Rolle Wants Voters to Decide

George Wenschhof

Scott Rolle

Former Frederick County, Maryland state’s attorney Scott Rolle(R) is running for Frederick County Circuit Court Judge after failing to receive an appointment from Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley(D).

During my interview, neither one of us could remember a Judge being elected in Frederick County.  The last to try was former county commissioner John “Lennie” Thompson, who challenged and lost to Theresa Adams, who was appointed by Governor Robert Ehrlich(R).

Rolle explained to me the judicial nominating process and said he was one of eight who applied to the judicial nominating commission.  The commission consists of 13 members, 10 of whom are appointed by the governor and he believed the Maryland State Bar Association appoints the other 3 members.

Applicants fill out an extensive application and are also interviewed by the commission.  In this case 5 of the 8 names who submitted an application were forwarded to the Governor to interview and make a selection.

Governor Martin O’Malley(D) appointed Earl Bartgis(D) to District Court Judge and Danny O’Connor(D) to Circuit Court Judge in Frederick County. 

Rolle informed me 2 Republicans; Dino Flores and Rick Sandy were among the 5 names forwarded to the Governor and he felt both were extremely well qualified, adding “if either one had been appointed he would not have run”.

When I asked him “Should all Judges be elected?” he said the selection process was political and few Republicans have been appointed Judge by Governor O’Malley.  Rolle went on to say “there was a strong argument for both appointment and election, but allowing voters to decide is best in this case”.

I asked him “why he felt he was a better choice than O’Connor for Circuit Court Judge?” and Rolle responded with his lengthy trial experience.

Scott Rolle served three terms as Frederick County state’s attorney, an elected position, and told me he has a combined 27 years of experience in court trying cases.  Rolle added “along with my military experience, the lessons I learned have taught me respect for the rule of law”.

In response to my question “did he expect to receive the support from the local legal community?” he said he had received lots of thank you comments since filing.  However, Rolle said “I do not believe voters want to see lawyers deciding this election”.

Another question I asked was “if he intended, if elected, to use this position as a stepping stone to another elected position, pointing out his failed run against Representative Roscoe Bartlett in the 2002 Republican primary election”.

He told me his experience is better suited for the court room than legislative politics.  The term for a Judge is 15 years, which Rolle told me would make him 67 years old, which he believed would be the last step in his career.

As I concluded the interview, Scott Rolle reminded me the election of a Circuit Court Judge was a nonpartisan election and that both he and Judge Danny O’Connor will appear on the ballot without political affiliation noted on both the Republican and Democratic primary election ballot on June 24.

If, one candidate wins both primary elections there would be no general election.  Otherwise, the winner will be decided in the general election held on November 4.

Stuart Harvey, election director for Frederick County Board of Elections, in an email, clarified what will happen if one candidate should win both primaries "Even if one candidate for Circuit Court wins both primaries, their name will still appear on the General Election ballot, with a write-in box below it.  This is what happened in 2004 with Judge Adams and Commissioner Thompson.  Since she won both primaries that year, only her name appeared on the Nov. 2004 ballot."

Stay tuned.

When will the pendulum swing stop in Frederick County?

George Wenschhof

Frederick County, Maryland voters decided on a change to charter government by referendum in the 2012 election, but the issues remain the same.

Yes, power structure will change with the election of a strong county executive and council in the 2014 election versus the current five member board of county commissioners.  But, the pivotal issues will remain the same and one of two distinctly different philosophies on how to manage growth will prevail come November.

The twenty year plus pendulum swing between county commissioners labeled as favoring a more balanced and sustainable approach to growth versus those labeled who favor development is once again poised to take place in the 2014 election.

Connected by their views on growth and not political party affiliation, they view each other in a detestable manner with a mutual lack of respect. They mirror the current repugnant manner displayed in the U.S. Congress between far right conservative Republicans and more progressive Democrats.

Unfortunately, the current Congress illustrates that the combative nature of these types of relationships often results in dysfunctional government.

Locally, as suspected, Democratic former president of the board and three term county commissioner Jan Gardner is running for county executive and her opponent is likely to be Republican board of county commissioners President Blaine Young.  Both Young and Gardner serve as lightening rods for opposing views on growth management.

If Young begs off a run for county executive, Republican county commissioner Billy Shreve is likely to run for the newly created position. 

A name, not previously mentioned, who may run is former Frederick County state’s attorney Scott Rolle (R).  A mostly mum Rolle told me recently he is seriously considering a run for office.  In addition to county executive, possibilities include state delegate in district 3-A or Judge of the circuit court.  The latter, appearing to more closely reflect his past experience. Interestingly, he almost won election to state delegate in 2010 after his withdrawal came too late to remove his name from the ballot. He said he will make his intentions known next week. 

Republican county commissioner David Gray is also running.  But, as an ally of Jan Gardner and one who already gave up the gavel to her in the 2006 election, do not look to see him face Gardner in the general election.  His candidacy is only meant to be a distraction for Young, should he run for county executive.

