GROWTH BATTLE CONTINUES WITH YOUNG APPOINTMENT

George Wenschhof

Don’t hold your breath for an amiable start to charter government in Frederick County, Maryland.  In one of the last acts by the current board of commissioners, and a poke in the eye to incoming county executive Jan Gardner(D), they appointed board president Blaine Young(R) to a vacant planning commission position.  This appointment to the planning commission will actually last longer than the four year term Gardner just won with the November election.

The supporters of Jan Gardner will call foul and argue she should be allowed to appoint the person to fill this position to a commission that captures the attention of those who follow the government actions pertaining to growth.

However, per the charter, the incoming county executive must receive approval from the county council for any appointments to commissions and any “at-will” employees she may wish to hire. The “at-will” employees are department heads that serve at the pleasure and are not merit employees.

With the composition of the council being 4-3 Republican, do not expect someone like a Gardner supporter and former county commissioner Kai Hagen(D) to  receive approval from the council.

But, when looking at the appointment of commissioner Blaine Young to the planning commission, the state constitution spells out a person cannot hold two positions in which they receive compensation.  A planning commission member does receive a small amount of compensation.

When I discussed this with county attorney John Mathias, he pointed out the appointment of Young to the planning commission takes effect on November 30, a Sunday and the last day before charter is enacted and the new elected officials take office.  In all practicality, he added nothing would be done on a Sunday.  Furthermore, Mathias said that by Young’s acceptance of the planning commission position, it would be deemed he had resigned his county commissioner position on Sunday November 30.

It will also be interesting to see who is elected president and vice-president of the council. The president will preside over the meetings.  Both positions are called for by the charter and are determined by vote of the full council.  With a 4-3 Republican advantage look to see these two positions filled by Republicans Bud Otis and Billy Shreve who were both elected at-large.  Otis received the most votes, but county commissioner Billy Shreve, a big Young supporter, will also want this position.  The council can decide to add another position, and if they choose to do so, perhaps another Republican council elect member Kirby Delauter or Tony Chmelik would take this slot.

Otis would be the wiser choice over Shreve for council president and he has the most promise to actually understand he is the swing vote and act in a more common sense manner.  It is obvious Shreve will continue his blind carte blanche support Blaine Young and his policies toward growth.

Regardless of who becomes council president, with Young on the planning commission and a Republican majority council, Frederick County residents can expect little cooperation with county executive elect Gardner and her positions on how best to manage growth.

Stay tuned.

ATTORNEY NEEDED FOR FREDERICK COUNTY COUNCIL

George Wenschhof

The overreaching of authority by Frederick County executive Jan Gardner(D) illustrates the need for an attorney representing the Frederick County council.

It is not surprising there is some confusion as charter government is implemented in Frederick County.

Watching the meeting held by the council on the 16th, it quickly became evident county attorney John Mathias, who works at the pleasure of the county executive, should not be the one giving advice to the council.

In their second meeting, council president Bud Otis(R) did not display a grasp of his position and council members would often ask questions poised to Mathias.  In the future, they will hopefully make motions to receive answers to questions.

Initial questions posed by council member Billy Shreve(R) pertaining to the instructions issued by Gardner for Mathias to not represent the county in regard to a court hearing on a Developer Rights and Responsibilities Agreement (DRRA) on Monrovia Towne Center brought about a response from Mathias directed to council president Bud Otis that he thought they had agreed this issue would not be on the agenda.

Mathias would then walk back Gardner’s instructions for him to not appear by saying the county was still representing their position on the agreement and that they had simply relinquished their time to the developers attorneys at this hearing.

A DRRA is a contract and having been agreed to by the previous board of county commissioners, the county executive does not have the authority to order the agreement not to be defended by county counsel.

At another point in the meeting when council members Shreve and Kirby Delauter(R), and Tony Chmelik(R) questioned the actions taken by Gardner to hire campaign supporters to new positions she created with the county, Mathias again said he understood this was not on the agenda to be discussed.  When Delauter pointed out the council has the authority to subpoena witnesses and investigate issues, Mathias was quick to advice against this, saying it would be a poor start to the new charter government and that he would send a response to questions to council members.

In addition, when former board of commissioners Blaine Young(R) questioned the action taken by Gardner to transfer a county employee (who he admitted to having a relationship with), to another department at a loss of $40,000 in pay, there was again no satisfactory answer given.

Further evidence of the need for independent counsel for the county council were the actions taken by county attorney Mathias in regard to the recent appointment of Young to the Planning Commission.

In a letter to Young prior to the appointment, Mathias spelled out to Young how and when the appointment should be made and added his acceptance of the planning commission position would be deemed he had resigned from the board of county commissioners.

After Gardner was sworn in, Mathias sent a memo to her saying that it was a 50/50 proposition as to how Young’s acceptance of the planning commission position would be interpreted by law.

Mathias has been an excellent county attorney for many years and it is wise for Gardner to retain him.

However, with the implementation of charter government, it is clear the council, a separate body from the executive branch, should have their own legal staff.

It is understandable there will be growing pains during the implementation of charter.  But, it is imperative, regardless of political party, charter government is implemented fairly in Frederick County with the appropriate checks and balances in place envisioned by the charter writing board.

Stay tuned.

IS GARDNER OVERREACHING HER AUTHORITY?

George Wenschhof

The first two announcements made from Frederick County’s first elected county executive have raised questions as to whether she has the authority to take the actions she took.

First, county executive Jan Gardner announced a handful of appointments that required changes in personnel rules according to Mitch Hose, director of Human Resources.  Included in this announcement was the creation of new positions without approval from the county council.  The council must approve the budget so some are questioning why the county executive did not submit to the council changes to the budget to pay for these positions.

