CALL TO ACTION.... FOR OUR CARROLL COUNTY CHILDREN

Dear Friends,

 

Once again support for CCPS (in the County's 2013 budget/2013-2018 budget plan) is being tossed around like a political football and the best interests of our children have been sidelined.

 

On Thursday (< 2 weeks before a budget must be approved), the Commissioners withdrew support for the already balanced budget their staff had prepared, and proposed to cut support for CCPS operations by ~$3M compared to last year; this is ~$8M less than CCPS requested to compensate teachers fairly, maintain reasonable class sizes, and begin to implement State-mandated improvements to K-12 curriculum's.  As a "compromise" the Commissioners said they will consider allocating $3M to CCPS on a one time basis but there would be no promise that such money would be available in future years.  

 

Introducing this type of uncertainly into the school budget WILL NOT increase the ability to pay down debt, provide tax relief, or reduce spending;  it WILL lead to "band aid" solutions, and undermine CCPS' ability to retain qualified teachers and maintain high quality educational services.

 

After 4 years of reductions in staff, frozen salaries, and austerity measures to increase efficiencies, which together resulted in substantial savings from already tight annual school budgets, the school system is scrambling to figure out what more can be cut without further compromising our children's education.  

 

CCPS NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT NOW!!!

 

Please take a moment to email our Commissioners to remind them that providing adequate ongoing support for CCPS is one of the best uses of taxpayer money, and extremely important to you.

 

For more info go to: http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/proposed-schools-funding-level-still-not-guaranteed/article_8424a8cf-4a56-58a5-9c41-c186e5375ebc.html

 

 

Email the Commissioners  TODAY at: 

rfrazier@ccg.carr.org, hshoemaker@ccg.carr.org, droush@ccg.carr.org, rrothschild@ccg.carr.org, dhoward@ccg.carr.org

 

 

Very best regards,

Rita Misra

For The People--Not Politics

 

"By putting the people’s concerns first, I hope we can learn from each other, learn from our disagreements, and reach compromises to benefit all of our community."

Guest Blogger, Kristin Blais-candidate for the Mt. Airy Town Council  

There’s something about an election year that seems to bring out the worst in people. This year, is no different, only, as a candidate I’m experiencing it first hand. 

I have become the target of my opponents who have continually attempted to defame me, as well as those who support my candidacy for Mt. Airy Town Council. These attacks have been aided by email to our citizens, as well as statements in public alleging my candidacy for council is a conflict of interest, unethical and presents a majority vote on council. All of these allegations are untrue, without merit and meant to divert the citizens’ attention from the real issues they face as individuals, and also the issues our town faces regarding its future viability. These attacks have only made my resolve stronger and my message clearer – I am here to serve the citizens of Mt. Airy. 

This type of negative politicking is not pretty, but it’s the way a certain group of people conspire when it comes to politics and an election year in Mt. Airy.  It’s time we, as a Town, put these ill advised tactics to an end and concentrate on real issues; putting people before politics!

One of the fundamental problems in our election this year is even with the amount of public discourse in our town, this group of individuals seem more concerned with holding onto their power and positions, rather than listening and being open to new ideas. They don’t want to acknowledge those who disagree with their philosophies; this is not the mind set of good leaders, and can be detrimental to the future of our Town. We must embrace the fact that disagreement is the fundamental foundation in a democracy. Respectful, healthy debate can lead to positive change, for the very simple reason- nobody is right all of the time.

I know I have made my message clear to the people of Mt. Airy--your concerns come first!  Whether the issue is working to bring a variety of new businesses into town and supporting our current local businesses, addressing the lack of parking downtown, working to find jobs for our teens and adults, finding the solutions to our traffic concerns and speeding through neighborhoods, seeking additional recreational facilities, controlling our spending or making sure our public safety is not jeopardized, I hear you!  By putting the people’s concerns first, I hope we can learn from each other, learn from our disagreements, and reach compromises to benefit all of our community.

On May 7^Th, we have the opportunity to put our citizens first and the nasty politics last.  Let’s concentrate on the real issues that we face together to build a brighter future for Mt. Airy! 

Krsitin Blais
Guest Blogger 
Candidate for the Mt. Airy Town Council

Honored to Support Bob King for Town Council

The following was submitted by Patty Williamson of Mt. Airy 

 

I am honored to support Bob King as a candidate for the Mount Airy Town Council. I have served with Bob on the town's Parks and Recreation Board since 2006 and know that he truly cares about the citizens of Mount Airy. 

