Fitzwater to Run For County Council

George Wenschhof

Jessica Fitzwater

Frederick County voters will elect, for the first time, a county executive and a seven member council when the change to charter government takes place in the 2014 election.

Local educator and Democrat Jessica Fitzwater wants to be a member of the council representing district 4. The council will be made up of five members elected by districts and two members elected at-large.

She has filed a candidate committee; Friends of Jessica Fitzwater with the state and intends to officially file her candidacy within the next couple of weeks.

We sat down recently and during my one hour interview, she shared with me why she wants to be elected.

Jessica, who teaches music at Oakdale Elementary School, told me her interest in politics started early when she was active in student government while attending St. Marys College.  When she began her professional career she became a member of the Frederick County Young Democrats, joined the League of Women Voters and became active in advocating for education issues.  The latter interest led her to get actively involved in the Frederick County Teachers Association, where she currently serves on their board of directors.

On her campaign website; www.jessicafitzwater.com, she writes about how she will stand strong for schools, bring back culture of respect and open government, advocate for responsible growth and strive to maintain and improve the quality of life.

During my interview, she spoke of the importance of having diversity on the council and how excited she was about having an opportunity to serve.  She believes she will bring a new voice and fresh perspective and is looking forward to working with the other members of the board and the county executive.

When we discussed the checks and balances in the new charter between the county executive and council, she said time will tell on how well the budget power relationship works between the two.  The current language does not allow the council to add funds to the overall budget or a line item within the budget.  This relationship, may be a concern for her as she pointed to the current board of county commissioners funding education at the minimum maintenance of effort level.  She believes schools need to be as good as they can be which will encourage folks to want to live here.

In regard to the county executive, Jessica told me she was supporting Democratic candidate Jan Gardner who she feels relates well with people, has the experience, vision and record for the position.

On my facebook page, I asked for questions for Jessica Fitzwater and Valarie Dale asked “What is her vision for the future of Frederick County?  Jessica said she wants to maintain the quality of life and make sure it is there for everyone.  She wants quality schools, affordable homes and Frederick County to continue to be a tourism draw and a place you can call home.

Fitzwater told me she was concerned citizens were feeling they do not have a part in the process when they felt their voices were not heard during recent public testimony on the proposed sale of the Citizens Care and Rehabilitation Center and Montevue Assisted Care facilities and the proposed Monrovia town center development. 

She wants people to feel they have a voice in government and would like to see the county look into having community roundtable discussions on issues and use social media tools to facilitate input from voters.

Rita Gordon shared on my facebook page she wanted to know her position on the need for infrastructure.  Jessica said the county needs to work with the state delegation and hopefully, combined with the county executive having a seat at the table in Annapolis; the county will receive their share of state funds.

She added she would not support the elimination of the impact fee and that she needs to find out more about the transfer tax before she weighs in on it.

When I asked her about issues directing impacting the voters in district 4, she said she is planning meet and greets throughout the district to hear their concerns.

The 4th district includes the eastern side of downtown Frederick, Worman's Mill, Dearbought, Mt. Pleasant, most of Lake Linganore, Spring Ridge, Crestwood, most of Ballenger Creek, and the southern part of downtown Frederick.  

Frederick County elections director Stuart Harvey sent me the voter registration breakdown for the county as of December 4, 2013.  District 4 has a total of 28,789 voters with 12,287 Democrats, 9,662 Republicans and 6,564 Unaffiliated.

The deadline for candidates to file for office in the 2014 election is February 25, 2015.  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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An Early Look at 2014 Frederick County Election

George Wenschhof

Winchester Hall

The 2010 election year was a bad one for Democratic candidates in Frederick County, Maryland and for Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The surge in Republican conservatism, led by tea party zealots, resulted in a net gain of 60 seats for Republicans in the House.

Locally, where Republicans have held a voter registration majority for a long time, only two Democrats would be elected out of twenty-one elected seats on the ballot.

They were Ron Young, who beat three term Republican state senator Alex Mooney in district 3 and Galen Clagett who won reelection to state delegate in district 3-a.

Ron, who won by about 1,000 votes, was aided by the like number of vote advantage he received through the early voting from the poll conveniently located in The City of Frederick, which has a strong Democratic voter registration.

The Young-Mooney contest went against the national trend as Mooney was a right wing “tea party” conservative way before the tea party existed, although the district had been gerrymandered to have a majority of Democratic registered voters.

In none of the other 19 local races did Democrats even come close.