In addition, the position of government policy/relations replaced the position previously held by David Dunn was an “at-will” which falls under division heads that must receive confirmation from the council for approval.

Secondly, Gardner followed up in her first week in office, by announcing she had instructed the county attorney to not attend a court proceeding to represent and defend the county position on a Developers Rights and Responsibility Agreement (DRRA).  This DRRA pertained to the controversial Monrovia Town Center development, a major campaign issue during the recent election.

The charter clearly states land use authority rests with the council.  One member of the charter writing committee told me they believed at a minimum, Gardner should have consulted the council before taking that action.  Another member of the charter writing committee expressed concern with her action.

This is a good question for if the council approves a DRRA in the future and the county executive does not agree with it, do they have the authority to order the county attorney to not defend the DRRA, if contested in court?

If this is true, will the county council need to retain a lawyer to represent their positions?

The interaction between the county executive and county council will play out during this first term under the new charter and the actions taken by both will provide precedent for future councils and executives.

What is clear is the two bodies are separate deliberately to provide for a balance of power, well known in U.S. representative democracy.

Gardner, a former president of the board of commissions, will find the council is not a board of commissioners and members of the council will be learning their responsibilities and authority provided under the charter.

Look to see if the council challenges these actions taken by Gardner or allows them to stand.

I have heard Gardner is scheduling meetings with former Maryland county executives Doug Duncan (Montgomery) and Ken Ulman (Howard) to discuss how they functioned in the role of county executive during their time in office.  This is a wise move.

Perhaps, the Frederick county council should also consult with existing county councils in the state to see how they interact with their county executives on these and other important issues.

One thing that appears certain is implementation of charter in Frederick County will likely be a work in progress over the first term.

Let’s hope both strive to exercise their authority appropriately and work together to provide a better future for Frederick County residents.

Stay tuned.

CHANGES IN PERSONNEL RULES NEEDED TO COVER GARDNER APPOINTMENTS

George Wenschhof

I listened with interest as Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner(D) made her announcement on Wednesday of five appointments.

Other than the interim hire of Mike Gastley as budget director, I wondered if the council would approve the other appointments.  Interestingly, newly elected council president Bud Otis(R) said during the press announcement the county executive should be able to hire her staff.

However, he neglected to note the charter calls for confirmation by the council of appointments by the county executive, except for interim appointments.  Interim appointments cannot last longer than six months.

Gardner began her announcement by saying she would be keeping Mike Marschner as special projects manager and adding Margaret Nusbaum as another special projects manager.  Both positions she added would be part time.

Neither was a surprise.  Mike Marschner prepared the power point presentation that promoted the county building an Incinerator. Gardner who was then president of the board of county commissioners also strongly supported the building of an incinerator.  She would go on to write 4 columns on my Blog, FrederickPolitics.com arguing against fellow Democratic commissioner Kai Hagen, who opposed this action.

Nussbaum was Gardner’s campaign manager during her run for county executive.

Janice Spiegel was appointed to the new position of education liaison to work with the board of education and Frederick Community College as Jan put it.

Roger Wilson was named to a new position serving as government policy/affairs and liaison to work with government entities.  A position previously held by David Dunn, who previously served in an “at-will” position.

Gardner admitted the new positions exceeded current budget allotments, but she was comfortable the money could be found to cover the expense.

Her final appointment was Mike Gastley, who she made a point to state she was naming him as interim Budget Director.

The charter allows for a temporary appointment to be made by the county executive without council approval, providing it does not last more than 6 months.  In this case, with the need to submit a county budget looming, an interim appointment for this position is understood.

Appointments made by the county executive to other positions require confirmation by the council.  The charter also states if the council takes no action within 30 days of said appointments, the appointments will be deemed approved.

Curiosity led me to call county attorney John Mathias to ask him if the Gardner appointments needed council approval.  He referred me to Human Resources Director Mitch Hose, who told me changes in personnel policy were being written to cover these appointments.

I asked Hose if Gardner acted before the changes were made and he said yes.  I also asked if council approval was needed for these personnel changes and he said yes, but he saw no problem in receiving council approval. We both agreed had she hired all the positions on a temporary basis, it would have been permitted, up to six months before council approval would need to be obtained.  We both also agreed she did not state this in her announcement.

The county executive should be allowed to hire staff and make appointments to board/commissions.

However, checks and balances of council confirmation are necessary to ensure public confidence against political cronyism and to keep an eye on the budget.

This is an interesting start to charter in Frederick County.  Will the council rubber stamp the proposed personnel changes to support the hires made by Gardner or take no action for 30 days and allow the appointments to become permanent?

Stay tuned.

GROWTH BATTLE CONTINUES WITH YOUNG APPOINTMENT

George Wenschhof

Don’t hold your breath for an amiable start to charter government in Frederick County, Maryland.  In one of the last acts by the current board of commissioners, and a poke in the eye to incoming county executive Jan Gardner(D), they appointed board president Blaine Young(R) to a vacant planning commission position.  This appointment to the planning commission will actually last longer than the four year term Gardner just won with the November election.

The supporters of Jan Gardner will call foul and argue she should be allowed to appoint the person to fill this position to a commission that captures the attention of those who follow the government actions pertaining to growth.

However, per the charter, the incoming county executive must receive approval from the county council for any appointments to commissions and any “at-will” employees she may wish to hire. The “at-will” employees are department heads that serve at the pleasure and are not merit employees.

With the composition of the council being 4-3 Republican, do not expect someone like a Gardner supporter and former county commissioner Kai Hagen(D) to  receive approval from the council.