When he moved to town in 1992, he became involved with MAYAA, first by coaching and later by serving as President. He was appointed to the Parks and Recreation Board in 1997 and in 2006, was elected as Chairman of the Board, a position that he continues to hold today. 

I was introduced to Bob during the controversial Zeltman Annexation. Even though I was on the town's Beautification Commission fighting to save the town's 88 acres from development and Bob was on the Parks and Recreation Board fighting for the promised athletic fields, he always listened to and treated me with respect. 

Today, even though I do not agree with everything that Bob supports, I know that he has the patience needed to listen to others before making decisions on important issues. 

Please join me in voting for Bob King for Town Council on May 7. 

Patty Williamson 
Board Member Mount Airy Parks and Recreation 
Guest Blogger

I'm Voting For Bob King on May 7th

"We need to send a message-The time has come for the dysfunction of our debate to change." ~Mary Rice

 

The following letter was submitted by Mary Rice of Mt. Airy

 

Elections are fast approaching for the three available positions on the Mount Airy Town Council.  I dare to speculate that most of the voters probably don't even know any of these candidates or have had any experience dealing with them in any arena. How then do voters make the right choices?  

When I know I've chosen wisely, I feel at peace with myself.   I've done my research, I've talked to people who KNOW the candidates, I'm INFORMED. I want someone with leadership skills, experience, common sense, and a person with a proven track record. I am voting for Bob King.

I had the pleasure of meeting Bob King 15 years ago when he was elected as the President of the Mount Airy Youth Athletic Association (MAYAA).  I sat on the Board with him as the Secretary and came to know the man I respect today as a leader committed to excellence.  I watched him within a 30-day time frame, integrate 3,000 children into the program who had been left hanging when the Mt Airy Rec Council suddenly disbanded.   

He took over MAYAA with over $30,000 worth of bills while looking at a balance of only $10.86 in the account, spear-headed a new budget for the coming year and strictly adhered to it. He oversaw the re-writing of the association's by-laws and most importantly possessed the qualities to build a positive and healthy environment for all the children with the ultimate goal of building their character. Our Town Council will surely benefit from the same.

As a member of the Mount Airy Board of Parks and Recreation Bob began to see that a handful of MAYAA members and the newly-formed Four County Little League members were at odds with each other over ball-field usage and disrupting the monthly meetings with their attacks on each other.  Bob's desire for civility compelled him to hold meetings in his living room where the fuses were quickly diminished. Good leaders remain calm and composed during the journey through storms and emotions.   

Once again, our Town Council would certainly benefit from his ability to maintain his composure under any circumstance and give everyone the genuine respect they deserve, even if they disagree. 

Bob has been on the board for Parks & Recs since 1997, holding the position of Chairman for the last 7 years. He remains active in the community in this capacity, implementing family events including Camp Night and Movie Night, held at Watkins Park, and Shakespeare in the Park at Wildwood. His desire to keep Mount Airy a place that has that small-town feel is strong and close to his heart.  

Bob has been involved in the planning and design of the Old National Pike Park, a member of the Windy Ridge Park Master Plan Committee, and maintains an active role in town council meetings.  

Bob was the manager of 250+ people at a number of Giant Food Grocery Stores for over 25 years and has been a small business owner for 24 years.  Anyone familiar with running your own business knows you are manager, accountant, buyer, marketing, human resources, quality control, the list is endless. You do it all.  

Bob King has a proven record of leadership, experience, common sense and the desire to keep Mount Airy the best it can be for all people.  He epitomizes determination, fairness, and civility.  I am voting for Bob King on May 7th.  I am asking you to vote for Bob, too. We need to send a message that the time has come for the dysfunction of our debate to change.    

Mary Rice

Mt. Airy Resident 

Guest Blogger 

 

We Deserve Better, Mt. Airy!

 

Guest Post by Bob King 

Bob King is currently running for Town Council in the Town of Mt.Airy.

This post is in response to Keep cooperation in Mount Airy by resident, Todd Eudy, in Today's Carroll County Times.

I knew it would happen soon, I just didn't know when or who would be the culprit of the innuendo that Bob King is pro-growth.  Nothing could be further from the truth. Todd Eudy has never met with me and talked to me about my opinions on growth so I find it interesting as to how he knows my feelings on the subject.

