William H. Hussmann, who held a series of powerful appointed positions in Montgomery County government over more than three decades, died Wednesday at a hospice in California. Hussmann was Planning Board chairman from 1994 until he decided not to seek another term in 2001. Later, he served several years as executive director of the North Fork Mono Rancheria Indian Housing Authority, at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, until the effects of advanced kidney cancer forced him to give up work.
Hussmann's Montgomery County resume included working for developers Hallowell Corp. and Kettler Brothers, builder of Montgomery Village, in the 1970s and 1980s.
In 1970, Montgomery's first county executive, Republican James P. Gleason, hired Hussmann to be his chief administrative officer. Hussmann held that job for eight years during which he also worked briefly for Prince George's County Executive Winfield M. Kelly Jr., a Democrat. When he married his wife, Kathy, Hussmann became the son-in-law of Ida Mae Garrott, a County Council member from 1966 to 1974 who clashed openly with Gleason.
In the 1990s, Hussmann became Democratic County Executive Neal Potter's chief administrative officer, serving until the County Council appointed him to lead the planning board. Although there were concerns about having a former developer head the agency, many who opposed his decisions came to see him as fair and an honest broker. SOURCE: Gazette
2 comments:
Bill Hussmann was my Dad, and what a wonderful Dad he was. Besides all the good things he did for the County, he was an amazing father and grandfather. Hi Grandkids adored him. We will miss him dearly.
This is beautiful of you to post this comment here, after probably viewing many little articles about your father. This last weekend I spent time with my parents, so I, as yet, have not faced seeing one of them die, so I cannot relate with your sorrow.
However, my grandfather just died and I made some loving comments about him during my visit. Many people feel like the dead should be discussed no more after their funeral. This is a point I disagree with and want to share with you. Every now and then, talk about him with his grandkids and let fond memories become dear to them. How else will they know those stories unless you share them?
It would be nice to have a picture of him, so I can place it on this page. If you could email that to me, I would appreciate it. Thank you!
Post a Comment