When One Letter Makes All the Difference

There's just one Republican in Montgomery County's delegation to the General Assembly: Del. Jean Cryor . "When you're the only one, people rarely forget it," she says.

Rarely, but it happens. On Monday afternoon, the Montgomery County Business Political Action Committee sent out a list of the candidates it is endorsing for the Nov. 7 election. Cryor got the group's nod, but there was a "D" next to her name.

A few hours later, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber PAC sent out its list. Once again, Cryor's name was tagged with a "D." Sen. Jennie Forehand -- a Democrat -- had an "R" next to hers.

"I wrote to them this morning," Cryor said Tuesday. "I'm a Republican and Jennie Forehand is a Democrat." She hadn't heard about the same mistake appearing on the list sent out by the Montgomery County Business PAC. Neither had the group's director of legislative affairs, Kathy Manning . "Oh my God, no!" she exclaimed, promising to remedy the mistake. That group properly identified Forehand as a Democrat.

Kevin Maloney , chairman of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber PAC, said his group's mistakes were typos. He added that his organization's political support wasn't inspired by the Montgomery County Business PAC. "We don't consult with them when we do our endorsements," he said.

In the governor's race, both groups snubbed Montgomery County native and Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley to endorse Republican incumbent Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. Not surprising, considering that the business community typically considers the Republican party to be more business-friendly.

But when it comes to running the overwhelmingly Democratic county, business leaders are supporting the Democrat, former County Council member Isiah Leggett, over Republican Chuck Floyd, a former state department employee. Leggett had already picked up an endorsement from the county's Chamber of Commerce.

Defamation Suit

Deputy State's Attorney John McCarthy (D) is seeking a protective order to avoid being deposed before Election Day in a defamation lawsuit filed by Daniel M. Fox, his former opponent in the race for state's attorney.

In a motion filed last week, McCarthy argues that Fox's suit was "politically motivated" and was filed to cause the prosecutor "undue hardship and embarrassment during his campaign."

McCarthy says in his motion that Fox's lawyers scheduled McCarthy's deposition for Oct. 19, even though the date was inconvenient for McCarthy and his attorneys.

Fox sued McCarthy for allegedly misrepresenting Fox's credentials for the county's top law enforcement job in the weeks leading up to the primaries -- an allegation McCarthy denies. Fox got nearly 32 percent of votes in the Democratic primary. He recently endorsed Republican candidate James F. Shalleck in the general election.

Taking Over the Greens

A County Council committee is poised today to take up a proposal to turn over operation of four county golf courses to the county's Revenue Authority, which must run them in a manner that allows them to break even.

But the issue is far from a simple matter of profit and loss and has generated substantial opposition, including from some onetime political lions in Montgomery County planning and political circles.

This week the council received a critical letter from former planning board chairman Bill Hussmann , who said the proposed transfer is a mistake that the county will come to regret, and one that could threaten the fiscal health of the park system.

The proposed transfer was approved on a 4 to 1 vote by the planning board last month.

The proposed 30-year lease that transfers control of four golf courses from the park and planning department to the county's Revenue Authority was approved only after some board members, including the new chairman, said they had misgivings.

Commissioner Meredith Wellington , who cast the only dissenting vote, said she was concerned that the transfer posed a direct conflict with the park and planning agency's mandate to provide low-cost recreation to all residents.

Planning board Chairman Royce Hanson , who voted for the lease, said he shared some of Wellington's concerns but thought the deal was too far along to undo. He joined the board in midsummer, a few months after the board gave preliminary approval to the deal.

The four golf courses -- Little Bennett, Needwood, Northwest Park and Sligo Creek -- have been operated for more than 40 years by the Department of Park and Planning. A staff report said the courses could lose up to $1 million this year. Critics have questioned the agency's data but have not shown where the accounting may be inaccurate.

Last year, the revenue authority reported it took in $734,000 from the five golf courses it owns and operates; the park and planning department said it lost about $500,000 on its four courses. The revenue authority operates its courses with fewer employees, who are generally paid less than those at the park and planning department, said Keith Miller , who heads the authority.

Bill Mooney , acting deputy parks director, said that some golfers also had stopped playing at the park and planning department courses because course conditions had declined in recent years. The County Council has not fully funded the department's requests for golf course maintenance, he said.

Hussmann suggested that the council consider outsourcing the management of the courses to a private firm, saying that the Revenue Authority's "operating model . . . may produce more income for the authority but can also lead to deferred maintenance, lack of environmental practices, and compromises that affect the adjacent regional park system.

Staff writers Ernesto Londoño and Nancy Trejos contributed to this report.