I am fully aware of the findings of the recent Mt. Airy Needs Assessment prepared by Mt. Airy BeLocal and the 2007 Survey completed by the Growth and Development Task Force.  The citizens of Mt. Airy are not interested in any residential growth that is not supported with infrastructure upgrades; neither am I.  This is my home, too.  

Let me tell you what I am interested in and what I do stand for. 

#1) I am interested in the findings of the BeLocal survey that suggests the citizens would like to see more of a variety of business in Town.  There are vacant buildings and empty lots. The Town should actively be seeking potential opportunities to fill these spaces with thriving businesses to serve our neighbors while strengthening  our commercial tax base.  This will also provide jobs for both our residents and our growing teenage demographic. 

#2) I am interested in the continued revitalization of our downtown.  Several plans have been presented to our Planning Commission concerning the Rail Yard and the F&M Bank building.  Once the requirements of our Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance have been met by the owner, approved by the Planning Commission and the Town Council, construction should begin.

#3) I am interested in improving our infrastructure, ensuring we have adequate water supply now and in the future and discussing traffic on Main Street and other areas of Town. I am interested in resurrecting the idea of the Rising Ridge Road Connector that will relieve traffic on Main Street and Rt.27 and create another north/south artery as an alternative. 

#4) I know that the supporters of the current administration consider me to be a "wild card;" they are not sure if my vote will be conducive to their agenda, therefore they want to portray me as pro-growth as a scare tactic. Pro-Growth and Pro-Developer are terms that have been used over the past 6 years to scare residents. However, I am not pro-growth. I am pro- Mount Airy.  My philosophy is that we must all work together. The business community, the development community, the residential communities and the government. We all have a stake in the outcome and the future of our Town. 

#5) I am interested in beginning the discussion of a community center. It is what most people stated they would like to see. With everything else there needs to be open, honest , transparent and civil discussion on what we want and how we intend to pay for it. 

#6) I am interested in finally, after more than a decade, seeing the Rails to Trails project come to fruition. I am interested in bringing together all the players that need to make it happen, reaching consensus and moving forward. 

#7) I am interested in finding solutions. Solutions can only come from frank and civil discussions, and this letter from Mr. Eudy does not make for a good start to frank and civil discussion.  As to the conversation on civility, this does not mean that if we disagree with others on the Town Council that we are uncivil.  Civility is the manner in which the discussion is handled.  Constant interruptions by others, attack style tactics, mus-characterization of statements and individuals, frequent berating from supporters at meetings are just some of the ways that those that claim to have the higher ground when dealing with dissent have acted.  This is what must be curtailed.  I was taught manners as a very small child, and will use those teachings in every situation.

Mr. Eudy, until you have sat down with me, and can say with certainty that you know who I am, you know about my philosophy and my beliefs, you have zero credibility. You have allowed yourself to be strung along by those who insist we go back to the attack days of the past; the days that tore this town apart. I will have nothing to do with tearing down my fellow candidates; I will not play along with your game of deceit.  Truth always wins. Integrity always prevails. Honesty is always the best policy. Character is what our Town is made of. On your next rampage, I hope you will think twice about writing a letter about Bob King.

Thank you to the Mt. Airy Blog for allowing this post. 

Bob King 
http://www.bobking4mtairy.com 
http://www.facebook.com/bobking4mtairy

FIVE NOMINATED FOR MOUNT AIRY COUNCIL

 It’s All About Civility as Mount Airy Enters a New Political Season 

The question on most residents’ minds is will this be a dog eat dog race as usual in Mount Airy? Or is it high time for Mount Airy’s elected officials to work together for the future and good of its residents?

It’s not a secret that Mount Airy is known for its contentious political battles. Mount Airy has always been divided by a county line, however, over the past seven years, the divide has grown deeper, often rearing its ugly head every month at the town council table. In fact, in the recent Town Needs Assessment the number one concern on residents’ minds is the lack of civility in town government. 

Many residents are concerned about the constant never-ending personal attacks via the editorial pages, email and face-to-face exchanges at town council meetings. When leaders are constantly at each other’s throats, it hurts the reputation of the town.

Read More

Highlighting Those Who Serve Our Community!

Councilman, David Blais
The Mount Airy Blog took a long vacation this summer, but we're back!
Get ready for more posts and great information about what's happening around Mount Airy!