The inability to field a candidate for several of the top races in the county certainly hurt Democrats as did the failure of the Democratic candidates running for board of county commissioner to come together to form a slate.

County Sheriff and State’s Attorney headline the ballot and are two prominent elected positions in the county.  The failure to have a candidate on the ballot for these two positions as well as the high paying Register of Wills position did not help the other Democrats who were running for office in 2010.

The race for the board of county commissioners was a disaster for Frederick County Democrats in 2010 and a major focus of the 2014 election will be the race for county executive and the council, as the change to charter government is implemented.

All indications are the over 24 year local struggle over how to best manage growth in Frederick County will continue with the announcement by Democrat Jan Gardner she is running for county executive.

Present at her announcement, were the former members of the 2007-2010 board who made up the managed growth “dream team” during the 2006 election; John “Lennie” Thompson(R), David Gray(R) and Kai Hagen(D).

There has been a lot of talk about Democratic candidates challenging Gardner, so it will not be surprising if there is a contested primary.

Whether board president Republican Blaine Young, who has angered many voters by spending his term in office pursuing privatization of government services, will run for the county executive position remains a question, putting on hold, the much anticipated struggle between two candidates with opposing ideologies.  During a recent chat on the street, Young told me he would be announcing his intention next year.

 

Republican county commissioner Billy Shreve, who rode Blaine Young's coattails to election in 2010, has also been in the rumor mix for county executive, but is not considered a strong enough candidate for the position.  If he decides to run for office, look to see him either run for one of the two at large positions on the council or state delegate.

The new seven member county council will have five members representing districts and two members who are elected countywide.

It will remain a difficult contest for a Democrat to be elected countywide, due to voter registration, but a solid candidate, like a Jan Gardner, will be competitive and can surely win. 

Democrats will have a little easier go in several of the council member districts, especially the two made up primarily of voters from The City of Frederick and the district that includes The Town of Brunswick.

The Charter defines the council as part time members who earn only $22,500 and this will surely impact the strength and the number of candidates who will run for these positions.

The combination of at large and district elections for council members will also make it difficult for growth oriented candidate slates to develop, but look for the opposing ideologies in this area make an effort to do so.

The county sheriff position is another high profile position and interestingly, two term sheriff Republican Chuck Jenkins has been rumored as a candidate for the county executive position, should Blaine Young choose not to run.

If Jenkins decides to run again for sheriff, it will not be a free ride this time.  Republican Kevin Grubb, a former City of Frederick police captain who has established a candidate committee and Democrat Karl Bickel, who was unsuccessful in raising the needed signatures for an independent run in 2010, are both expected to run.

Whether Democrats will have a candidate for state’s attorney remains a mystery.  Republican Charlie Smith is expected to run for reelection.

The state delegation comprising of two state senators and six state delegates elected by Frederick County voters have been redistricted with the demarcation line being just north of The City of Frederick.

Due primarily to voter registration, look to see Republicans elected in district 4 with state senator David Brinkley and delegate Kelly Shulz a lock for reelection.  Republican state delegate Michael Hough, who was redistricted and delegate Kathy Afzali will be favored in the other two delegate positions.

In district 3, state senator Ron Young should win reelection, but expect a challenge to come from Republicans who are angered by his votes in Annapolis supporting same-sex marriage, the gas tax and the dream act.  

With the announcements by state delegates Galen Clagett(D) and Patrick Hogan(R) they will not be running for reelection and with redistricting creating a new seat for district 3-b, all three seats will be considered “open seats” and as a result, will be competitive.

City of Frederick aldermen Carol Krimm and Karen Young, Stephen Slater and Ryan Trout are among the Democratic names being mentioned with county commissioner Paul Smith and city alderman Shelley Aloi among the Republicans being mentioned at this time.

Look to see Democrats win at least 3 of the four seats in district 3 with a strong possibility of a sweep that would balance the Frederick County state delegation.

Early indications are 2014 will be a better year than 2010 for Democratic candidates running for election in Frederick County.

Stay tuned.

 

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Vote "No" on Proposed Charter for Frederick County, MD

originally published Thursday, October 25, 2012

http://www.gazette.net/article/20121025/OPINION/710259879/1014/charter-questions&template=gazette

Charter questions

 

On Nov. 6, one question presented to Frederick County voters on the ballot will read: “Do you approve the adoption of the Charter of Frederick County by the Frederick County Charter Board?”

