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Share/BookmarkJD - Of course, like the other candidates have said, I will work with the mayor that the citizens elect. One of my strongest suits that I bring to the table is my ability to work with others and I will do that with whomever I’m elected to serve. Having said that, my preference for mayor is Jason Judd. The reason that I support Jason is simple: he and I share many of the same ideas and we hold a similar vision for Frederick. I feel that Jason brings new ideas and that he has the experience and ability to lead.
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GW - The city early retirement employee buy-out debacle which transpired during the current administration continues to baffle many city voters.
They wonder how a program that provided a payment of two years of salary and also a hire back by the city of the employee received approval by the Board of Aldermen.
While you can not go back in regard to this decision, voters want aldermen who will ask the right questions and look after their interests when considering proposals that come before them.
How will you assure the voters you will be diligent on their behalf when you make decisions on proposals presented to the Board of Aldermen?
JD - First, let me say that I too am baffled. The buy-out by any standard was a lucrative arrangement, not properly vetted. The board did not approach this with due diligence nor did they spend the necessary time to understand both the intended and unintended consequences. We are still being blind-sided by the consequences.
When I am on the Board of Aldermen, I will slow the process, read the documents, research the issues, and ask the hard questions. In addition, even more important, I will insist that we provide adequate time for public review and comment. There was no compelling reason why this decision had to be rushed thru this process.
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GW - The annexation of three farms (Thatcher, Crum and Summers) into the City of Frederick will come before the Board of Aldermen soon for a vote.
Some aldermen candidates have supported the annexations commenting on the economic benefits, while others who feel they are premature have opposed. Others have supported some of the annexations, but not all.
In addition, some opponents have said they will start a petition opposing the annexations should the Board vote to approve, forcing the decision to a ballot referendum.
First, tell the voters if you support any or all of these annexations. Second, should the Board vote for approval, would you support a petition drive to force the vote to a ballot referendum?
JD - I have not heard a compelling reason for the city to annex the Summers Farm at this time. Before we annex this land for development, we should be focused on redevelopment and infill along the Golden Mile. At such a time as we have revitalized the Golden Mile, then I would support the possibility of annexing the Summers Farm.
The Thatcher/COPT and the Crum farms are different issues. The traffic generated by the proposed 2,000,000 square feet of commercial space and additional residences on the Crum land is a serious issue and it does not appear to be an easy nut to crack. US15, with its un-signalized grade-level interchanges is already a serious safety hazard. Constructing a Biggs Ford road interchange to support the anticipated traffic is a huge expense; some estimates show it as high as 80 or 90 million.
The State highway administration, in a letter dated 11 June of this year, indicated that the interchange they had planned for in the I270/US15 multi-modal study would only support the existing low density land use. Additionally the SHA strongly recommended that the cost of planning, design and construction of the interchange be included in the annexation agreement. To my knowledge this proffer has not been made.
I again have not heard a compelling reason for annexing these properties at this time. It is interesting to note that our 2004 Comp Plan table LU.4 indicates that this area northeast of the existing city is in the 2015-25 timeframe for annexation. Coincidentally, this is also the timeframe for the State’s anticipated improvements to US15.
Additionally, before anyone moves forward with this, we would want to address the environmental issues of the 50-acre flood plain on the Thatcher property.
If the Board insists on voting for annexation of either the Crum or Thatcher properties, I will support a petition to put the matter on the ballot.
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GW - Staying with the issue of growth, I want to ask you about "sustainable growth" you discuss on your campaign website www.danielsforalderman.com.
Frederick County Government recently voted to proceed with the construction of a Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facility to handle waste disposal. City of Frederick Mayor Jeff Holtzinger provided public testimony in support of WTE. However, I am not sure the Board of Aldermen voted in support of WTE.
First, tell the voters a little more about some of your ideas of "sustainable growth". Second, do you support the proposed Frederick County Incinerator?