Every month over at Want 2 Dish? a Mount Airy neighbor is featured. This month, get to know Mount Airy Councilman, David Blais.


Meet Your Neighbor Series....Want2Dish?

Rockinberg Showing Leadership? Please!!!!!

Where's The Water?

You know it’s bad when they call in the “big guns.” Where has Todd Eudy been hiding? Under a rock? Isn’t he the guy who barely shows up for Water and Sewer Commission meetings, but Pat Rockinberg and gang argue he can stay on even though the council developed rules and guidelines for such instances. Well, yes…I believe he’s the guy. 

  

In this weeks Gazette, Eudy states 

“I appreciate how he (the Mayor) frequently references and carries out the vision of our residents as reflected in the 2007 Town Survey.”

Let’s gets one thing straight. The 2007 survey was analyzed only for political purposes serving the Rockinberg anti-growth, anti- business political machine agenda. If Rockinberg was really behind what the residents wanted, he wouldn’t have promoted a “not in my back yard” response to the Rigler Annexation proposing a community center. A community center that 63% of the residents said they wanted in the infamous 2007 survey. 

Mount Airy will be much better represented when the new survey is completed by the Be Local, Mount Airy group. Results will be analyzed objectively by those who do not have an agenda or a political ax to grind.   

In 2006, Eudy did nothing but bring hate to our community. Divide and conquer was his motto. He savagely attacked three council members who worked tirelessly for this community trying to bring the amenities that this community needed and still does. I’ve made many friends on the"other side" since that time I would never want this community to go backwards in time. The kind of venom and animosity Eudy brings to the table is what we all must stand up against and demand better. I hope residents will see Eudy for what he really is, a shit stirrer, and understand the reasons why he is suddenly surfacing--there's an election year coming right up. 

Do you remember “The Quorum?”  How could you forget? Well, one could argue that’s exactly what we have now with Pyatt, Strong and Helt; Helt being the wild card for sure. You never know which way the wind is blowing with Helt, but typically and as of late…it blows towards Rockinberg and gang. (BTW, who he has positioned in every commission and every nook and cranny of our Town’s government.) 

This new “Quorum” is anti-economic development and developer, anti business, anti work where you live if possible, anti collaboration of all stakeholders in the community, and with the exception of Helt on occasion, have shown they are not willing to embrace different ideas, solutions, recommendations and suggestions in order to work together to solve problems. 

They don't even accept the notion that we have any problems.

Leaders have vision. Leaders can see things from all angles and embrace different ways of looking at a situation, issue or problem. Leaders embrace their team and work with each person to develop a healthy, strong, professional relationship among colleagues.

Those are not the traits of our current Mayor. 

Don’t agree with his opinion? He will write a letter to the editor instead of discussing in a mature, business like, adult manner. If you write a letter regarding your opinion, he sicks one of  his goons after you. (Eudy, Blatchford, Basement Boy Falletta, Curley) Want to obtain documents under Freedom of Information as a resident? He will charge you. Want to be annexed in to Town (not a resident) he will go to bat for you! (Hmm. I wonder what the politicians were going to get in return?) 

You may think he’s doing a bang up job, but I ask you this Mount Airy; Since he’s become Mayor...

• Has he fostered an environment where business feels confident? NO. 

• Has he worked with MAMSA, Economic Development and the Planning Commission to create a strong foundation where business is encouraged and welcomed into our community? NO. 

• Has he utilized the 2007 survey and it’s findings to bring a community center or something for teens to do? NO. 

• A middle school for Frederick County? NO.  (In fact, he didn't even know that the Frederick County students no longer attended New Market Middle.)

• Has he taken the steps to come up with solutions to Mount Airy’s long standing infrastructure problems, such as Water, Sewer and Traffic? NO. 

There’s been much discussion lately about our “reserve” funds. The reserve funds have been sitting, earning interest from impact fees developers are required to pay for FUTURE INFRASTRUCTURE. 

Wake up Mount Airy. Those funds aren't for emergencies or to balance the Mayor’s Budget. Those funds are a promise to YOU, the residents who  have been waiting for two decades for Mount Airy to get with the program and fix it’s infrastructure problems. 

Shame on you, Todd Eudy or anyone else who thinks this Mayor is showing leadership. Real leadership starts with action; not false promises, lots of empty talk…. and most of all, spin.