But, when looking at the appointment of commissioner Blaine Young to the planning commission, the state constitution spells out a person cannot hold two positions in which they receive compensation.  A planning commission member does receive a small amount of compensation.

When I discussed this with county attorney John Mathias, he pointed out the appointment of Young to the planning commission takes effect on November 30, a Sunday and the last day before charter is enacted and the new elected officials take office.  In all practicality, he added nothing would be done on a Sunday.  Furthermore, Mathias said that by Young’s acceptance of the planning commission position, it would be deemed he had resigned his county commissioner position on Sunday November 30.

It will also be interesting to see who is elected president and vice-president of the council. The president will preside over the meetings.  Both positions are called for by the charter and are determined by vote of the full council.  With a 4-3 Republican advantage look to see these two positions filled by Republicans Bud Otis and Billy Shreve who were both elected at-large.  Otis received the most votes, but county commissioner Billy Shreve, a big Young supporter, will also want this position.  The council can decide to add another position, and if they choose to do so, perhaps another Republican council elect member Kirby Delauter or Tony Chmelik would take this slot.

Otis would be the wiser choice over Shreve for council president and he has the most promise to actually understand he is the swing vote and act in a more common sense manner.  It is obvious Shreve will continue his blind carte blanche support Blaine Young and his policies toward growth.

Regardless of who becomes council president, with Young on the planning commission and a Republican majority council, Frederick County residents can expect little cooperation with county executive elect Gardner and her positions on how best to manage growth.

Stay tuned.

DONALD WIN WILL BRING MORE BALANCE TO COUNCIL

George Wenschhof

The win by Jerry Donald(D) over Ellen Bartlett(R) was significant as it creates a more balanced and hopefully, more effective Frederick County council.

The change to charter government in Frederick County, Maryland will be reviewed closely over the next 4 years following the swearing in of the new county executive and seven member council.

How to best manage growth was once again the front and center issue in the 2014 election with Democrat Jan Gardner easily beating Republican Blaine Young.  This result bucking the nationwide trend in a midterm election year where Republicans won a majority in the U.S. Senate and also expanded their majority in the House.

The arrogance and ill conceived actions taken by Blaine Young in the one term he served as president of the board of county commissioners contributed heavily to his loss.  Rubbing the Young loss in even more was the win by Republican Larry Hogan for governor of Maryland, a state where Democratic registered voters outnumber Republican voters by a 2-1 margin.

Interestingly, Blaine Young also only served one term (1997-2001) as an alderman with The City of Frederick.  Then, a Democrat, he would become embroiled in a “Black Book” scandal involving a local Madam.  This humiliation, combined with his support of Republican James Grimes over Democrat Fran Baker for mayor in the 1997 election, led to his changing party affiliation and reinventing himself as a conservative talk show host.

Where he goes now and whether he chooses to reenter the political arena remains to be seen. A man with a lot of political talent, he remains his own worst enemy with the inability to display an even temperament and failing to offer forth reasonable proposals.

Democrat Jan Gardner also displayed a single sided approach when she served one term as president with a board that supported her positions on growth.  Her actions also upset many voters when she down zoned properties and proposed reducing the amount of money due back to municipalities under the tax equity program.

Her steadfast support of building an incinerator only added to the ire of many voters, leading to the win by Blaine Young and company. This led to a reversal and then some over the next four years of the many policies enacted by the Gardner led board.

The win by Donald over Bartlett by 25 votes, in council district 1 gives Frederick County voters a 4-3 Republican council and a Democrat county executive.  Former member of the Frederick County Democratic state central committee Russ Currey told me prior to the election that Donald was working very hard and may just upset Bartlett.  He was right, as the outcome was not decided until the final count of the absentee and provisional ballots.

With county executive elect Gardner also not having a Democrat governor to help her, she will not experience the support she had when serving as president of the board of county commissioners.

Perhaps, as a result of the implementation of charter government, Frederick County voters will experience what I have longed for; a more balanced government and an end to the back and forth pendulum swing on how best to handle growth.

Gardner will need a majority vote from the council for her appointments to boards and commissioners as well as staff that serve at the pleasure.  The exception to this is the board of appeals whose members will be appointed by the council.

With the Donald win, it also keeps Republicans from holding a 5-2 super majority on the council.  Look to see at-large council member elect Bud Otis emerge as the swing vote on pivotal legislation.  Instead of just voting along the lines of the other 3 Republican council members ( two of them: Kirby Delauter and Billy Shreve currently serve as commissioners and are supporters of Blaine Young), he would be wise to work to become the consensus builder over the next four years.  This would position himself well if he chose to be a candidate for county executive in 2018.

Stay tuned.

TWO FREDERICK COUNTY RACES REMAIN TOO CLOSE TO CALL

George Wenschhof

Wow! If you ever wondered if your vote counts, there are two races in Frederick County, Maryland that remain too close to call after the first count of absentee ballots today.

County council district 1 race in Frederick County, Maryland tied after first absentee count – at 8,075 each between Republican Ellen Bartlett and Democrat Jerry Donald. Donald was 61 votes down on election night.

This is a pivotal race for Democrats in that a Bartlett win would give Republicans a super majority of the council 5-2 to work with Democrat county executive Jan Gardner.

A Donald win would make it a 4-3 Republican majority with at-large Republican elect council member Republican Bud Otis most likely becoming the swing vote. The other 3 Republican elect council members are Blaine Young supporters – Republican Blaine Young lost to Democrat Jan Gardner in the county executive race.

