Buyer Beware! Take a Good Hard Look at the Candidates

The following post was submitted by Christine Perry of Mt. Airy

Let the buyer beware. Colleen Colvin’s letter to the Times on April 18 confirms the suspicion among Mt. Airy town residents – we have not heard the last from the landowners of the failed South I-70 Annexation.

Colvin brings up some valid points; she states that the next council need be intelligent and tenacious enough to deal with complicated issues on the county and the state level and also endorses two individuals, Dave Pyatt and Chris Everich, both outspoken advocates of this reckless annexation. I hope nobody has forgotten that these families in the South I-70 stiffed the town for half of a $22,000 legal bill because they did not feel they should have to pay.

Not to my surprise, it appears that Colvin is banking to get Everich and Pyatt into office so they can join with Scott Strong to form a three person voting bloc that will throw caution to the wind and annex these folks once and for all. My opinion is only confirmed by seeing Pyatt and Everich’s campaign signs sit on the property of Dr. Paul Burkett’s dental practice. Burkett is a landowner in the South I-70 area and his interest best served by having Pyatt and Everich elected.

I am glad that Ms. Colvin brings up her concerns regarding the issue of Plan Maryland. Councilmen Pyatt, Strong and Helt recently approved an application to submit to the State of Maryland for sustainable community designation. This designation is tied to Plan Maryland, two principles of which are public transportation and equitable, affordable housing. How can we be assured as town residents, that if the state dangles the money applied for in front of these men, the same thing Colvin is so concerned about, will come to fruition? Mount Airy will certainly become similar to Gaithersburg, Germantown or Frederick.

Lastly, Colvin states in her letter that in a July 2009 issue of the Gazette, Everich was quoted as saying, 

"the proposed business parks [in the South I-70 area] will destroy the character of this community." 

 Everich is currently advocating annexing the Harrison-Leishear property on Route 27 at the corner of North Main Street to build a community center.  This annexation includes a proposed business park.  Won’t this business park destroy the character of the community too?  What hypocrisy!  Mr. Everich seems to pose a risky vote to this community by his political flip flopping and pandering to earn support.

 Christine Perry 

Mt. Airy

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