Meet Wanda J. Rogers, Candidate For Bowie City Council At-Large Seat

BOWIE, MD — The office of mayor and six councilmembers for Bowie will be on the ballot Nov. 7. There are at least two or more candidates running for Districts 1-4 and the two at-large seats, including Jarryd Hawkins. Two candidates are vying for the office of mayor.

Rogers shared information with Patch about herself and her interest in running for office.

What position are you running for?
Bowie City Council, Member At-Large

What ways can people contact you with questions?
Email: [email protected]
Cell: 240-428-0662

Campaign website?
www.WandaForBowie.com

Place of residence?
Woodmore Highlands

Family members?
Husband Terry Rogers
Adult children Shanique Rogers-Henry, Tera Rogers Whitfield and Tamra Rogers
Grandchildren Joshua, Morgan and Bree
Grand dog Bishop

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No

Education?
College: BS business education - Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ
College: MGA human resource management – University of Maryland/Global Campus

Occupation?
I am currently a licensed realtor/office manager with our family-owned business, Realty Transaction Services, located in the Pointer Ridge Section of Bowie. As a member of the Maryland Association of Realtors, I was appointed recently to the State of Maryland Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity Task Force. Upon my retirement from federal service, I started W Rogers Executive Consulting, LLC, where I serve as chief executive officer and provide executive consulting services. After 18 months of campaigning, I had the fortunate opportunity to serve as the “winning” campaign manager for Delegate Kym Taylor, Maryland District 23.

I spent the entirety of my 36 year federal career with the Bureau of Fiscal Service/U.S. Department of Treasury. I retired in 2017. I had the responsibility of overseeing daily government-wide financial operations with direct budget appropriations of over $300 million annually and a permanent/indefinite budget appropriation of over $1 billion. My leadership responsibilities included strategic/tactical planning, budgeting, human resource management, team building, change management, and overseeing the work of thousands of employees located across the country.

Why are you running for office?
I love Bowie. Our city is the crown jewel of Prince George’s County and has been my home for 24 years. My proven leadership abilities and commitment to professionalism and excellence have provided me with the skills necessary to help Bowie become better.

The single most pressing issue facing voters is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.
In my opinion, the single most pressing issue facing the voters is public safety. Bowie has one new residential subdivision, Amber Ridge, and three new mixed-use commercial and residential developments being built (Melwood, South Lake, and Mill Branch). The number of law enforcement officers on board is much less than the optimal number needed for a city the size of Bowie. Recruiting, hiring, and retaining of law enforcement officers in Bowie is not only a local problem, but a national one as well.

What I propose is a short and long-term approach to getting the resources required to hire additional law enforcement officers:

• To assist with the immediate need of getting law enforcement officers on board, offer incentives such as better health care packages, pay during academy training, tuition reimbursement, in addition to signing bonuses for new recruits.

• To assist with getting more law enforcement officers in the pipeline, I would propose the city establish partnerships with Bowie State University, Prince George’s Community College to establish a Police Officer’s Training Corp. to prepare your adults for the profession. Through real estate developer fees, grants, and private funding sources recruits would commit to law enforcement service in exchange for a paid college education and a guaranteed job after graduation.

Funding will be required to pay the salaries and benefits for additional law enforcement officers.

What I propose:

• In general, a real estate developer is required to pay Prince George’s County a fee for every home they build. The fee is for schools and other costs such as infrastructure, public safety, etc. There is no requirement for Prince George’s County to spend these fees where the development occurred. I would recommend we lobby the County to approve legislation that requires real estate developer fees be given to the municipality where the development is located.

• We provide additional resources to the Bowie Economic Development office to allow for more proactive engagement in recruiting new businesses to the city. New businesses result in an increased business tax base. These additional revenue streams would be used to provide hiring incentives and competitive salaries for our law enforcement officers.

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

• My proven leadership record and board-level expertise which is evident in being appointed to the Senior Executive Service, President of the Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce, Chairperson of Delta Foundation, Inc., a non-profit affiliate of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Vice President and Treasurer of the Prince George’s County Arc., and the Treasurer of the Highland Park Community Development Corporation.
• As a real estate professional, my understanding of property zoning, as well as my strong negotiations skills and ability to adapt quickly to changing circumstances.
• As a volunteer community leader, my ability to work with the community to get things done even in the most difficult situations.
• Along with my strong work ethic and dependability, I have the time to fully focus on being a strong council member and address the needs of our city.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?
I do not believe the current city council has failed the community, but I do believe they could have achieved more if all seven members attended Council meetings better prepared to make decisions. Budget amendments immediately following an approved budget, is a sign of lack of appropriate planning. Last, I believe the council has an obligation to explain complex decisions to the community and include the context in which the decision(s) was made.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform. What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

• Strategic economic development – engaging the community in smart growth decision making, promoting green initiatives, setting clear and attainable economic development objectives, and focusing on bringing “A” quality retail to the city.
• Fiscal stewardship – commitment to ethical, efficient and responsible financial decision-making and use of city resources.
• Increased public safety – protecting the physical welfare of the citizens in Bowie by ensuring city organizations responsible for public safety (police, fire, etc.) have the resources they need.
• Advocate for quality public education – partnering with our county school board representative, local PTOs, and County Council members to ensure the needs of Bowie residents are heard.

Accomplishments:
As a member of the Senior Executive Service, I lead the disbursement of $2 trillion in federal payments (SSA, IRS VA, fed salary, etc,) annually. Moved 4 to 5 million Americans to the Direct Express Debit Card. Processed almost $4 trillion in federal revenue collections. Awarded $7 trillion in Treasury Marketable securities. Serviced $26.9 billion in savings and marketable securities. Collected over $7 billion in delinquent federal debt and over $500 million in state unemployment insurance on behalf of 42 states and the District of Columbia. Established the Bureau’s Diversity Advisory Council. Revitalized and re-branded the Delta Foundation Inc. Assisted hundreds of clients in their purchase of residential and commercial real estate. Winning campaign manager for Maryland State Delegate Kym Taylor, District 23.

The best advice ever shared with me was:
Maya Angelo Quote: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I am the oldest of six children born in a small town in New Jersey. My father, a business school graduate, worked as a motel bellman seven days a week, 365 days of the year. My mother was a factory worker who stood daily on concrete floors for over 25 years, often working overtime. They both worked hard to ensure our family had the basics of life. Every accomplishment I have been blessed with has come from the work ethic instilled in me and my siblings by my parents. A college degree in hand, I started my federal career as a GS-6 secretary. Seven years later I was a GS-14 executive assistant to the commissioner of the agency. The same federal agency that I began my career as a GS-6 secretary I retired from as the first African American Deputy Commissioner. My accomplishments did not come easy. I am a woman of faith and my go to value is “integrity.” I listened. I learned. I put my head down and did the work. If elected, I will put in the same hard work for the residents of Bowie.