Many have questioned the ability of Ellen Bartlett (wife of ten term Republican congressman Roscoe Bartlett) to perform the duties of this position because of her age and her lack of knowledge of current events. Some have also questioned her residency, pointing to the family’s farm outside the state where she and her husband spend most of their time.

The other position still too close to call had Ken Kerr leading by a mere 4 votes over April Miller after election night for the last spot on the nonpartisan board of education race. He fell 66 votes behind April Miller after the first absentee count. However, there are enough votes outstanding to be counted that this race is not a done deal.

The next count of absentee/provisional ballots will be conducted next Wednesday November 12 by the Frederick County Board of Elections.

Stay tuned..

A WAKE UP CALL FOR POLITICIANS

George Wenschhof

Before Republicans get carried away with their victories and Democrats wallow in their defeats in the 2014 midterm elections, they should see the real message being delivered by voters.  The message is voters are tired of rhetoric and yearn for results.

A frustrated voter came up to me yesterday at a polling location and asked me “are there any moderates out there”?

Gerrymandering has contributed to candidates with far left and far right ideologies winning elections across the country.  As elected officials they often feel compelled to stand by their ideology rather than capitulate and reach agreement with their opposite.

The subsequent gridlock in Washington has lead to little to no meaningful legislation moving forward.

Adding to Americans disdain with elections is the amount of money spent on campaigns.

A loss of seats in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives was expected in this midterm election by Democratic leaders.  History shows this is a common occurrence to the political party who has a president serving a second term.

However, the severity of the drubbing of Democrats by Republicans across the country in races for the House, Senate and Governor was a surprise.

As the fog of the morning after begins to lift, it looks like Republicans will hold 53 seats in the Senate and 242 in the House.

Republicans will revel in their victories and the second guessing by Democrats will begin.

Yet, the answer is simple and that is for elected officials to roll up their sleeves, work together and deliver results.

Opportunities exist to pass legislation to create jobs rebuilding the country’s aging infrastructure, immigration reform, tax reform and approval of the Keystone XL pipeline.

Eyes will be on Republicans and the White House to see what actions are taken by both political parties over the next two years.

The 2016 presidential election campaign will begin in early 2015, shortly after New Year celebrations conclude.

The political party that recognizes the need for campaign finance reform and nonpartisan committees drawing redistricting maps in all states across the country will gain the favor of American voters.

Working together to deliver results and end the rhetoric is the message voters are sending to politicians.

Stay tuned.

MORE FREDERICK COUNTY, MARYLAND ELECTION PREDICTIONS

Politics punctuates this nonpartisan race between former Frederick County state’s attorney Republican Scott Rolle who is challenging the appointment by Maryland Democratic Governor Martin O’Malley of sitting Judge Danny O’Connor, who is also a Democrat.

However, other than being turned off by this campaign ad, there is no compelling reason for voters to want to remove reasonable and well qualified Judge O’Connor from the bench. While Rolle will make it close, look to see Judge O’Connor win this race.

Two term Frederick County Republican Sheriff Chuck Jenkins will win for a third time against Democratic challenger Karl Bickel.  Bickel failed to receive enough signatures to in his attempt to run as an independent four years ago and this time ran as a Democrat.  Bickel has run a competitive campaign even without having raised any significant campaign funds.  It will be interesting to see if Jenkins maintains his 60% approval rating he received in his first two elections.

Republican Charles Smith will also remain as Frederick County state’s attorney.  He should also receive around 60% of the vote.  Democrat Teresa Bean provides a choice for voters.  But, look to see name recognition and voter registration propel Smith to an easy win.

Recent redistricting suggests the winners of the state delegate positions in district 3 and district 4 will likely mirror the voter registration advantage held by Democrats and Republicans in these districts.

In district 3, where Democrats hold a voter registration, state senator Ron Young(D) will win reelection easily. Ron Young is by far the more qualified candidate over his Republican challenger Corey Stottlemeyer.

Democrats should win all three state delegate positions as well in district 3, with Karen Young and Carol Krimm prevailing over Republicans Paul Smith and Victoria Wilkins in district 3-a.  County Commissioner Paul Smith may make it interesting, but his remarks about women and their role in the home should ensure his defeat.  Republican candidate Victoria Wilkins is unlikely to be competitive in this election.

In district 3-b, Democrat Stephen Slater, who recently moved to the district should prevail over Republican William “Bill” Folden.  The Slater campaign raised significantly more money than the Folden campaign.  But look to see a well known Folden make this race closer than what it should be.

Over in district 4, where voters elect three delegates, Republican Michael Hough, who crushed former state senate minority leader David Brinkley in the primary, will defeat Democrat Dan Rupli.  Rupli is by far, the candidate best suited to serve in Annapolis and has conducted a good campaign.  But, he will not be able to overcome the voter registration advantage enjoyed by Republicans in this district.

Incumbent Republican state delegates Kathy Afzali and Kelly Schulz will breeze to reelection in district 4-a as Democrats failed to field enough candidates to offer them an opponent.

The race for the final state delegate position in the district however promises to be close between Democrat Gene Stanton and Republican David Vogt III.  Stanton has run an outstanding campaign and will make an excellent addition to the state house in Annapolis.  The odds favor the Republican in this race.  But, Vogt has done nothing in this campaign and does not deserve a seat in Annapolis. So, don’t count out Stanton.

Stay tuned.

FREDERICK COUNTY MARYLAND ELECTION PREDICTIONS

George Wenschhof

Only three weeks to go before the General Election and in this first segment, I will look at the county executive and council races in Frederick County, Maryland. Other than for those voters who have cast their ballots early, the next three weeks are the last chance for candidates to convince voters and for voters to make up their minds.