The filing deadline for candidates in the 2014 election is February 25.

Behind the scenes, much work has been underway by both groups to recruit sympathetic candidates to run for the seven member hybrid county council.  Five of the members are elected by districts and two at large.

In the 2006 election it was the self named “Dream Team” consisting of two Republicans; David Gray and John “Lennie” Thompson and two Democrats; Jan Gardner and Kai Hagen who won election.

They followed their election with pursuing actions, including an update of the county comprehensive plan and down zoning of properties to reflect their vision of how growth should take place in Frederick County.

However, it was actions that took place during their term that spawned the revitalization of “pro-growth” candidates led by Republican Blaine Young.

Blaine Young and company trounced the 2010 version of the “Dream Team” led by Democrat Kai Hagen and have followed their election by rezoning properties that had been down zoned by the previous board and proclaiming “Frederick County Open for Business”.

Young and Company have spent the next three plus years implementing destructive and reckless policies centered on the privatization of government services and reducing the size of government.

This has led to the return of Jan Gardner to the local political scene and the resurrection of the “Dream Team” faction.

Leading to yet another confrontational county election, focused once again on growth policies.

Voters deserve choices and a change from the current Blaine and Company regime is called for and needed.

However, Gardner if elected will need to be mindful of the actions taken by the previous board she presided over that led to the election of Young and Company and the irresponsible actions taken by a brash Blaine Young who has often stated “I am doing what I told the voters I would do when I ran for election”. 

Should she repeat these same actions, it will merely perpetuate the pendulum swing.

What is needed in Frederick County and the country is a more pragmatic approach to governing that focuses on bringing people together to obtain desired results that will endure sure to come changes in elected officials.

Volatile rhetoric and campaign tactics used to divide the community and unite enough voters just to win election is not what is needed and is a strategy that voters are tiring of.

Reflecting this sentiment, the fastest growing group of voters across the country is those who are unaffiliated with a political party, clearly signaling dissatisfaction with politics as usual.

Having seen many different representative democracy systems in place at the local level across the country, I am convinced it is not the system that guarantees effective government. 

The change to charter government alone will not be the savior or answer to more effective government for Frederick County residents.

Instead, it is the people who are elected and increased involvement by the people they represent, that will make the difference between good and bad government.

The focus by the county executive should be on bringing people together and implementing effective government services to reach a shared vision for the community.

Also needed is meaningful campaign finance reform to ensure fairness and that one vote is not worth more than another vote.

Frederick County voters deserve reasonable, fair and effective government. When choosing who to support for county executive and county council, voters should look past rhetoric and focus on those candidates dedicated to working together with other elected officials and with the residents they represent to implement a shared vision. 

Together, Frederick County can become the community that everyone desires.

Stay tuned.

Gene Stanton Files for Maryland State Delegate in District 4

George Wenschhof

Gene Stanton

The first Democrat to file in district 4, Gene Stanton told me he wants to reduce the gridlock on U.S. Route 270, build on the state’s excellent educational system and is concerned with the runaway growth policies of the current Frederick board of county commissioners.

Stanton said plans show Rt. 270 is scheduled to be widened to 8 lanes by 2030, but he would like to widen Rt. 270 to six lanes from Germantown to Route 15/Monocacy Boulevard as soon as feasible.

Gene would also like to see the Metro Red Line expanded from Shady Grove to Fort Detrick and Frederick Community College.

Stanton, a High School social studies and government teacher, moved to Ijamsville nine years ago.  He feels the planned Monrovia Town Center development is ridiculous and does not take into account the impact new residents will have on local roadways and major arteries.

He likes the rural atmosphere of Frederick County and does not want to see it become another Montgomery County, adding he supports the state’s smart growth policies.

Education is also very important to Stanton, who says he loves being a teacher and intends to continue teaching, should he win election. As state delegate, he wants to move the state’s education system forward, adding kids and taxpayers deserve it.  He believes a strong education is critical for kids to have a future.

Gene Stanton, who grew up in a small town outside of Miami, Florida, is not a stranger to politics.  His father was involved in politics and worked at the Miami Herald newspaper.  Gene said he first registered as a Republican, in part to rebel against his father, and voted for Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush for president, before changing his political affiliation.

He worked for Democrat Bill Clinton’s 1992 and 1996 presidential campaigns and would like to see today’s politicians get back to the days of compromise practiced by Clinton.

Gene shared with me it was after the 2000 presidential election, which saw Republican George W. Bush win, aided by the vote recount debacle in Florida and a questionable Supreme Court decision, that he and his partner of 24 years; Leonardo, moved to Maryland.  They were married in Vermont in 2009 after the state approved same-sex marriages. Last year Maryland's same-sex marriage law went into effect. 

When I asked him what he thought about the state “rain tax” for storm water management, Stanton told me he was against it and feels “we are taxed enough”.  Stanton added “I will not support new state income taxes under any circumstances”.

