Planning Director Apologizes For Controversial Remarks

Bethesda Magazine is reporting that county planning director Rollin Stanley has apologized after coming under fire for comments he made in a recent Bethesda Magazine story.

In the article by Eugene L. Meyer, entitled the “The Future Is Looking Up”  and published in the magazine’s March-April issue, Stanley called a group of his detractors "rich, white women" who spread fear about his initiatives.

The group of activists asked him to publicly apologize, calling the characterization "a blatantly racial and sexist slur,” Stanley’s comments drew a firestorm of controversy, including on Patch, and his comments were condemned by county Planning Board Chair Francoise Carrier.

Bethesda Magazine is reporting on its website that Stanley apologized in a letter to the magazine Wednesday. “It was not my intention to denigrate the opinions of any citizen or discourage anyone from participating in the debate over the future of Montgomery County,” he wrote, according to Bethesda Magazine.

Bethesda Magazine is also reporting that Stanley personally responded to one of his detractors, Meredith Wellington, writing in a handwritten note: "Meredith, when I suggested to Gene [Meyer] that he contact you for the Bethesda Mag article, I did not expect he would go in the direction he did.  I hope it did not cause you much concern or attention.’ ”

Wellington called that response “a day late and a dollar short” and called for Stanley’s resignation, Bethesda Magazine reported.

Read the full story at Bethesda Magazine.

Do you think Stanley should resign his post because of his comments?