In 2012, Frederick County voters voted for a change to charter government and will elect a county executive and seven council members in this election.

The county executive race has created the most buzz among the local contests. It promises to be a nail bitter between Democratic candidate Jan Gardner and Republican Blaine Young.

They are polar opposites on how best to manage growth.  This issue has dominated the Frederick Commissioner race for over two decades.  The result has been less than effective back and forth pendulum swings between the two sides.

The top of the ballot Maryland race for governor is likely to impact this race with Republican Larry Hogan winning Frederick County.  However, the most qualified for the position is Democratic Lt. Governor Anthony Brown who will win to become the first African American governor of Maryland.

However, with the Brown campaign running a very low key campaign coupled with a midterm election that produces lower interest than a presidential election, expect turnout to be around 60%.

In a race that is too close to call, Hogan’s win in Frederick County and low voter turnout will aid Blaine Young who will become the first county executive in a razor thin contest.  However, do not expect him to garner more than 51% of the vote after four years of questionable actions.  Do not be surprised if Jan Garner would emerge victorious – but, it would also be by only a point or two.

This prediction runs counter to a poll being touted by the Frederick County Democratic state central committee who say the numbers the poll they paid for show Jan Gardner winning big.

Frederick County Democrats, who fielded well qualified candidates throughout the ballot, will fare much better than they did in 2010 when they won only two seats out of over 20 positions on the ballot.  Those two winners, state delegate Galen Clagett (district 3-a) and state senator Ron Young (district 3) decision not to endorse fellow Democrat Jan Gardner will also contribute to her defeat in such a close race.

However Democrats, will win 2 of the 5 council seats elected by districts.  Jessica Fitzwater (district-4) and M.C. Keegan-Ayer (district-3) are the two who will win.  Both have conducted strong campaigns and benefit from a Democratic voter registration advantage.

In district 5, Democrat Mark Long, who has run a strong campaign, will lose to Republican Kirby Delauter.  In district 1, Republican Ellen Bartlett, benefitting from name recognition of her husband Roscoe who served in congress for twenty years, will prevail over the more qualified Democrat Jerry Donald.  Sadly, in district 2, Republican Tony Chmelik will beat Democrat Annette Breiling, who is clearly the better candidate of the two.

With a close election for county executive, the 2 at large council seats will also be a very competitive and almost too close to call contest.  Expect Democrats to win one seat and Republicans to win the other, giving the Republicans a slim 4-3 majority of the council.

Republican Bud Otis and Democrat Susan Reeder Jesse are likely to emerge victorious.  Otis has run a better campaign than Shreve and his time spent as chief of staff for former twenty year Congressman Roscoe Bartlett will propel him to victory.

Jesse, who has also run a strong campaign, will benefit from being the daughter of well known and liked former county commissioner Bruce Reeder.

However, both Republican county commissioner Billy Shreve and Democrat Linda Marie Norris will be competitive in this race with Norris’s background and experience making her a natural for this position.

It is always the voters who have the final say.  Make sure you vote on November 4.

Stay Tuned.

NEW LEADERSHIP NEEDED IN FREDERICK COUNTY

George Wenschhof

A lackluster campaign for county executive has been predictable, full of rhetoric from both sides and a continuation of the “growth” versus “no-growth” theme that has dominated Frederick County politics for over two decades.

This theme continues to divide local political parties and fuel the intense dislike one side has toward the other.

When I ask supporters of Democrat Jan Gardner or Republican Blaine Young how they feel the campaign is going they tell me their candidate will win easily.

The race is likely to be closer than many would like with the undeclared voter having a significant impact in this election.

Gardner has brought back the same Republican/Democrat coalition used in the 2006 election when Democrats Garner and Kai Hagen ran with Republicans John “Lennie” Thompson and David Gray. The foursome would use the term “The Dream Team” and would embrace the slogan created by Thompson “If the developers win, you lose”.  They were all elected.

In that election, Republican Gray would give up the gavel he had won and give it to Democrat Gardner.  Many questioned this move by the newly elected board as it impacted their own election and not a future one.  A vote made by the county commissioners elect was questioned on whether it would withstand legal scrutiny. A challenge would never come.

Sadly, they would go on to harden divisions between growth and no growth voters by down zoning many properties, stripping property owners of development rights.  These actions led to lawsuits, the creation of local organizations opposing the actions taken by “The Dream Team” and embolden Republican politician Blaine Young.

In addition, Gardner would further alienate voters when, as president, she led the effort by the board of county commissioners to enter into an agreement to build a costly and ill advised incinerator.  This planned incinerator has never been built or an alternative method to dispose of solid waste determined.

Meanwhile, Blaine Young would reinvent himself after being tarnished with the “Black Book” scandal involving a local “Madam” while serving a single term (1998-2001) as a City of Frederick alderman while he was still a Democrat. His top standing as a Democrat was further stained when he supported Republican Mayor James Grimes over the Democratic candidate Fran Baker in the 1997 city election.

His subsequent Russ Limbaugh imitation on a local radio station led to his new image as a right wing conservative.  His appointment to serve the remainder of the term of departing commissioner Republican Charles Jenkins preceded his winning election easily in 2010.

Blaine would lead his team of Republicans Billy Shreve and Kirby Delauter to an easy victory over Kai Hagen and his team of Janice Wiles and Ellis Burrus.

Democrats Linda Norris and Michael Kurtianyk, who never joined the team with Kai Hagen would also lose while Republicans Paul Smith and David Gray would benefit from the Republican landslide victory in 2010.