A Check On Reality

Regarding Town’s Reserve Fund(s)

Transparency and the truth. That’s what Americans want. And that’s certainly what the residents of Mount Airy want. It seems like the more we push for the truth, the more our Mayor and certain members of the Council and other Commissions push the other way. 

I applaud Council Members Blais and Peters for having the courage to address the ramifications of balancing the budget with “reserve” funds has on the long term viability of the Town. As residents we should be questioning why the other council members aren’t doing the same.    

Councilwoman Peters does a great job of responding to my friend Mr. Blatchford’s “Reserve funds needed for use ” Carroll County Times, May 24^th.  See Ms. Peters response. 

The problem starts with referring to the Town’s “reserve” funds as  a “savings” account. These funds aren’t just a simple “savings” account.  These funds are primarily impact fees collected from developers during Mt. Airy’s boom plus interest earned over the past two decades.  Real emergencies may constitute dipping into the funds, however compensating for a deficit in the budget due to raising salaries of Town employees doesn’t constitute an emergency, does it? 

Council Members Peters and Blais repeatedly stressed they could not support dipping into “reserve” funds merely to balance the general operating budget with no long term plan to fix the deficit problem. What will we do next year if the deficit problem is not addressed? Instead of questioning council members Blais and Peters, perhaps we should be questioning the Mayor’s ability to manage the Town’s budget. Do we have a revenue problem, or a spending problem? And what is the Mayor doing to solve the problem?

I'm So Dizzy...My Head is Spinning.....

When we vote for Town Council, Mayor, or anyone for that matter, there should be a better vetting process so residents can really get to know the truth about their choices.What do we know about the Mayor? What kind of budget experience does he have? 

In a small Town, you often don't know who you've voted for until its' too late. Unfortunately, that's the case right here in our own, small, charming Mount Airy. Not really so charming sometimes, huh? 

In a small Town, people knock at your door and tell you lies about the other candidates and what they believe in. Tip: Be careful of people who talk about other candidates more than they talk about themselves; it may mean they are hiding information, or fabricating information as a distraction to what they're really all about. Once you've cast your ballot, it's too late. 

Councilman David Blais is a councilman who speaks from his heart. His only agenda is doing right by the Mount Airy taxpayers. He asks the hard questions. He stands his ground. He is not intimidated by the good old boy (and one girl) network. I admire Councilman Blais for his tenacity and passion to protect our tax dollars, while at the same time looking after the long term viability of the Town. 

Below is Councilman Blaise's letter to the editor and his contribution to the Mount Airy Blog this week. It's titled "I'm dizzy form the spin."  This Councilman speaks the truth. There's one thing residents want in this Town. The Truth. They are tired of the incivility and down right nastiness at Town Hall. We can't find common ground and solutions to our problems when certain people continue to write letters that are both misleading and misguided. These are the same people who knocked at your door during the last campaign. I encourage residents to take the time to find the facts and encourage local media to do a better job vetting local candidates.

I'm dizzy from the spin

Many things spin: a child's top, a pinwheel, tires on a vehicle. But the best example of spin I found this week is Bruce Curley's spin on the position of Councilwoman Wendi Peters and myself in regard to Mount Airy's emergency operations plan ("Agreements are crucial in the event of a disaster," Letters, The Gazette, May 19).

First, let me make it clear that Ms. Peters and I 100 percent support an emergency operations plan that will fit our town and the surrounding community. What I did not support was the vagueness in the language of the memorandum of understanding presented by Mayor Pat Rockinberg.

Mr. Curley points out that this is a "legal document" created and signed in advance between local government and service providers. While he is correct that it is an agreement, nothing binds the town to use those service providers, so the legal enforceability may not necessarily exist.

The mayor presented the memorandum of understanding commenting that it was important so local businesses could not "gouge us" in a time of emergency. Ms. Peters commented that she found it disconcerting that the mayor often speaks of "small-town charm," but felt the need to present a document to keep local businesses from "gouging" us in a time of emergency.

Ms. Peters gave examples of local businesses supporting those in need in times of emergency. Ms. Peters merely voiced a concern. I do not find this unreasonable.

While it is true that if the town faces a disaster, using local businesses might not be a likely option. But I believe that we should attempt to patronize local businesses first, not only for economic reasons, but also because their services are right here in our community.

Thirdly, Mr. Curley writes that I continually objected to helping anybody outside of town. That is a blatant falsehood. What I objected to was the wording in the memorandum of understanding that did not define (a) exactly where we would provide help outside of town and (b) if we provided help outside of town, who would pay the bill? I could not, in good conscience, support something that places any additional burdens upon our taxpayers to pay for services for individuals who do not live in our town.