He does support Governor Martin O’Malley’s proposed state increase in the minimum wage to $10.10 and would also like to see automatic increases tied to inflation.

As delegate, Gene Stanton said he would work hard to see Frederick County receives their fair share back of the state taxes they pay.

He told me he is running because he believes voters deserve a choice, adding he wants voters to get to know him and look at him for what he stands for.  You can learn more about Gene Stanton and his campaign on his website: www.stantonfordelegate.org, on Facebook: at Stanton for Delegate, and Twitter: Gene Stanton.

Voters in district 4 will elect 3 state delegates.  The deadline for candidates to file for election is February 25.  The primary election is June 24 and the general election is November 4.

Incumbent Republican state delegate Kelly Shulz is the only other candidate who has filed at the time of this publication.

Stay tuned.

Trout Focuses on Helping Low to Moderate Income Families

George Wenschhof

Ryan Trout

With rumors aplenty on who will be running for the two open seats, I reached out to Ryan Trout to find out whether he intended to run for Maryland state delegate in district 3-a.

The announcements from incumbents Patrick Hogan (R) and Galen Clagett (D) that they will not be running for reelection has fueled much speculation on who will take their place in Annapolis.

Shortly, after sitting down for an engaging two hour interview, Ryan Trout, who had run unsuccessfully for Maryland state delegate in district 4-a in the 2010 election, informed me he would not be running for any partisan election in 2014.

His job as the Family Self Sufficiency coordinator with Public Housing in Frederick falls under the Hatch Act which prohibits him from running for delegate. 

Ryan went on to tell me he also “loves his job and his sincere passion is to make the lives of low and moderate income families better”. He added “one reason why I love my current position so much is I am able to have a direct impact and work with wonderful people every day”.

He spoke extensively about his work and was proud of the services provided to help eligible families becomes self sufficient and obtain home ownership.  The comprehensive program works with 25 families at a time and includes educational, employment and financial training components, leading to home ownership.

In addition to his focus on his employment, Ryan told me he recently became engaged and they are looking to buy a home. Interestingly, he met his fiance Alecia Frisby at the Democratic Tent during the Great Frederick Fair.  Alecia is a staff attorney at the Legal Aid Bureau's Midwestern Office.

Ryan Trout told me that although he won’t be running for delegate, he wants to make sure that low to moderate income residents of the state have a voice in Annapolis.

He told me he supports an increase in the state minimum wage and is okay with individual counties passing legislation that provide for an even higher minimum wage.

Trout also strongly supports new jobs programs, pre-K and K-12 education, as well as career and technical education.

In breaking the cycle of poverty, he believes focus should be on economic rights and education.

He would also like to see Maryland become more progressive and move to Universal Health Care.

I asked Ryan, with his education interest, if he would consider running for a nonpartisan seat on the Frederick County Board of Education. He indicated he would need to get clarification from the Federal Elections Commission. Another thought that had crossed his mind was to submit his resume for consideration for the open slot, resulting from Russ Currey’s resignation, on the Frederick County Democratic state Central Committee.

When I asked him if he was supporting any candidates in the Maryland district 3-a state delegate race, he immediately said Carol Krimm is a dedicated public servant who would do well in that position.

The candidates who have filed so far for delegate in district 3-a are Republican Paul Smith, a member of the Frederick board of county commissioners, Republican Chris Huckenpoehler, Democrat and former City of Frederick alderman Carol Krimm and Democrat Nicholas Bouquet.  Bouquet, who has not made an official announcement, filed on 1-17-2014.

Former City of Frederick alderman and mayoral candidate Karen Young (D) and Roger Wilson (D) have filed a statement of organization with the state and indicated their interest in running for delegate in district 3-a.

The deadline for candidates to file in the 2014 state of Maryland elections is February 25.  The primary election will be held on June 24 and the general election will take place on November 4.

Stay tuned.

Bickel Wants to Restore Dignity to Sheriff’s Office

George Wenschhof

Karl Bickel

During an interview Thursday afternoon, Democrat Karl Bickel repeatedly complained of the lack of leadership in the Frederick County, Maryland Sheriff office.  He told me incumbent Republican sheriff Chuck Jenkins, manages through fear and intimidation resulting in scared employees and low morale.

He said there were good people in the Frederick County Sheriff department and he was running because he wants the opportunity to build leaders in all levels of the organization.

Bickel added he wanted to “restore dignity from top to bottom and that the leadership style needs to change”.

He sent me an email early Friday evening following the interview informing me it was now official and that he had filed to run for Sheriff.  His Treasurer is local attorney and Republican Jason Shoemaker who will also help in managing the campaign.  So far, two Republicans; incumbent Chuck Jenkins and Kevin Grubb have announced they are running for Frederick County Sheriff.

The deadline for candidates to file in the 2014 election is February 25.  The primary election is June 24 and the general election is November 4.

