolis Mayor Josh Cohen has secured a new job with the Maryland Department of General Services as its chief administrative officer.

In his new role, Cohen will oversee the administrative departments of DGS, and use his political experience to advise Secretary Alvin C. Collins.

"I was looking for a position where I felt like I could make a difference," Cohen said. "It's a real management position, where I'm going to be able to build on my experience with finance and budgeting and personnel, and really help with the day-to-day decisions that help an organization run efficiently."

The department manages all state buildings, from expanding to new structures and keeping up with existing ones. The job will take him more than 40 minutes north to Baltimore from his home in Annapolis each day. It will also be a more behind-the-scenes role than his days as mayor.

Since his role as mayor ended on Dec. 2, with the inauguration of Mayor Mike Pantelides, Cohen said life has been moving at a more leisurely pace. And that change came with both pros and cons, he said.

"I truly loved the job," he said. "There was a lot that I was looking forward to in the next four years."

Saying goodbye to his colleagues on the City Council and at City Hall was one of the hardest parts of leaving, said Cohen. He spent the last few weeks sitting down with the department heads and thanking them for their work during his time as mayor.

"It really is like a big family," Cohen said.

As for the future, Cohen said running for public office isn't something on his mind. For now, he's enjoying the extra time with family that often wasn't afforded for a life of public service.

While snow pounded the East Coast this weekend, Cohen said four years of being in the mayor's seat made his mind focus on the city's response. What could he do to help?

"I was thinking about our emergency operations center, and what preparations we had made," he said. "But now, I could watch it all from the warmth of my living room, instead of shoveling out snow from my driveway and heading to the EOC, leaving my family at home."

Cohen starts his new job with the state on Wednesday.

See also: 

• Cohen Congratulates Pantelides, Will Miss the Job
• Watch Highlights from Mayor Pantelides' Inaugural Address
• Mayor Pantelides Pledges to Make Annapolis 'Athens of the East'
• Pantelides Wins Race for Annapolis Mayor