Updated at 1 p.m. – The Rockville City Council member who frequently found himself in the middle of some of the city’s most divisive issues announced Friday he will not run for re-election in November.
Tom Moore, who spearheaded the effort to loosen Rockville’s development moratorium standards, said in the announcement “my family has paid a high price while I have campaigned and governed virtually nonstop over the past six years, and it is time for me to turn my attentions homeward.”
Moore has six children, who range in age from 8 to 17. He told Bethesda Beat Monday that the desire to spend more time with his family “was the entire decision” to not run for re-election after two terms. Most of the work required of the part-time council position happens in evening meetings.
In 2013, Moore ran on a slate with mayoral candidate Mark Pierzchala. When Pierzchala lost to Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton, Moore effectively became the leader of a faction of city officials who fought for smart growth ideas—often against Newton.
By a 3-2 vote earlier this year, the council changed an ordinance that restricted development based on school capacity to match less strict county standards. Moore was one of the three council members to vote for the change.
Moore also clashed with Newton on the issue of allowing residents to keep backyard chickens and more recently on what official stance the city should take on the Confederate statue that stands by the historic Red Brick Courthouse.
Some saw Moore as having the potential to hold higher office. He beat the expectations of many political insiders expectations by coming in second to longtime Gaithersburg Mayor Sidney Katz during the 2014 Democratic primary for the District 3 County Council seat.
“I think my message resonated well, but it took a lot out of us in some ways. [The County Council] campaign kind of ate up any reserves I might’ve had,” Moore said. “I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on things. I plan to stay involved and active.”
In his announcement Friday, he cited the end of the city’s development moratorium, a new city ethics law and restrictions on data the city government can keep as major accomplishments.
Newton is so far the only registered candidate for mayor in the Nov. 3 election. Registered council candidates include incumbents Julie Palakovich Carr and Beryl Feinberg and Virginia Onley, as well as challengers Brigitta Mullican and Rich Gottfried.
The five-member council includes the mayor.