Bickel, who has lived the last 35 years in Monrovia, Maryland recently retired from the U.S. Department of Justice and has a 40 year career in law enforcement.  He previously was the Chief of Law Enforcement Operations with the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office when Carl Harbaugh was sheriff and worked with the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.

Karl also told me he had served on the Frederick County Ethics and Human Relations Commissions.

His education includes a Master of Science Degree in Management; Police Executive Leadership Program from John Hopkins University and a Master of Science Degree; Justice from American University.

He also has taught criminal justice at Allegheny College, Montgomery College and American University. 

Due to Hatch Act restrictions, he explored running as an “Unaffiliated” candidate four years ago, falling short of the required signatures needed to appear on the ballot.

In a wide ranging interview, Bickel told me “there were so many problems across the board.., and that the Sheriff department had a bad reputation outside of Frederick County”.

One area Bickel wants to work on is consolidation of services with The City of Frederick and state police.  He believes there is a strong possibility for combining training with the city.

He also wants to see the Sheriff’s office receive more federal funds, something Bickel says Sheriff Jenkins has failed to do, pointing to a $500,000 federal grant Jenkins turned down when it was brought to his attention from former Maryland sixth district Representative Roscoe Bartlett’s office.

When it comes to high profile cases such as the tragic death of Ethan Saylor, who suffered with Down syndrome, that resulted from actions taken from off duty sheriff deputies working as security guards, Bickel believes an outside agency should do the investigation.  When the investigation is complete, Bickel says it is important to immediately share it with the public.

He believes this type of action could well have prevented a civil rights investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Bickel also shared with me an article he had written for a local newspaper where he was critical of the management of the Frederick County jail, where numerous suicides have occurred under the watch of Sheriff Jenkins.

As sheriff, he plans to take a look at current administrative costs and wants to put more deputies on the road. Bickel said he would like to require ranking officers to spend 10% of their time in the field.

Overall, Karl Bickel wants to provide a change in leadership and move the Frederick County Sheriff’s office forward.

Stay tuned.

Wilson Readies Run for Delegate

George Wenschhof

Roger Wilson

Roger Wilson, a Democrat, had already had a long day when he met with me early Saturday evening.  A member of the Frederick Community College board of trustees, he had come from a full day meeting on the budget.

A senior consultant with IBM, Roger, his wife and three daughters have lived in Frederick for the last fifteen years.  All of the girls are in public schools and his wife is a counselor at the Jefferson School.

With three daughters in the public school system, Wilson told me he is committed to see Frederick County receives its fair share of school construction dollars from the state.

Since, relocating to Frederick from Virginia, the 41 year old has been busy volunteering in the community.  Roger spoke highly of the class “Leadership Frederick” that he completed years ago and said it exposed him to the challenges facing Frederick County.

Wilson informed me he also served on The City of Frederick Planning Commission and served two terms on the Fair Housing Commission.

He feels his business experience and public service has prepared him well for Maryland state delegate and has put together an impressive team to help him.  Former City of Frederick attorney Debra Borden is his Treasurer and his co-chairs are Jim Racheff, a local businessman and chair of The City of Frederick zoning board of appeals and Theresa Harrison.

Wilson informed me he had filed a statement of organization with the state which allows him to raise funds and will determine within the next few weeks if his candidacy is viable.

He lives in district 3-a where incumbent state delegates Galen Clagett(D) and Patrick Hogan(R) have both announced they will not be running for reelection.

When I asked him if he had a platform, he immediately mentioned the economy and jobs, higher education and affordable housing for seniors.  He added the themes in his campaign would be leadership, integrity and service.

In regard to job creation, he would support establishing a tax free zone for ten years to encourage businesses to relocate in Frederick County.  Focusing on where growth is taking place such as in cyber security and production of electric automobiles is also what Wilson would like to see.

The closing of BP Solar in Frederick was a disappointment to Roger and he said he would be a delegate championing these types of businesses.

I brought up the recent local discussion on how to pay for needed infrastructure with the proposal by Frederick County board of county commissioners Blaine Young (R) to increase the transfer tax on the sale of homes and delegate Galen Clagett’s (D) proposal to increase the personal income tax. 

Wilson said he opposed both proposals and was okay with the impact fee that was currently in use.

I also asked him about the current effort underway to raise the state minimum wage and how he felt about Prince Georges County and Montgomery County already raising the minimum wage.  He said he believed in local control and would not oppose what counties did and would support the state of Maryland tying the increase of the minimum wage to the cost of living.

The deadline for candidates to file in the 2014 state of Maryland elections is February 25.  The primary election will be held on June 24 and the general election will take place on November 4.

The candidates who have filed so far for delegate in district 3-a are Republican Paul Smith, a member of the Frederick board of county commissioners, Republican Chris Huckenpoehler and Democrat and former City of Frederick alderman Carol Krimm.

Former City of Frederick alderman and mayoral candidate Karen Young (D) informed me she is also exploring a run for delegate and filed a statement of organization on January 9.

