Hendershot reflects on 9 years as council member

Prince George’s County (Map, News) - Thomas Hendershot will retire at the end of the month after nine years representing the third district on Prince George’s County Council. The county’s charter limits council members to two full four-year terms. Before being elected to council in 1997, he served 13 years on the county’s board of education.

Who or what inspired you to embark on a public-service career?

I was very much inspired by John F. Kennedy and then his brother Bobby and later his brother Edward. President Kennedy’s quote “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country” inspired many people in my generation of political leaders.

What are your biggest accomplishments?

On the county level, enacting the living wage was big. On the state level, I was very involved in the program that has put hundreds of millions of dollars into the Prince George’s County school system. I was involved in the seeing that the prevailing wage was required to be paid on school construction contracts so the people building our schools could afford to live in the county and send their kids to school in Prince George’s.

Will you miss council when the next session starts in January?

I will certainly miss being an elected official. I like serving and I like helping people; and I like dealing with the issues. I like the relationships you have with the people you represent and the people you work with.

What are the top issues facing the county as you leave council?

Council is going to have to keep working to keep Prince George’s Hospital open. They’ll have to deal with the question of putting more money into keeping it open and finding a structural solution, which I expect could be building them a new hospital. By the end of November, I don’t think we will have addressed land-use and development issues like the transfer of development rights and rezoning to save open space in the rural tier.

You are known as an avid golfer. Will you be spending more time on the course?

I already play a lot of golf and if you ask my wife, she will say it will be hard for me to play any more than I already do. I’ll have more time, so I imagine I’ll play a little more.

– Joe Rogalsky