No additional information will be provided on the ballot and it’s the political axiom — “the devil is in the details” — that should determine whether voters believe the proposed form of charter government is right for Frederick County.

It is these details, in spite of educational efforts, which will be largely unknown to voters, when they cast their ballot.

The Maryland Constitution makes the change in form of government deliberately hard. This is why when voters choose to change it, they should make every effort to get it right the first time, as subsequent changes are also difficult.

Serious consideration is needed by county voters of the noteworthy options that exist for many of the significant components that make up charter government.

Perhaps most important, the proposed charter provides for a strong elected executive and a hybrid part-time council — a form, commonly adopted initially, by other counties in Maryland.

The prevalent West Coast model for charter, which is well received by the communities they serve, is a contrast to what is being proposed in Frederick County. They elect a council primarily by districts, and the council hires a strong executive.

The executive is hired based on his or her qualifications, is paid well and is clearly the one in charge to implement the vision of the council. But an executive may be dismissed by the council, for cause.

The qualification for the proposed elected Frederick County executive is they must meet a residency threshold.

In Maryland, there is no recall provision for elected officials. So, if the executive in Frederick County turned out to be incompetent, there is no way to replace him or her.

This is an important difference voters should weigh as they make their decision.

Representation on the council is another significant component of the charter. Again, options exist, and the charter board decided on a hybrid council comprised of seven members with equal authority. Five council members would be elected by district and two at-large.

The hybrid council is a compromise attempt to placate those who support districts and those who support at-large. However, this will actually create problems, rather then solve them.

The cost to run a countywide campaign will be considerably higher than the cost of running a district campaign, leading one to wonder who would run for the at-large positions knowing they would have equal clout to a district-elected council member.

Possible resulting scenarios include candidates supported by business or political action committees.

The checks and balance relationship between the executive and the council in regard to the budget is another critical facet of charter government.

The proposed county charter limits the council to being able to decrease the budget total proposed by the county executive.

These are a few of the details of the proposed charter voters should be aware of before they mark their ballot.

What people want more than ever is government that reflects the entire community they represent, provides a reasonable sustainable vision, is accountable, demonstrates a cooperative nature and, perhaps most importantly, is effective.

The proposed charter will not advance this desire.

On Nov. 6, make sure you weigh in.

George Wenschhof
The writer is publisher/editor of www.FrederickPolitics.com

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My Frederick County, MD Ballot

George Wenschhof

Upon review of my absentee ballot, I was immediately struck by the number of questions put forth to the voters.

Propositions before the voters in west coast states is a common occurrence, but three constitutional amendments, four referendums and a local question is rare in Maryland.

The election choices for U.S. President, U.S. Senator, Representative in Congress and Board of Education are standard and expected, along with casting one’s vote on a Judge for circuit court and court of appeals.

I highly recommend reading The Voter's Guide prepared by the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Frederick County.  It is a wonderful tool voters should use to help them sort out the ballot questions prior to heading to the polls.

At the top of the ballot, I will be adding my support to the reelection of President Obama and U.S. Senator Ben Cardin.  They both have earned the right to continue to serve and Maryland is a state where both Democrats are heavily favored to win.

In spite of four years of obstructionism by Republicans in Congress, President Obama has managed to lead the country out of the Great Recession he inherited - a result of Republican misguided policies of the previous administration. Over the four years Obama has been in office unemployment has dropped from 10% to under 8%.

The President also led efforts to decimate al-Qaeda, ordered the mission into Pakistan that killed Osama bin Laden, ended the U.S. involvement in Iraq and will responsibly end the U.S. military role in Afghanistan by the end of 2014.  These two unfunded wars added to the nation’s deficit. 

President Obama deserves four more years and he has my vote.

Ben Cardin has been a steady voice in the U.S. Senate and the country would be better off if we had more like him.

My vote for Congressional Representative in district 6 will go to Democratic challenger John Delaney. My vote for Delaney is primarily a result of my dissatisfaction of twenty years of ineffective representation by Republican Roscoe Bartlett.

The Board of Education contest, where you pick three candidates, was a no-brainer for me as I marked in my vote for Zakir Bengali, Kathryn B. “Katie” Groth and Joy Schaefer.

Voters need to be aware they should not “throw away” their vote on candidate Tom Shade whose name appears on the ballot as his withdrawal from candidacy, due to health reasons, came too late for his name to be removed from the ballot.  Mr. Shade has declared his support for Bengali, Groth and Schaefer.