Stay tuned.

Grubb Files for Frederick County Sheriff

George Wenschhof

Kevin Grubb

Former City of Frederick police captain and Deputy Chief Kevin Grubb made it official Friday when he filed for Sheriff of Frederick County, Maryland.

I reported Grubb filed a candidate committee with the state in September of last year and he told me at that time he was considering a run as an unaffiliated candidate.

His filing ensures there will be a contested Republican primary.  Incumbent Republican Sheriff Chuck Jenkins made his run for a third term official on Tuesday.

When I reached Grubb for an comment on why he decided to file, he told me “With 28 years of public service, both in the military,  and with the City of Frederick,  it is a natural progression to run for Sheriff.   I’m excited about the opportunity to run for Sheriff of Frederick County. The citizens of Frederick County will have the opportunity to select their first County Executive and 7 Council Members in 2014, and I think the Sheriff’s Department should play a big part in the successful transition to our new form of government.”

I asked him why he decided to run as a Republican and not as an unaffiliated candidate and he said “I think politics and public safety doesn’t always mix, but it comes down to how people are treated and I’m determined to show Frederick’s citizens everyone can and will be treated with dignity and respect regardless of party affiliation.      

Grubb added he will be inviting supporters to an official announcement soon.

Incumbent Republican sheriff Chuck Jenkins won election two terms ago with a platform centered on illegal immigration and faced no opposition in the last election. 

However, repeated suicides at the Frederick County jail, the death of a man with Down syndrome resulting from actions taken by off duty deputies who were moonlighting as security guards, and two deputies who have been recently suspended as a result of criminal charges, is likely to have an impact on the reelection of Jenkins.

No Democrat has filed for Sheriff at this time.  The deadline for candidates to file in the 2014 election is February 25.

Stay tuned..

Blaine Young Keeps Voters Guessing

George Wenschhof

Will Frederick County board of county commissioner president Blaine Young run for the newly created county executive?  This is the question voters in the county have as Republican Blaine Young stays mute on the issue.

You can’t tell what he is going to do by listening to Blaine, who doubles as a local conservative radio talk show host, when not driving a yellow cab.  He often takes advantage of his on-air program to bash Democratic candidate for county executive Jan Gardner and to challenge her to a debate, while also saying he would like to step down from elected office and spend more time with his kids.

In a recent exchange we had on Facebook, he again challenged Gardner to a debate.  This latest challenge resulting from my publishing the column titled; Gardner Questions “State of the County”.  The column coming after Blaine released a glowing report of how well the board of county commissioners (BoCC) has performed during their three years in office.

In the Facebook exchange with Blaine, I said I saw no reason why Gardner, who has filed for county executive, would debate someone who has not filed for the position.  Having followed politics for a lifetime, I have never seen this happen.

It seems Blaine and the local Republican Party is having problems coming up with a candidate to run against Gardner, with at least three elected officials saying “no”.  First, it was county sheriff Chuck Jenkins, who Blaine admitted polled higher than himself in a recent survey he conducted of Frederick County voters.  Next, it was Maryland state delegate Kelly Schulz who said no and the latest to turn down an overture was Maryland state senator David Brinkley.

Why is Blaine spending so much time trying to recruit another Republican to run? This is another question that is probably answered by the devil in the details surrounding qualifications of a county executive.

The county charter writing board spelled out the well paid and full time county executive could not have other employment.  This would mean that Blaine would likely have to extricate himself from his financial entanglements with the local Yellow Cab business and would be unable to host his radio talk show program.  Blaine already is prohibited from hosting the radio program once he has filed for office and throughout the campaign.

While Brinkley said no to a run himself, he did send a letter, presumably, on behalf of Blaine to the office of the Maryland attorney general asking for guidance in regard to the Frederick County charter language pertaining to a second job by the county executive.  The response by the attorney general’s office was "Consistent with longstanding policy, I must respectfully decline to provide legal advice regarding the proper interpretation of the Frederick County Charter." Thus, the question remains unanswered and is a major hump for Blaine to hurdle before he could legally run for the office.

This leaves the Republican Party with BoCC members David Gray, who has announced his intention to run and Billy Shreve as potential candidates for the county executive position.  Gray, a long time ally of Gardner, who was present and supportive at her announcement, is not a favorite of Blaine and Shreve appears to be Blaine’s last candidate of choice.

In a recent fundraising mailer sent by the Shreve campaign, Shreve is saying he will run for county executive if Blaine does not and county council if Blaine runs for county executive.  In the mailer, Blaine adds his appeal for them to send money to Shreve.

When I asked Jan Gardner her response to Blaine wanting to debate her, she sent me an email that said in part “I made my decision to run for County Executive because I want to do the job and serve the community.   I made this decision without knowing who might decide to enter the race.   I will run a positive campaign and expect to debate all the other candidates who file for County Executive during the election process.  