I required clarification of these two issues, and never objected to providing services to people outside of town. In fact, the mayor agreed with my analysis and praised me for my concern.

Mr. Curley's spin is unbelievable and clearly contrived to misrepresent what I stated. Bruce, please get your facts straight and stop spinning this issue. We need unity in our town among the elected officials and the community; misrepresenting statements does more harm than good.

David Blais, Mount Airy

Town Council Member

Important message to Mount Airy Taxpayers

A special Council meeting was held tonight to address the FY’12 budget and address a request for funding from a local group of citizens. We are issuing this joint statement to the taxpayers to explain our position on each of these important issues.

The Budget - The Mayor, as Chief Financial Officer, put forth a budget a few months ago and has met with the Council on several occasions for review, comment and in some cases changes.  The final budget originally presented to the Council for a vote on Monday, May 2 included increased operating expenses, including a 30% increase in police costs and raises for all employees.   

 

The Mayor has proposed balancing the budget with transfers from reserves.  The Mayor likes to tout that we have “$9.3 million in reserves”, “industry standards recommend only 5-10% of your operating budget in an operational savings account”, “our reserves are excessive”, etc..  These statements, however, show a lack of understanding regarding the reserves.  This lack of understanding was further illustrated in our budget workshops when he showed his failure to understand that the majority of the reserves are “dedicated” funds that were collected from developers as impact fees before the issuance of a building permit or water connection.  These impact fees were established years ago to ensure that development paid its proportionate share of capital improvements and to ensure adequate facilities are available in a timely and well planned manner.  By way of example, some of those dedicated accounts include well exploration and development, water system expansion, treatment plant expansion, park reserves, and a fire safety fund to be paid to the Mt. Airy Fire Volunteer Fire Company.  

Pursuant to the law, the money collected from impact fees must only be spent on the items for which it was collected.   While it is true we may have “$9.3 million” in reserves, it is imperative that this money only be spent wisely and as outlined by our code.  In addition, we believe it is our fiduciary obligation to have a plan for the long term viability of the town and its infrastructure.  We need a responsible, viable plan to sustain the budget without “deficit borrowing” to balance the budget.  As stated by a former councilman, “There is either a revenue problem or a spending problem.”   The Mayor has failed to address the problem.   The budget was presented for a vote with no long term plan and no explanation regarding the source of the transfers from reserves.

Funding request from local group of citizens –Recently, the Mayor informed the Council that he was going to give money to a local organization working to build from the 2007 Town Survey.  While we commend the efforts of all of our local organizations, we do not believe it is government’s role to donate taxpayers’ money to service clubs and civic groups.  We do, however, feel that if the Mayor is interested in building from the 2007 survey, we should collectively, as a Council, come together and appropriate funds for a new survey.  We can use our existing Commission chairpersons, economic development and community groups for input into the questions contained in the survey and keep costs to a minimum.  We offer our services to work with such a group, appointed by Council, to develop questions, distribute to town residents and evaluate responses for an updated survey.

Whether the expenditure is $750 or $7,000 we believe the Mayor and Council must be vigilant with your tax dollars.  We are committed to doing that and offer our positions on these issues tonight as proof.

Councilman David Blais

Councilwoman Wendi W. Peters

Mayor Rockinberg-- Doesn't Have a Clue

--On Economic Development, Our Commercial Tax Base and  Living Where You Work..

Perhaps it's time for a new survey?

It appears we have a Mayor who really isn’t getting the big picture of why economic development is so important for Mount Airy. At February 23rd's special meeting of the Economic Development Commission and the Town Council,  the Mayor said>>

“I don't see a huge push or need for Economic Development beyond what we already have, we already have a good mix.”

There in lies the problem.  

The philosophy of the Mayor, 2 councilman (Pyatt and Strong) and the entire Planning and Zoning Board towards the “greedy developers” is ‘go away.’  The Mayor also said>>

“We need economic development and the business here more as a convenience.”

He went on to say that the residents need to make more of an “effort” to support local businesses to ensure their survival. He states>>

 "How we can help our residents and these businesses is to foster these businesses only as a convenience. If we don't support the businesses here in Mount Airy, those conveniences will go away. What I think EDC should focus on to help to foster these businesses and keep them thriving is a shop where you live campaign. We can educate these people, because if we don't frequent these businesses, we're not going to have them. I think that will help build our commercial tax base and keep our businesses thriving."