Gray was the only member of “The Dream Team” to win election in 2010 and would go on to serve an ineffective 4 years as the other pro-growth commissioners would give new president of the board Blaine Young carte blanche.

As president of the new board of county commissioners, Blaine would use his unchecked power to take many questionable actions including, but not limited to, eliminating county funding for the highly successful Head Start program and many nonprofit organizations, spending $25,000 on an irresponsible privatization study, deciding to sell, at a huge loss, the Citizens and Montevue senior assisted care facilities, funding education at the lowest possible level, and providing at almost every turn, cost breaks for business/developers.

Emboldened by the free rein given to him by his fellow commissioners, Blaine would also move to not only reverse the down zonings enacted by the previous Gardner led board, but provide approvals to numerous development proposals seemingly stacked up to be heard by the new board.  Along with these development approvals came unreasonable long term “Rights and Responsibilities Agreements” weighted toward the developers.

Today, four years after his loss, Hagen’s long seated hatred toward Blaine Young fuels his behind the scenes efforts to support former colleague Jan Gardner.

Sadly, the battle continues along the “growth” fault line and not political party.  The only two Democrats to be elected out of over twenty local positions on the ballot in 2010 were Maryland state senator Ron Young (district 3) and Maryland state delegate Galen Clagett (district 3-a).  Neither, have or will endorse fellow Democrat Jan Gardner for county executive.

The push for charter government in Frederick County was backed by community leaders who believed a single and strong executive interacting with the state legislature would be more effective than a five member board of county commissioners.

While this may be true, there has been little to no discussion by either candidate on how they will use this new power to benefit the residents of Frederick County.

Questions unanswered are what they will do to see that Frederick County receives it share of state funds for school construction and critical road construction, or what specific actions they will take to bring meaningful jobs to Frederick County.

There is no doubt new leadership is needed for Frederick County that is more pragmatic and comprehensive. It is imperative actions taken by the new county executive and council reflect a community vision shared by the entire community.

During this first term of the newly created charter government, there promises to be growing pains as the council and executive interact with power struggles while the voters judge the effectiveness of this new form of government.

Because the council will be made up of five representatives from districts and two representatives elected at-large, look to see more balance between the growth factions with the likely split being 4-3.

The two new branches of government will certainly have the opportunity to govern in a manner that is more inclusive and finally end the destructive “growth v. no-growth” battle in Frederick County.

If not, look to see voters finally tire of the “growth v. no-growth” pendulum swing and demand a more pragmatic county executive and council in 2018 who will provide reasonable fair and effective representation.

Stay tuned.

OBAMACARE MAY HAVE SAVED MY LIFE

George Wenschhof

Observing what is best described as a world beset with violence and upheaval ranging from a flare up of the Israel-Hamas ongoing struggle in Gaza, President Obama authorizing U.S. airstrikes in Iraq, a rekindling of the cold war with Russia with the Ukraine conflict, and the continuation of a do nothing Congress, I placed my political commentary on hold.

Instead of focusing on the outcome of the midterm elections and whether Republicans or Democrats will hold a majority in the House and Senate, my focus has been on what comes next in a life threatening experience.

Receiving the news from my gastroenterologist three weeks ago that I have a cancerous lesion on my sigmoid colon was a jolt.

Fearing anesthesia and upon learning propofol (the drug that contributed to the death of Michael Jackson) was being used, I elected to stay awake during the colonoscopy, watching on a monitor and speaking with the doctor during the procedure.

I saw he was not pleased when he discovered a lesion, took biopsies of it and then tattooed the area with a dye so a surgeon could easily locate it later.  The news from the pathology report two days later that it was cancerous was not a surprise.

The exhausting days that followed have passed quickly, spent in gathering information, selecting a surgeon and a surgery date.

Adding more intrigue was a subsequent CT-Scan. Originally ordered for the abdomen and pelvic areas and later, per a surgeon’s request, expanded to include the chest.  The scan revealed a nodule on the left main stem bronchus. A bronchoscopy is up next to be followed by another biopsy necessary to determine the nature of this nodule.

What allowed me to receive this medical care was the passage of The Affordable Care Act.  If I did not have this coverage, my diagnosis would not have been made and the subsequent treatment would not be available to me.

Bad business decisions combined with the lead up to the 2008 major downturn in the economy led to the closing of my real estate company that I operated for 16 years.

Since then, I intentionally pursued full time, my lifelong interest in politics by writing news and commentary. While the outcome of advocating for legislative policy and endorsing elected officials has been a mixed bag filled with successes and disappointments along the way, my fascination with politics has never waned.

The personal financial reward of my efforts over the last six years has been a meager and often day to day existence of an aspiring, yet struggling writer/advocate. This downward spiral spinning me into a world previously foreign to me, filled with multiple culture clashes and what is defined as homelessness.

My current attempt as editor/publisher/moderator of a subscription based online political news and commentary video Blog bombed with my owing more than I earned.

In spite of my homelessness, no automobile and no capital, among the recent video interviews I was able to produce and moderate were with the next Attorney General of Maryland Brian Frosh, Montgomery County executive Ike Leggett, Frederick County circuit court judge Danny O’Connor, and Frederick County executive candidate Jan Gardner.

Pride holding me back from pursuing public assistance and eventually without an automobile, I find myself often without resources to afford the basic necessities of food and shelter.

On March 31 of this year, the last day for enrollment for immediate eligibility under The Affordable Care Act, I went online, navigated successfully through the application process and submitted.

Following acceptance, I eventually visited my primary care physician.  A blood workup and stool sample followed, leading to my first colonoscopy at the age of 61, a full eleven years after the medical community recommends it be done.

