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Town Council
The Town Council is responsible for making all of the legislative decisions that affect the Town. They are elected each May and serve for two year terms, with two seats being filled one year and three the next. The Council serves in an unpaid capacity. Each Council member donates many hours per year helping to ensure that the Town runs as smoothly and efficiently as possible. The Council meets the second Wednesday of each month, in public, to discuss Town business and policy. In addition to these public meetings, each Council member serves as a liaison to at least one Town Committee and has many other public service interests.
Agendas & Minutes
Agendas and minutes are posted on the Town's website. Copies may also be obtained at the Town office.
Barney Rush, Mayor
Liaison to Long Range Planning Committee
Term Expires 2026
I am now in my 5th term on the Town Council and have served previously as Mayor for four years, treasurer for two years, and as Vice Mayor for the past two years.
I have had a varied business career, including positions as an executive in an electric utility, CEO of a technology start-up company, a developer of renewable energy plants, and an operating partner with a private equity firm. I served on the board of directors of ISO – New England, the authority which ensures the supply of electric power for that region and was chair of the board of directors of a large solar energy developer based in India. I enjoy playing alto saxophone with the Rockville Concert Band.
My wife, Marjorie, and I have lived at 6917 Maple Avenue since 2003. We have two grown children, Alison and Carolyn.
Rich Brancato, Vice Mayor
Liaison to Public Services Committee
Term Expires 2026
My wife, Mary, and our dog, Winnie, live on Leland Street and are longtime residents. I am a retired federal civil servant and am currently the Secretary of the Town Council and liaison to the Town's Public Services Committee.
My professional background includes a tour in the United States Air Force as a logistics officer, a 39-year career as a senior executive at the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Energy, and an advisor to the Governors of the northeast states on transportation programs. My last assignment in the federal government was as the Director for Positioning, Navigation, Timing and Spectrum Management at the U.S. DOT.
It is an honor and a pleasure serving with our collaborative Town Council and working with our dedicated staff and volunteers who accomplish most of the day-to-day operations and activities of the Town.
I am committed to engaging, listening, and being responsive to residents and working collegially with my fellow Town Council members.
Tambra Leonard, Secretary
Liaison to Climate and Environment Committee
Term Expires 2027
It is an honor to serve on the Town Council. I have lived in the Town since 2019 when my family moved here from Capitol Hill. My husband, John Colwell, and I live on Lynn Drive with our son, James, our dog, Henry, and our two cats, Lewes and Callie.
Prior to serving on the Town Council, I served on the Town’s Community Relations Committee for five years (four years as Co-Chair). My professional background is in public service. After clerking for one year for Justice Mary Mullarkey of the Colorado Supreme Court, I have been an attorney for the federal government working in a variety of employment-related legal areas, including workplace safety, civil rights, veterans’ employment rights, union officer elections, and international labor affairs. I also worked at the International Labor Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, for three years.
I am a graduate of Northeastern University’s School of Law, the London School of Economics, and St. John’s College in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I grew up mainly in Columbia, Maryland, but also lived in the District and Annapolis, where I was born. In my free time, I enjoy travelling, hiking, book discussions, going to the movies, and baking.
Carlo Colella, Treasurer
Liaison to Land Use Committee
Term Expires 2027
I am honored to be serving for the first time on the Town Council. Professionally, I retired in Fall 2024 from my role as Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer at the University of Maryland, a position I held for over 11 years. In that role, my responsibilities encompassed a broad portfolio including facilities management, real estate development, transportation infrastructure, public safety initiatives, environmental health and safety, and sustainability efforts. Prior to the VP/CAO role, I joined the university in 1988 and held progressively responsible positions in Facilities Management, including Chief Facilities Officer and Capital Projects Director. Before my career at Maryland, I worked as a consulting engineer for five years after earning a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland and an M.S. degree in Structural Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.
In addition to my professional background, I have served in director roles on several non-profit boards, including for a public charter middle and high school and for a city/university partnership in College Park. I enjoy travelling, especially when combined with hiking or skiing, and tennis.
My wife Sally Colella and I have lived at 4227 Oakridge Lane since 2022 with our dog Nico. We have two grown children, Mario and Michael.