Comm. Young remains indecisive and even made a public statement the week before Christmas that he couldn't wait to get out of office (though his actual statement was a bit more colorful).  What he decides to do doesn't change what I am already committed to do.”

It is clear that if Blaine wants to debate Gardner, he will have to file for county executive – a debate I would be happy to moderate.

The deadline for candidates to file in the 2014 state of Maryland election is February 25.  The primary election will be held on June 24 and the general election will take place on November 4.

Stay tuned.

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Gardner Questions “State of the County”

George Wenschhof

Jan Gardner

Yesterday, Republican president of the Frederick County, Maryland board of county commissioners Blaine Young presented the annual state of the county report.

In a press release, Young stated “Board President Blaine Young said, “This year’s state of the county presentation provides a snapshot in time of where we stand today. In spite of continuing challenges to the economy, Frederick County is addressing the structural deficit and long-term fiscal challenges, yearly county income has increased, total employment has increased, unemployment continues to remain under six percent, new housing demands have increased, and school construction projects have been moved up in the funding process.

“We are making good progress and heading in the right direction as far as budget, jobs, public-private partnerships, public safety, agricultural preservation, land use, housing, transportation and many other areas. We have made many tough decisions over the years, because we were determined to live within our means and that is now the norm for Frederick County Government.”

“Frederick County is on stable, healthy ground. Compared with other jurisdictions, we’re in a position of stability with regard to our bond rating, our retirement fund and other post employment benefits. Our accomplishments over the last year have much to do with our cooperative relationship with our municipalities and the business community. We have made our point that we are ‘open for business’ in Frederick County.”

“We would like to thank County Manager Lori Depies, our outstanding division directors and all the employees for their hard work in serving the citizens of Frederick County.”The complete report on the state of the county is available on the Board of County Commissioners’ webpage at www.FrederickCountyMD.gov/bocc.”

When I contacted former Democratic board president Jan Gardner, who is running for county executive, she told me she had watched their discussion on their fourth and final budget of their term.

She sent me an email saying “On the budget, the county is experience increasing revenues in all areas - property taxes, income taxes, and recordation taxes are all increasing.   Yet, they are projecting a $13.3 million deficit for the upcoming fiscal year budget.  Why?”

Gardner added “So, while they tout bringing the fiscal house in order, they have really not done so.   They also tout cutting the number of employees but then this doesn't translate into a smaller budget.   They don't mention the impact of privatization or the number of contract employees.   They lead people to believe that cutting employees has saved the county money and that spending has gone down when in reality spending has gone up every year.   The last board to adopt a smaller budget than the year before was during the last two years of the Gardner Board.”

“There has been little new agriculture preservation and school construction is at the slowest pace in 20 years.   They are not building new schools.   

The county unemployment rate has always been consistently lower than the state and federal unemployment rate.”

“They have eliminated a number of development fees and permits (which now the taxpayers pay for) and they tout that housing starts are finally going up but if you look at the numbers almost 2/3rds is in the City of Frederick (where the fees still exist).   I find it interesting that the county has not picked up the pace of new housing starts and the City has when the County eliminated all the fees.”

“Another interesting item to me was the lack of information on WTE.   The slides were the same as last year except one was missing.   Last year they said they were looking for a new partner to replace Carroll County, expected permits in the Spring of 2013, and would re-run the financial with new energy/electricity costs.   They acknowledged that they were still waiting for permits but nothing was mentioned on finding a new partner or Carroll County getting out of the deal or running new financials.   It was basically just a description of the project.    I was really surprised that no one asked anything more about this since it is a topic of interest to the community.” 

Gardner concluded by saying “ Employee morale is at an all time low.  Education has suffered. Services to people in need have been wiped out. Young is selling county assets including buildings at a loss.   He just cut a deal to sell the former BOE building and adjoining IT building to the "lowest" bidder instead of to the highest bidder!   Even though some services have been cut and employee positions eliminated, spending has gone up for several reasons including privatization costing more and subsidizing development in the operating budget.    This is his 4th budget and he needs to take some responsibility for having a budget deficit when revenues are going up!”

Stay tuned.

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Shackelford, Jafari Named To Frederick County Democratic State Central Committee

George Wenschhof

Derek Shackelford

Two vacancies on the twelve member Democratic committee were filled yesterday with the announcement of the selection of Derek Shackleford and Mark Jafari.

Chair of the committee, Myrna Whitworth told me they were pleased to have added two members with such broad experience and community involvement.  She added both also indicated they will run for the office next year when the election is held.

Myrna said they advertised the two open positions and after interviewing six applicants, the committee selected Shackelford and Jafari.

Derek Shackelford had just concluded a run for alderman in The City of Frederick, where he fell short of being elected and Mark Jafari was recently named president of the United Democrats of Frederick County.

Shackelford sent me an email saying "It is an honor to be appointed to the Frederick County Democratic State Central Committee. I look forward to serving with the esteemed members as we collectively advance the causes of opportunity, economic vitality, citizen and voter participation."