JD - First:, sustainable growth and smart economic development go together, hand-in-glove. They go together because they grow a city where residents can live, work, and play, all in walking distance or a short transit ride away. To do this for Frederick, we must:
a. manage our growth to encourage more businesses and increased population density within our existing footprint.
b. provide incentives to small retail and light manufacturing businesses to locate in our midst.
c. support and expand our technology incubators.
d. re-purpose under-utilized real estate, and create disincentives for letting buildings stand vacant.
e. build more affordable housing, including a mix of single-family and multi-family dwellings within walking distance of, or a short public transit ride to and from the places people work.
Second: I do not support the WTE. Rather than build an incinerator, I would like to see Frederick County reduce, re-use and recycle. Additionally, an aggressive composting program would further reduce the demand on the landfill. Approximately 95% of our waste stream is recoverable, and a 65-70% recovery rate is achievable.
The WTE is not a panacea and, in fact, may compete with recycling. Even with an incinerator, we will require a landfill to dispose of the ash and non-burnable waste. When we factor in the ash created from imported waste, we may require more landfill space than a 65-70% recovery rate would require. Plus, $600 million is a lot of money. I am disappointed in our choice.
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GW - Perhaps, the most important responsibility the next mayor and board will have is management of the budget. In all likelihood, tax revenues will be down as signs indicate the national and worldwide recession will linger.
Share with the voters some of your thoughts on this subject.
JD - There is no question but that the next mayor and board will have a difficult job in managing the budget with reduced revenues. It is worth noting that in addition to decreased property tax revenue, the tax equity with the county will be declining over future years due to reductions in county spending, and we will continue to have additional cuts in SHUR (state highway user revenues) funding.
How do we make up for the loss of revenue?
1. Go to a zero-based budget, justifying the need and benefit of every line on the operating budget.
2. Triage the CIP's, cutting or postponing lower priority projects, such as the proposed regional park development.
3. Declare a moratorium on additional debt.
4. Aggressively pursue federal and state grants.
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GW - John, the time has sped by and we are now to my last question. The recent flap pertaining to a fine issued by the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) has created discussion surrounding the HPC and the City of Frederick Historic District. In this case, the Mayor allegedly instructed staff to disregard the fine issued by the HPC on a property owner while a remedy exists to the owner by filing an appeal.
The downtown historic district has been a plus for the city since it was created despite periodic complaints pertaining to over rigorous renovation guidelines.
First, do you support the continuation of the historic district and second, do you feel a review of the renovation guidelines used by the HPC is necessary?
JD - I do support the HPC continuing to oversee the preservation of the historic district. Decisions are difficult and sometimes appear arbitrary, but the HPC has made a significant contribution to the overall preservation of buildings in Frederick. I will support not only a review of the guidelines, but also a review of the procedures that property owners must follow to obtain permission for renovations.
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GW - Thank you again John for being my guest on Air-it-out with George Wenschhof. I want to remind everyone the September 15 primary is less than four weeks away so please remember to go vote! I would now like to give you time for some closing remarks.
JD - Thanks, George, for providing this forum.
Some folks have asked me if being so new to Frederick is a disadvantage for my campaign. My answer is, yes and no. Yes, I am new to Frederick, but no, I am not new to leadership roles, and, no, I don't think being new to Frederick is a liability. There are many new residents in Frederick, and there will be even more over the next few years. In fact, the state's projection for population increase over the next 20 years is in the neighborhood of 50%. So I think that I can relate to the issues of not only long time residents, but also of new residents. You know, in the British Virgin Islands, they have the term "belongers"-- you see it on signs in the airport customs lines. There, you are a "belonger" if you are a citizen and a resident of the island. So I see myself as a tax-paying, Frederick "belonger," ready to serve the community. I believe that I’m the right person for the job. I have the time, temperament and leadership skills to be on the team that moves Frederick forward.
I ask for your support and for your vote on September 15.
http://www.danielsforalderman.com/
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