Really? 

Don’t get me wrong; I try to frequent our local businesses as much as possible. I would hope other residents do the same; I mean, who wants to drive to Frederick, Columbia or Germantown? But the Mayor has it all wrong. It’s not the resident’s responsibility to patronize local businesses in order for them to survive.  I, along with my fellow residents make our own choices when it comes to shopping for groceries, gas, eating  out etc. It's a free society. That’s how it works. 


Oh and by the way Mr. Mayor, encouraging a shop where you live campaign in town is just one component of EDC. Shopping here in Town will not grow the commercial tax base.Only new businesses opening their doors will add to the commercial tax base. 

It’s the Town’s responsibility and in the Town’s best interest to ensure the Town remains a viable, attractive and welcoming place to start a business. A diversified business sector brings additional foot traffic for other businesses and creates a climate that would entice residents to make the choice to stay local more often.  

The word “developer” is a bad word in this town, and the development community has been treated very poorly. Half the residents in this Town wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the development community and for the good hearted life long residents who  said YES to us moving to their Town to raise our kids and open our businesses. 

EDC Commission member Frank Dertzbaugh said  “If we can’t at least bring potential investors in the door, and get them through at least a concept, then they will lose interest with all the other hurdles they will have along the way which are many.”

It’s an uphill battle to even get a project to the concept stage. It has become the mission of this administration and the Planning and Zoning Commission to create an atmosphere of negativity with no creative out of the box solutions to infrastructure challenges. 

It's no secret that Mount Airy has a water issue...it's been that way for nearly two decades. The truth? These Town officials don’t want to find water. They don’t want to find a solution. The Mayor said so himself>>

"We have water for every resident in Mt. Airy now; I don't see a huge deficiency. I don't think we need big ground water and that's one of the things I campaigned on. We don't need these big resources. We have water resources.Now we need some more to build out center street. We are limited and I don't think we need to take great gains to change what we already have." 

How quickly we forget when we hit a dry spell? If it were really up to them, they would seal the Mt. Airy borders. Perhaps they should just build a fence? 

EDC member Mike VantSant said  "there are a couple of very key things in the enabling legislation, and one that jumps right out at me is to promote the ability to work closer to home.” To which the Mayor replied>>

"A lot of people had a choice when they moved to Mount Airy of places to live and working the same area, while that can be some what desirable, I don't think that's the number one desire of the people that live here, to have their job immediately adjacent to where they work." 

 Wow! I'll say it again.. Really? 

The Mayor is out of touch with reality and with most residents and business owners in this Town. If we have the opportunity to work closer to home, most people would jump on that, that doesn't mean we want to become an "employment hub." It just means that we create more opporutnity whether it means more jobs for our Teens, stay at home Moms or business professionals.  

Most businesses are eager to see business development. Businesses want to grow. They want the town to be a place where prospective business owners can come and be treated with respect, given an honest process and not subject to the political BS of the almighty Planning and Zoning commission.   

Businesses in Mt. Airy-if you want to grow and prosper, it’s time to take a stand against the unorthodox treatment of our development community. Stand up if you believe Planning and Zoning, Economic Development, and the Town Council should all work in concert to create an atmosphere that is conducive for economic growth and vitality in our small Town.

Mount Airy’s Charter

Like Amendments to the Constitution…
Changes Should be Part of a Thoughtful and Planned Process

I attended the Public Work Session on Wednesday May 12 primarily organized by Councilman Gary Nelson regarding the Town’s Charter. Having gone back and forth with acting Mayor Peter Helt the week before regarding the process of commission appointments, I was eager to hear the Town Charter discussion.

Past Town Council members and Mayors were invited to the work session. It was an interesting dynamic with many strong personalities who shared great insight and a lively discussion. Mount Airy’s Charter and how difficult issues are dealt with has been a hot topic since the Dave Pyatt issue in December of last year, particularly for the council members who were forced to deal directly with the issue.

Discussion ensued regarding how vacancies should be handled to the overall power of a Mayor. Chris Decolli, councilman 2002-2006 believes strongly in the separation of powers. The Mayor acts as CEO and manages government operations and the Council acts as the legislative branch. Our charter currently resembles this set up. Town Council President and acting Mayor Peter Helt suggested we give the Mayor a vote at the table and take away veto power. Many thought that this presented several issues, one being an even number of votes at the table.