Myrna Whitworth told me Jafari had recently moved to Frederick County from Georgia, where he had served on their Democratic central committee.

The two positions were filled following the resignations of Dr. Milad Pooran and Stephen Slater.  Pooran and his family had moved from Frederick County and Stephen Slater intends to run for Maryland state delegate in district 3-b.

Democratic by-laws require equal gender representation on the 12 member committee, which required two men to replace the two who had stepped down.

The Democratic state central committee members will be elected in the 2014 primary held on June 24, 2014.

Stay tuned.

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Early Maneuvering Taking Place in Race for County Executive

George Wenschhof

The change to charter government in Frederick County, Maryland will go into effect with the 2014 election and early stage maneuvering is taking place in the county executive race.

Under charter, voters will elect a county executive and a seven member part time county council; five of the members being elected by districts and two of the members elected at large.

Former three term commissioner and president of the board; Democrat Jan Gardner is the only candidate who has filed to date for the county executive position.  A position that many will argue will be the most powerful in county politics.

With the announcement by Gardner, the more than twenty year battle over how the county should grow, is likely to continue.  Her official announcement has set up a colossal and much anticipated contest between Jan Gardner and Frederick board of commissioners’ president Blaine Young.

However, Young has put off announcing his intention until next year. 

In the 2006 election, four Democratic and Republican commissioner candidates formed a slate and ran for more managed growth. They called themselves “the dream team”.  The four candidates were; Jan Gardner (D), Kai Hagen (D), David Gray (R) and John Thompson (R).

In the 2010 election, the pendulum swung yet again and a “pro-business” slate of Republican candidates, led by Blaine Young were elected.

All of the members of the 2006-2010 dream team, including Gray were present to offer their support when Gardner made her recent announcement for county executive. David Gray, who received the top votes from the majority elected commissioners and won the President of the Board in the 2006 election, relinquished the gravel and allowed Jan Gardner to assume the position of president of the board. 

Which leads one to ask; why is Gray making noise he may run for county executive?  What is happening is early maneuvering by Republicans and Democrats.

Gardner, is trying to clear the field for an uncontested Democratic primary and there are political forces at work to try to encourage a more balanced candidate to run in the Democratic primary.  Some would argue a more developer friendly candidate to run against her.

Many of the supporters of Gardner are tied by their extreme dislike for board president Blaine Young, whose popularity has dropped tremendously over his three years in office.

Young’s reckless obsession to pursue privatization of government services, his instituting a questionable 25 year Developer Rights and Responsibility Agreement and his move to rezone a large portion of the county, has given them plenty of reason to be angry during the first three years he has served as president.

Some of the Gardner supporters believe it is supporters of Young who are trying to get a Democrat to run against her and so some of these folks believe Gray challenging Young in the Republican primary would be tit-for-tat.

It is extremely unlikely Gray would run against Gardner, if she would win the Democratic primary, making this scenario likely another rumor in the musical chairs taking place among local politicians.

Being the only candidate who has filed for county executive makes Jan Gardner the favorite at the moment.

However, lots of names have been floated with plenty of scenarios.  One has Republican state senator David Brinkley running for county executive and Blaine Young, with a residence change, running for state senator in district 4.

Another, has Republican sheriff Chuck Jenkins running for county executive. 

Don’t hold your breath for either of those rumors to become reality.

I reported after interviewing local attorney and Democrat Gordon Cooley, he had given it serious consideration but decided not to pursue a run.  Another Democratic I will be interviewing and who has had his name floated is former East Alco executive Earl Robbins.

Republican county commissioner Billy Shreve has also been mentioned, but he is not considered a strong candidate.

Look to see a contested race for county executive in both the Republican and Democratic primaries when the rapidly approaching February 25 deadline to file for candidacy, arrives.

This will be good for the voters of Frederick County – they deserve a choice.

Stay tuned.

Frederick County Democrats Prepare for 2014 Election

George Wenschhof

Myrna Whitworth

After, a disastrous 2010 election for local Democrats who saw only two Democrats elected from over twenty local offices on the ballot, Frederick County, Maryland Democrats are focused on gains in 2014.

Myrna Whitworth, chair of the Frederick County Democratic state central committee, shared with me their preparations for the upcoming election, during a recent interview.

She acknowledged her disappointment there were no Democrats who ran for sheriff, state’s attorney or register of wills in 2010. She said they were hopeful there would be Democratic candidates for every position in 2014 and were doing what they can to help them be competitive.

Whitworth spoke enthusiastically about the all day training class they held last month for 35 potential candidates.  The comprehensive training was geared to help demystify the campaign process with experts sharing their knowledge on different areas surrounding running for office.

Travis Tazelaar, City of Baltimore, Office of Policy and Communications spoke on making the decision to run, how to file, make a campaign plan and plan your announcement.