Newly appointed Circuit Court Judge William Nicklas, a long term respected local attorney, who is running unopposed, has my vote.  He would have received my support even if he had opposition.  

Moving into the ballot questions, the first two concern the archaic election of Orphans’ Court Judges.  I have argued for some time, these positions should be appointed and not elected, as most counties require no qualifications for the office.

Question 1 and 2 on the ballot require candidates for Orphans’ Court Judges in Prince George’s County and Baltimore County to be admitted to practice law in this state, and to be a member in good standing of the Maryland BAR.

The reason these questions are on the ballot is this change requires a constitutional amendment.  Which means voters from across the state must weigh in.  I am supporting this change.

But, I believe the change should apply to all Orphans’ Court Judges who are elected in the state.

The third question has to do with nuances surrounding when an elected official, found guilty of certain crimes, is suspended and removed from office.  The ballot question reads in part “Under the amended law, an elected official is suspended when found guilty and is removed when the conviction becomes final or when the elected official pleads guilty or no contest” and I support this.

Turning the ballot over, Question 4 appears on the top left hand corner.  Known as the “DREAM” Act, it establishes individuals, including undocumented workers, eligible to pay in-state tuition, provided among other conditions the individual files income taxes, applies for permanent residency and registers with the selective service system.

This makes sense and I am voting for it.  Republicans in Congress blocked this from becoming law when President Obama proposed it, leading him to take executive action to implement this program.

Statewide redistricting is the subject for Question 5 and one only has to look at the gerrymandered sixth congressional district which overwhelmingly favors Democrats, to see the map approved by the state was egregious.

As a Democrat, who has been frustrated with the ineffectiveness of Republican Roscoe Bartlett for twenty years, I will nonetheless vote against the redistricting.

I opined in a column published April 2, 2012 in The Baltimore Sun, "To ensure a more reasonable and balanced redistricting process across the country, it would be sensible for Maryland and the rest of the states to adopt the policy used by the handful of states that use an independent or bipartisan committee.

 

This process, if adopted by all states, would aid in reducing the acrimony and gridlock prevalent in Congress today. Perhaps, representatives would then be elected who would work together to move America forward."

It is way past time to support Same-Sex Marriage and I filled in “For the Referred Law” on Question 6 on my Ballot; Civil Marriage Protection Act.

Interestingly, when petitions were being gathered by those in opposition to this law, one woman asked if I would sign the petition.  When I said no, she asked me if I was gay. I was taken aback with the question and replied I did not understand why anyone would fear this law.  “How does it hurt you”, I asked her, “if two individuals of the same sex are able to be legally married and receive the same benefits as you and I?”

Governor O’Malley’s mistake in taking slots to referendum, instead of forcing state legislators to do their job, is continuing to haunt the man who has his eyes set on the White House.

The roll out of statewide slots had been a disaster and with the authorization coming as a result of a referendum and state constitution change, subsequent changes require statewide referendums.

Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker battled hard to get Question 7 “Gaming Expansion” on the ballot.  A measure, if adopted, in part will allow a facility to operate in Prince George’s County.

I voted “No” on this question.  Not, because I oppose gambling, as I see the multitude of daily lotteries in the state to be more of the same. 

I oppose it because the manner gambling has been allowed in the state of Maryland is cumbersome and will always create problems in the future.

Instead, the General Assembly should take action on gambling, which would allow them to make adjustments in the future in a much more effective manner than a referendum.

The last question on the ballot “Adoption of County Charter” also received my “Nay” vote.

My October 25, 2012 column in The Frederick Gazette spells out why I do not support this proposed charter.

My opposition comes primarily due to the proposed charter providing for a strong elected executive and a hybrid part time council without the council having enough authority over the budget proposed by the executive.

The council should be elected either by district or at-large and they should hire the executive, who could be replaced if they turned out to be incompetent.

The proposed charter’s only requirement for the elected county executive is that they meet a residency threshold and in Maryland there is no recall provision for inept elected officials.

This concludes how I am voting.

Whether, you agree with me or not, make sure you cast your vote.

You can vote early at the Frederick County Department of Aging/Frederick Senior Center located at 1440 Taney Avenue in Frederick, Maryland.

On Saturday October 27 and Monday October 29 through Thursday November 1, the early voting center will be open from 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM.

On Sunday October 28 the hours are Noon – 6:00 PM.

On the day of the General Election November 6, polling centers will be open from 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM.