The passage of The Affordable Care Act early on in the first term of President Obama’s administration brought about both disdain and enthusiastic support from Americans across the country.

Those who opposed the passage quickly labeled the legislation “Obamacare” and Republicans in Congress used it to galvanize support from voters. Republicans also used it as an excuse to oppose any and all legislation proposed by President Obama.

The supporters pointing out the U.S. was the only major developed country in the world that did not provide national healthcare.

The result following passage of the legislation has been a gridlocked and dysfunctional government destined to be recorded as the worst congressional session in history.

Some who have helped me over the last six years have often been those who have the least ability to do so.  Living at a zero income level, I quickly discovered others who exist in what is best explained as an underground economy.

It will take a book to describe the last six years in detail.  A book I hope I am able to write.

The American debate will surely continue on whether government healthcare should be provided and for whom.

For me, I am grateful.  With a mixture of fear, hope and a strong belief in God, I embark on the next adventure in my life.

Never actualizing that it may benefit me, I have always been a supporter of The Affordable Care Act and strongly believe a single payer healthcare system is what should eventually evolve.

Without it, any middle class working family not covered with healthcare that experienced a major medical emergency would quickly reach financial ruin.

My desire is to aid in stimulating a positive dialogue that results in a healthcare system for all that is even better than what exists today and the implementation of a more effective, comprehensive approach to combat homelessness.

Finally, if you are over 50, go have a colonoscopy done.  It may save your life.

Stay tuned.

WHO WILL WIN FIRST FREDERICK COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND COUNCIL ELECTION?

George Wenschhof

The switch to charter government has done little to alter the over two decade long battle over how best to handle growth in Frederick County, Maryland.

Frederick County voters are faced once again with choosing between these two sides when they vote for members of the new county council and county executive.

While they are certainly nuances to the two sides, they are often described and recognized as “pro-growth” or “no-growth”.

Political affiliation does not define the members of the two groups.

In the 2006 county commissioner election, Democrats Jan Gardner and Kai Hagen ran with Republicans John “Lennie” Thompson and David Gray to form what they referred to as the “Dream Team”.  They won that election and served one term.

In that election, Democrats were unable to field a full slate of candidates for commissioner because they were not in agreement on this issue.  A third Democratic candidate Richard Floyd ran with the Dream Team but lost.  The fourth Democratic candidate Ron Wolf did not run with this slate and also lost.

This alliance over growth issues illustrates the age old phrase “politics makes strange bedfellows”.  Republican Commissioner Thompson told me once that although he was in alignment with Democratic Commissioner Gardner on growth, he believed with Blaine Young on less government and less taxes.

Another example is an overwhelming majority of Democrats support The Affordable Care Act. Yet, Democratic candidate for county executive Jan Gardner welcomes the support given her by Residents Against Landsdale Expansion (RALE) president Steve McKay.  Steve McKay is an unaffiliated voter who opposes The Affordable Care Act.

In the 2010 election the Kai Hagen, Ellis Burrus and Janet Wiles ran together on a more managed growth slate for county commissioner and lost handily to Republican Blaine Young and his team of “open for business” Republicans Billy Shreve, Kirby Delauter, and tag along Paul Smith.

Another Democratic candidate Michael Kurtianyck was not included in the Kai team and Democratic candidate Linda Norris attempted to stay away from the Kai slate.  They both would also lose.

Former Commissioners Kai Hagen and Jan Gardner argued strongly on opposite sides of the incinerator issue during the one term they served together.  They both wrote a series of columns that appeared on my Blog with Jan arguing for the incinerator to be built and Kai arguing against it.

Today, because of their agreement on growth policy, those differences have been forgotten with Kai supporting Jan in her run for county executive.

The growth pendulum was swinging again when all five Democratic candidates for county commissioner lost in the 2010 election.  Frederick County Democratic candidates fared poorly in that election with only 2 Democrats elected in over 20 Frederick County positions on the ballot.  They were long time Democratic political leaders Ron Young (state senate district 3) and Galen Clagett (state delegate district 3-A).

Do not look to see Clagett support Jan Gardner for county executive. In the 2013 City of Frederick election, Clagett, after losing to Karen Young in the Democratic primary for mayor, endorsed incumbent Republican mayor Randy McClement, who went on to win reelection.

In this 2014 county executive race Jan Gardner cleared the way for an unopposed primary and encouraged former “Dream Team” member commissioner David Gray to run against Blaine Young in the Republican primary.  Her thoughts were this would damage him among the “no-growth” Republican voters and cause him to spend campaign funds. Blaine’s short lived campaign for governor had produced a flush campaign chest.

Two well qualified and well known Democratic businessmen, Earl Robbins and Gordon Cooley considered a run for county executive and decided against it.  Both are more moderate when it comes to growth issues than Jan Gardner, but understood they would have a tough battle against Gardner in the Democratic primary when fewer voters cast their ballots and those voters tend to be more progressive.

To no one’s surprise, following David Gray’s expected loss to Blaine Young in the Republican primary, Gray endorsed Democrat Jan Gardner for county executive.

It would not be startling to see Democratic state delegate Galen Clagett endorse Republican Blaine Young for county executive.

So, the growth issue continues to be paramount in the county executive and county council race.

Prior to the 2014 election, voters decided, by referendum, to change to charter government. They will be electing a county executive and a seven member county council. Two of the council members are elected at large, similar to how previous commissioners were elected and five will be elected in single member districts.

Each voter will cast a ballot for a county executive, 2 at-large council members and 1 council member from their district.

