David Myles Seeks Re-Election To Rockville City Council On Nov. 7

ROCKVILLE, MD — David Myles is a 43-year-old general pediatrician with 13 years of experience. He's also on the Nov. 7 ballot in the Rockville City Council race.

An incumbent councilmember, Myles faces 11 opponents in his re-election bid to fill one of the seven seats on the city council. The other candidates are Danniel Belay, Kate Fulton, Richard Gottfried, Harold Hodges, Barry Jackson, Ricky F. Mui, Anita Neal Powell, Paul Scott, Izola (Zola) Shaw, Marissa Valeri and Adam Van Grack.

Rockville City voters will also be casting ballots in the mayor's race, with Monique Ashton and Mark Pierzchala running for that office.

Related: Ballots For Rockville City Election To Be Mailed To Registered Voters

Patch invited each of the candidates running in the Rockville City Race to fill out a questionnaire about their campaigns. Patch does not edit the responses of candidates to its election questionnaire. The following are Myles' responses.

Name

David Myles

Position sought

Rockville City Councilmember

Age (at the time of election)

43

Campaign Website

www.davidericmyles.com

Family: Names, ages and any pertinent detail you wish to share.

One child

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

no

Education

Johns Hopkins Hospital (pediatrics residency); Yale Medical School (MD); Morehouse College (BS)

Occupation - Please include years of experience

I have worked as a general pediatrician for the past 13 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Incumbent and have served as a Rockville City Councilmember since 2019

Why are you seeking elective office?

When I ran for this position four years ago as the father of a toddler, the reasons were admittedly somewhat selfish. However, those same reasons motivate me today.

I wanted to make sure that the streets that my child and I walk along were safe and accessible.

I wanted to ensure that we felt safe and were treated fairly.

I also wanted to ensure that the city would meaningfully address climate change so that we could leave the planet better than when I found it.

And while we have made progress on all those fronts, it has become clear to me that there is more work to do to make these goals a reality for all who call Rockville home

The single most pressing issue facing voters is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Improving public safety is the single most pressing issue I've heard from residents after having knocked on over 10,000 doors. Improvements will be accomplished by overseeing the timely implementation of Vision Zero which will improve street safety for all forms of transit; eliminating financial and access barriers to youth afterschool and summer camp programs to reduce the propensity of youth to engage in nefarious activity; decriminalizing and appropriately treating mental health and substance misuse by supporting the creation of facilities like the proposed Diversion Center; and ensuring our police department is fully staffed with the appropriate and well qualified personnel by offering competitive compensation and continuing the rigorous training that sworn Rockville Police officers are mandated to obtain.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I am the only candidate who has the experience of serving on the City Council as I have done since 2019. There is a steep learning curve, and I am still learning. Having served in this role will help ease the significant transition that will take place given that there will be a new, non-incumbent mayor and at least five new City Councilmembers. Additionally, my medical training helped guide conversations on employee and resident public health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

n/a

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Environment: accelerating the implementation of Rockville’s Climate Action Plan by reducing the barriers for residents and businesses wishing to decarbonize their energy usage; expanding renewable energy installations on city property, where feasible

Budget: Prioritizing the continued provision of high-quality City services while ensuring that City Staff are compensated appropriately; recruiting and retaining businesses to expand Rockville’s vibrancy and tax base

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Over the past four years serving as a Rockville City Councilmember, I led the effort on issues ranging from addressing climate change to keeping our City and Staff safe—all in a fiscally prudent way.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

(You) do right because it is right to do.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Thank you for allowing me to serve as one of your Rockville City Councilmembers for the past four years. Serving others is the underlying principle guiding my professional life and is the reason why I work as a pediatrician, served active duty in the US Navy, and serve you as one of your City Councilmembers.