In addition to recommended changes to the charter structure, another recommendation was to add a "Forfeiture, Suspension or Removal from Office" option, or possibly even "Recall Procedures." A suspension or removal option is already part of our Town Code for appointed officials:

"Removals and suspensions. To remove or temporarily suspend from office any person who has been appointed to any municipal office and who after due notice and hearing is adjudged to have been guilty of inefficiency, malfeasance, misfeasance, nonfeasance, misconduct in office or insubordination; and to fill the vacancy caused by such removal or suspension."

It was councilman Nelson’s comments regarding a recall provision that got a lot of heat. Councilman Nelson thought the voters should be able to get rid of an elected official because they were not following through with the platform of promises made when campaigning.

WOW! If this were the case, we should get rid of 95% (at least) of all elected officials, including President Barack Obama! In this provision, an elected official may be recalled with only 20% of the registered voters signatures through a referendum. If Councilman Nelson had his way, it would be simply because they haven’t kept a campaign promise. Really?

Let’s examine this statement a bit closer and perhaps share a little history.

It’s no secret that Councilman Nelson and I have rarely been on the same side of an issue. But I do admire that he stayed the course and completed his term, unlike the other members of the Johnson-Nelson-Woodhull team of 2006.

As liaison to Parks and Recreation for the past four years, Councilman Nelson brought several initiatives to the table. My friend Bob King, Chair of Parks and Recreation, has nothing but praise and admiration for Councilman Nelson.

"Whatever he took on, Gary Nelson gave one hundred percent effort."

King credits Nelson with many of the commission's accomplishments such as coordinating the effort to designate the Town's 88 acres as a park, naming the park and creating a Master Plan for the park. Councilman Nelson also worked hard on Rails to Trails. By applying and receiving grants from the State Highway Administration, councilman Nelson was able to offset some of the legal costs for easements and make property purchases needed for the project. This project is now closer to reality than ever before.

The one issue that Councilman Nelson and I have agreed on is that of schools and Mount Airy. We strongly believe that we need a Frederick County middle school either in Town, or closer to Town. Although one never would have guessed it when he fought hard against an annexation that came complete with a pad-ready school site in 2006. He said, “we can do better.” Granted, he certainly tried to do better and worked on several leads to find a site for a school during his term.

After working with Councilman Nelson on the Committee for Schools, I truly believed that Councilman Nelson was committed to bringing a Frederick County middle school to Mount Airy. Unfortunately, even though Councilman Nelson managed to convince Frederick County to retain a "floating" future school site within the Town's limits, the “we can do better” promise regarding finding a site for a Mount Airy middle school for Frederick County never came to fruition.

Should we have “recalled” Gary Nelson? Overall, I do believe that Councilman Nelson meant well and truly believed he could do better, so recalling him because he did not fulfill his promise of bringing a Frederick County middle school to Mount Airy would be absolutely ridiculous! I know, crazy coming from me, but it's true. I promised readers this would be an honest and truthful Blog, and I too will honor that promise.

Campaign promises are sometimes harder to keep than one may think. Trying to work with Frederick County schools when the Mount Airy community has sent mixed messages regarding schools being built here for the past 15 years would be challenging for anyone, seasoned or green. FCPS is a tough bunch and I truly believe that Mount Airy has gone down that path one too many times to be taken seriously, although I'd love to be proven wrong in this case.

It’s the green politicians who think they know more, and think they “can do better” who create an air of arrogance. I do believe that Gary Nelson had that air of arrogance when he was elected. Personally, I believe he still has it, but that doesn't mean he should be recalled, nor should he not receive credit where credit is due.

Councilman Nelson did not run for re-election and his term ends today. But if he had run, the voters would have decided if councilman Nelson was worthy of another term based on his accomplishments and the promises made four years ago.

And that is how we get rid of politicians who are not doing the job we elected them to do. This is America! We go to the polls!

In closing, I want to thank councilman Nelson for planning this very informative public work session and for his four years of service to the Town. I admire anyone who takes on this challenge and I hope the new incoming administration will take seriously the oath they are about to take this evening in serving the people of Mount Airy.

We don't expect to always get along, but we do expect a level of consistency and commitment to promises made and for decisions to be made based on what's best for all Mount Airy residents, not just a select few.