Prince George’s County Council members used a packed Oct. 21 legislative day to confirm a number of senior county appointments, act on personnel and compensation resolutions, and introduce or advance a broad set of local ordinances affecting housing, procurement, environment and public safety.

Confirmations and appointments
- George Nader was confirmed as chief of police. Council members repeatedly praised his early performance as acting chief and his focus on recruitment, staffing and community engagement. The council recorded the confirmation as unanimous at roll call during that portion of the meeting.
- Dr. Katina Gomez was confirmed as director of the Office of Homeland Security. The council’s health and public safety committee had voted to recommend her appointment; speakers and legislators cited her local roots and years of law enforcement and homeland security experience.
- Maxine Bardwell was confirmed as chief administrative officer. Bardwell, a certified public accountant with extensive auditing and oversight credentials, received council support after committee consideration.
- Alice Williams was confirmed as director of procurement and county purchasing agent. Williams, a 38‑year procurement veteran, told the council she will emphasize transparency, fairness and opportunities for county‐based and minority vendors.
- Demetria Michaelides was confirmed as fire chief. Supporters highlighted the department’s work on staffing, accreditation and community outreach under her leadership.
- Linda Allen was confirmed as director of Finance. Allen, who has served in county finance for many years, outlined priorities including fiscal resilience, modernization of financial operations and partnerships across government.
- Bernard Wright was confirmed as director of the Office of Information Technology; Wright said he will prioritize building a local tech ecosystem and workforce opportunities.

Council action on personnel and compensation
The council adopted a series of budget and compensation resolutions for public safety and corrections employees that reflect cost‑of‑living and merit adjustments and other negotiated changes. Committee reports and roll calls indicate the council voted favorably on salary-plan resolutions for correctional officers, police and sheriff personnel during the session.

Bills introduced and committee action
Council members introduced and moved forward multiple council bills and resolutions, with committee votes and amendments reported on Oct. 21. Highlights include:
- CB 80 (nuisance enforcement) — moved out of committee with amendments; expands certain enforcement and notice provisions in local nuisance law.
- CB 97 (animal control) — advanced with amendments, including a pilot program and revised permit and registration requirements.
- CB 5 (minimum wage indexing) — committee favorably recommended a version that would index the county minimum wage to CPI with specific guardrails for county fiscal capacity and direct support professional reimbursement adjustments.
- CB 19 (neighborhood traffic management / speed humps and monitoring) — advanced with amendments; includes community voting provisions for installations and quarterly reporting.
- CB 48 (tenant protections / deceptive landlord practices) — advanced from PHED committee for further consideration.
- CB 73 (public transit access authorization) — establishes a collaborative process for siting bus stops on private property, with property‑owner consent and potential shuttle alternatives.
- CB 75 (moderately priced dwelling unit program) — proposed voluntary program for set‑asides of for‑sale units, advanced with non‑substantive planning amendments.
- CB 84 (senior protections and door‑to‑door solicitation) — committee advanced a draft strengthening protections for seniors and background-check requirements for certain industries.

Process notes and next steps
Several bills were scheduled for second reading or committee of the whole review. Council members repeatedly emphasized transparency, constituent outreach and the need for thorough staff reports before final votes. A number of measures were introduced with committee amendments; sponsors said additional edits and drafts would be circulated ahead of subsequent readings.

Quotes
“I'm happy to vote yes,” Council Chair Ed Burrows said at points during the session while explaining votes of support for nominees. County Executive Ayesha Braveboy described the confirmed nominees as “experienced leaders” who will help implement her administration’s priorities.

What to watch next
The council will return legislation to committee for additional hearings on specific items mentioned above and will receive follow‑up information on the Department of the Environment’s capital and stormwater projects, implementation timelines for procurement reforms, and the administration’s plan for community outreach on traffic-calming projects.

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Votes at a glance (select items from Oct. 21 session)
- George Nader — Confirmed as Police Chief; roll‑call vote recorded by council as carried unanimously during that segment (10 ayes recorded at the time of the vote).
- Samuel B. Moki — Confirmed as Director, Department of the Environment (supermajority). Committee: TIE committee advanced the nomination.
- Katina Gomez — Confirmed as Director, Office of Homeland Security (committee favorable vote 5–0; full council confirmation recorded as carried).
- Maxine Bardwell — Confirmed as Chief Administrative Officer (committee favorable 5–0; full council confirmation recorded as carried).
- Alice Williams — Confirmed as Director of Procurement (committee favorable 5–0; full council confirmation recorded as carried).
- Demetria Michaelides — Confirmed as Fire Chief (committee favorable 5–0; full council confirmation recorded as carried).
- Linda Allen — Confirmed as Director of Finance (committee favorable 5–0; full council confirmation recorded as carried).
- Bernard Wright — Confirmed as Director of IT (committee favorable; full council confirmation recorded as carried).
- CB 80 (Nuisance, amended) — advanced from committee for introduction.
- CB 97 (Animal control, amended) — committee reported favorably with amendments.
- CR 105 / CR 106 / CR 112 (salary schedule updates): adopted by council — adjustments for corrections, police and sheriff personnel were approved by council vote.

The session also included multiple committee reports, roll calls and introduction of several additional bills. Council staff will publish the formal roll‑call tallies and amended texts in the council’s legislative tracking system.