Fundraising and voter targeting was covered by; J.R. Lentini, Senior Vice President for Communications, Bulldog Finance Group and David Goodman, Partner, TruBlu Politics, spoke on messaging and social media.

Myrna Whitworth tells me that early next year the central committee will also hold a retreat to develop plans for the upcoming election. 

She pointed out the central committee has 12 elected members who are determined by Democratic voters in the primary election held on June 24, 2014.  Their by-laws required gender balance so voters will be electing 6 women and 6 men.

With, the general election immediately facing the newly elected central committee, she believes it is important to the have the framework of a plan to assist Democratic candidates in place, which is what they will develop during their retreat in January.

The Frederick County ballot will be full.  At the top of ballot will be Governor, Attorney General and Comptroller. There are also two congressional races and eight races for the statehouse delegation in district 3 and 4.

The change to charter government will go into effect with the 2014 election when voters will elect a county executive and a seven member council.  The council will have five members elected by districts and two members elected at large.

In addition to electing a sheriff, state’s attorney, and register of wills, voters will elect a clerk of the court and three orphans court judges.

Myrna Whitworth told me the central committee will be equally supportive of Democratic candidates who run in contested races in the primary election and will not take sides.

In addition to developing their plan to help candidates, the central committee will also be holding, prior to the primary election, their annual Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner. This event has become a major fundraiser for them.

The bulk of the support to candidates from the central committee will come following the primary election on June 24.

Whitworth shared with me there are currently two open positions on the central committee resulting from the resignations of two male members and per their by-laws on gender balance, the committee is soliciting applications from males who are registered Democrats and Frederick County residents to replace them.

Applications should be mailed to Frederick County Democratic Central Committee, PO Box 793, Frederick MD 21705; or you may email them to fc.demcc@gmail.com. Deadline for submission is Monday, December 16.

Interviews will take place on December 18 and the selections made the same day.

The general election will be held on November 4, 2014.

Stay tuned.

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Impressive Names Being Floated for County Executive

George Wenschhof


Blaine Young

Jan Gardner

Frederick County voters will, for the first time, elect a county executive and council in the 2014 state/county election.

The change to charter government was approved by referendum in the 2012 election.

The significant difference is voters will elect a county executive to be the administrator of Frederick County government and a council to complete the balance of power prevalent in American democracy.

The two names, everyone already has in their minds, which are likely to run for county executive are current Frederick Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) president Blaine Young (R) and former three term member and BoCC president Jan Gardner (D).

If, these two would become candidates and end up facing each other in a general election, it would be a classic battle between distinctly different political ideologies.  In addition, there is no love lost between these two.

Furthermore, the campaign cost is expected to easily reach $250,000 and the figure of $500,000 is entirely possible.  Blaine Young, who flirted with a run for Governor, already has an impressive war chest.

Blaine, has yet to formally announce he is running, leaving some aspiring Republican candidates hanging, as they know they would not be able to beat him in the primary.

There are also some who wish to see long term BoCC member David Gray (R), run against Blaine in the Republican primary, thinking he would at least weaken Blaine prior to the general election.  It is merely wishful thinking on their part, due to Gray has no history of raising funds and would likely get trounced by Blaine Young in the primary.

Jan Gardner, who I reported had established a candidate committee one month ago, is busy raising cash, calling on donors daily as she moves closer to filing for the seat.

But, before this colossal confrontation can take place, there are other influential individuals in the community who are considering a run for county executive, throwing a potential monkey wrench in the much anticipated Young-Gardner duel.

There are two impressive names who have surfaced; Gordon Cooley and Earl Robbins, both of them have extensive business and community involvement in Frederick County.  Cooley is a registered Democrat and when last checked, so was Robbins.

Cooley served 19 years as general counsel for F&M Bancorp and was recently the regional president for PNC Bank.

Robbins was a long term Alcoa Eastalco executive, with government relations experience in Annapolis, who presently chairs The City of Frederick downtown hotel/conference center committee.

Robbins and Cooley also served on the Frederick county board of education and chamber of commerce.

Cooley is chair of the Weinberg center for The Arts, a member of Interfaith Housing Alliance, and former president of the Frederick County Bar Association.

Robbins is vice chair of Frederick County Business Development Advisory Committee, on the Hood College Board of Associates and was a alternate member of the charter writing board.

Word is Gordon Cooley is making the rounds, talking with folks as he contemplates a run for county executive.

Jan Gardner would be faced with a formidable opponent in either Cooley or Robbins, who are well known in the professional community.

However, Jan would have an initial edge in direct political experience, in campaigning and voter identification. 

A closely contested and costly Democratic primary might serve to Blaine Young’s advantage.

On the otherhand, Blaine may not fare well against a seasoned professional businessman as his Democratic opponent.

Look to see announcements made by candidates for county executive to happen shortly after The City of Frederick election on November 5.  Candidates will not want their campaign announcement to get lost in the holiday hoopla that begins with Thanksgiving and lasts into early January.

Stay tuned.

 

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