Determining on what side of the growth issue each county executive candidate is on is easy on the long anticipated matchup between Jan Gardner(D) and Blaine Young(R).  This race should be tilted in favor of Gardner after many unpopular decisions by commissioner President Blaine Young. But do not underestimate the ability of Young to emerge victorious.

Open for business and pro-growth Republicans emerged from the primary with the Democratic candidates moving on to the general election being more difficult to clearly label.

The 2 at-large council member races will have Democrats Susan Reeder Jesse and Linda Norris facing Republicans Billy Shreve and Bud Otis.

Commissioner Shreve and Otis are easy to label as “open for business”. However, it will be hard to place a no-growth label on Norris and Reeder-Jesse. They have crossover appeal and in a county that features a majority of Republican voter registration, look for both to be competitive.  In addition, Susan is the daughter of former Democratic commissioner Bruce Reeder, who was considered business friendly during his time in office.

Shreve and Otis are the early favorites in this election because of a Republican voter registration advantage.  However, who wins the county executive race will influence who wins these two seats on the council.  If Jan Gardner wins convincingly against Blaine Young, don’t be surprised if one or both of the Democratic women candidates win.  Conversely, if Blaine Young wins, both Shreve and Otis could end up on the council.

In district 1, Democrat Jerry Donald faces Republican Ellen Bartlett.  Numerous sources told me Bartlett came across poorly in candidate forums in the primary, but look to see her win this election.  Her win will be primarily due to last name recognition of her husband who served in congress for two decades.

In district 2, the race is between Democrat Annette Breiling and Republican Tony Chmelik.  Breiling, like her Democratic counterpart Donald in district 1, is surely the better candidate.  However, look to see Chmelik win.

Both Chmelik and Bartlett would go in the pro-growth category.

District 3 has Democrat M.C. Keegan Ayer against Republican Denny Shafer.  Shafer campaigned with Young in the primary, but look to see M.C. Ayer win this seat on the council.

District 4 features Democrat Jessica Fitzwater against Republican Bob Lawrence.  Fitzwater is new to politics and still has a lot to learn about county government, but will win in this district that has a majority of Democratic voters.

Finally, in District 5 it is Democrat Mark Long against Republican and current commissioner Kirby Delauter.  Democrats believe Delauter is vulnerable and Long will win this seat.  Look to see Delauter win this seat, primarily a result of a Republican voter registration advantage.

I have Democrats winning in district 3 and 4 and Republicans winning in district 1, 2 and 5.

Democrats could win a majority of seats on the council if they win both at-large seats.  This could happen with a convincing win by Jan Gardner.  Due to Republican voter registration advantage in the county, the more likely scenario is for one Democratic and one Republican to be elected in the at-large seats.

If Gardner wins, the council make up would most likely be a 4-3 Republican advantage.

On the other hand, if Blaine Young wins, the council make up could be 5-2 Republican.

The majority on the council will likely be “pro-growth” regardless of who wins for county executive.

Voters will have the final say when they weigh in on Tuesday November 4.

Stay tuned.

LOW VOTER TURNOUT STORY IN MARYLAND ELECTION

George Wenschhof

When the absentee ballots are finally counted, the primary turnout in Maryland will fall way short of what I had predicted to be a low 35%.  Sadly, it was common to see lots of campaign signs at polling locations and few voters.

The move of the primary date from September to June surely impacted turnout.  But, as I pointed out in my column Monday, the ongoing gerrymandering of districts of the political party in power, the unregulated amount of money in politics and the difficult process for a viable third party to become established, all play a significant part in voter apathy and their lost of trust in government.

There were no big surprises across the state with Lt. Governor Anthony Brown winning the Democratic nomination for governor of the state.  He will face Republican Larry Hogan as he campaigns to become the first African American governor of Maryland and the third in the nation.

The good news for Brown is both of his opponents; state delegate Heather Mizeur and Attorney General Doug Gansler spoke in their concession speeches how they will help ensure a victory for Brown in November.

It would be wise for the Brown campaign to find a prominent role for both to play in the general election and if successful in November, a position in his administration.

State senator Brian Frosh, the most experienced and qualified candidate, came from behind in early polling to convincingly win the Democratic nod for Attorney General.

Likeable and effective Democratic state Comptroller Peter Franchot, who decided against a run for Governor, will be favored to win easily in November.  One of the three members of the state’s powerful Board of Public Works, he is known to speak his mind, especially when it comes to spending taxpayer money effectively.

In one unexpected result, Senate minority leader David Brinkley (R-district 4) was crushed by state delegate Michael Hough.  Hough, who received 68% of the vote, used the tea party playbook of negative campaigning, primarily accusing Brinkley of not being a conservative.

Hough will face a spirited battle from Democrat Dan Rupli in the general election, but Rupli will need help from disgruntled Brinkley supporters in the district that has a heavy Republican voter registration.

Ike Leggett beat back a challenge for former county executive Doug Duncan with a 45% – 32% win in the Democratic primary in his bid to continue as county executive.  Leggett is heavily favored to win in November.

State delegate Tom Hucker(D) leads by 217 votes over Evan Glass(D) in the Democratic District 5 Montgomery County council primary.  Hucker should withstand absentee counting to win that contest.

In Frederick County, voters had their first opportunity to vote for county executive and county council as they move to implement charter government.

Incumbent Frederick board of county commissioners president Blaine Young (R) narrowly won the Republican primary with 53%, despite his campaign spending heavily against two candidates; David Gray and Mark Sweadner, who did little campaigning and spent little money.

This sets up the anticipated battle between Democrat Jan Gardner and Blaine Young over who will become the first executive for Frederick County.

If, past numbers are a reliable guide, look to see voter turnout in November exceed 60%.

Stay tuned.