Roger Berliner, Montgomery County Council President and Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors Chairman for 2016, was recognized Dec. 14 for his outstanding leadership and service to the region. Berliner accepted COG’s highest honor, the Elizabeth and David Scull Award for Metropolitan Public Service, at its annual meeting.
The award was presented to Berliner by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Sharon Bulova and Vice Chairman Penny Gross.
As chairman of the COG Board of Directors, Berliner led the board as it focused on restoring safety and service in the Metrorail system. Throughout the year, he often served as a regional spokesperson on the issue, and encouraged conversations among private, public, and civic leaders, and Metro management, including leading two regional Metro forums hosted by COG and the Greater Washington Board of Trade.
In 2016, Berliner also worked alongside COG, universities, businesses, and others to enhance the region’s competitiveness through efforts such as the Global Cities Initiative.
Before serving as board chairman, Berliner led COG’s Climate, Energy, and Environment Policy Committee. Under his leadership, the group focused on modernizing the electric grid and improving emergency coordination related to energy.
The Elizabeth and David Scull Award for Metropolitan Public Service is presented annually to a local, state, or federal elected official for outstanding service to metropolitan Washington. It is named after the late Montgomery County councilmembers, who were strong supporters of COG and regional cooperation.