 

If, you do not know where your poll is located, the Maryland State Board of Elections has made it easy for you to locate online - Just click here.

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Will Maryland DREAM Act Doom Frederick County Charter?

George Wenschhof

The rocky start by the Frederick Maryland Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) to move to a charter form of government may have been dealt a fatal blow by statewide action on a totally unrelated issue.

The Maryland General Assembly passed, in their regular session earlier this year, the DREAM Act, which provided in-state tuition rates for children of undocumented immigrants. The in-state tuition rate earned if the guidelines providing a pathway to citizenship were followed by an applicant.

A reasonable approach, one would argue, in dealing with the highly charged issue surrounding the children of the estimated 11+ million undocumented immigrants who reside in the United States.

However, due to the failure of the U.S. Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill, measures such as the one passed by the Maryland General Assembly receive the ire of many voters, as they only address a single component of this volatile issue.

As, was the case in regard to the Frederick BoCC selection of a charter writing board, the Maryland DREAM Act was subject to a petition for referendum under the Maryland constitution. The number of required signatures obtained and recently certified by the Maryland state board of elections.

This action will result in the “yes or no” question on the DREAM Act put forward for voters to decide in the Maryland 2012 General Election. The same election Frederick County voters will be answering a “yes or no” question on instituting charter government.

The demographics of Frederick County suggest voters will vote “no” to the DREAM Act and as a result, political analysis indicates a second “no” is likely on the move to charter government.

Interestingly, both issues illuminated the state board of elections petition signature certification process, which is currently being challenged on behalf of those who petitioned for a Frederick County special election to determine the members of the charter writing board appointed by the BoCC.

The onerous requirement to have one’s signature match the signature in the voter registration file should not survive legal review. The only issue of concern should be the person is who she/he claims to be, not whether one signed their name with middle initial or not.

I opined in an earlier column, that while I was not convinced a special election for the charter writing board was needed, I supported the right for voters to call for one. Upon learning former Frederick Commissioner and lawyer John Thompson would take on this case, I wrote "...I trust his legal expertise is up to the day in court which will hopefully come soon".

Thompson failed to request a stay from the court, which if granted, would have halted the work being conducted by the appointed charter writing board, until a ruling on the validity of the signatures had been issued.

If, a special election resulted, it would stand to reason, work by the charter writing board should be suspended until the results of the election had been certified.

The appointed charter writing board has now requested twenty-five thousand from the BoCC to use in part to hire a consultant and in part for expenses incurred by the board. The financial request is reasonable. I had also written earlier, a budget should have been included by the BoCC when they appointed the charter writing board.

However, if court review results in a special election for the members of the charter writing board, it should be up to the new members to determine who to hire as a consultant and how to expense the balance of the funds provided by the BoCC.

This is a clear example of why a stay, if requested, would likely be issued by a Judge. The issuance of a stay would also likely result in a faster ruling on the validity of the petition signatures, as it would be apparent valuable time in preparing the charter was being lost.

As one who has long called for charter government in Frederick County, I fear the combination of a muddled charter writing board appointment process coupled with the inclusion of the DREAM Act referendum question in the 2012 General Election, will doom the passage of charter government for Frederick County.

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Charter Petition Votes Should Be Counted

George Wenschhof

The push back from the Frederick Board of County Commissioners and the local mainstream media against the efforts to hold a special election for the members of the charter writing board is unfair and unjust.

As one who has long supported a change to charter government in Frederick County, Maryland, I have opined I was not convinced to sign the petition being circulated to force a special election for the members of the charter writing board.

If successful, eight petition candidates would be on a ballot, facing the nine appointed members, in a special election, estimated to cost two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

In a column dated 5-18-2011, I wrote, in part, that regardless of my personal opinion, voters have the right under the Maryland constitution to petition for such vote. I went on to criticize the administrative guidelines provided to local board of elections staff to be used in determining the validity of the signatures on the petition.

One of the most sacrosanct components of representative democracy in the United States, and one which sets us apart from many nations around the world, is the right to have one's vote count.

Invalidating a vote due to a lack of a middle initial, regardless of whether instructions were available to those gathering signatures, simply fails a fairness doctrine prevalent in American democracy.

Former Frederick County commissioner, John "Lenny Thompson", a lawyer by profession, will argue the case, pro bono, in front of Frederick County Circuit Court. He should argue on the behalf of those potential candidates on the petition, those who gathered the signatures, those who signed the petition and all voters in Frederick County. All of who, were harmed by the decision by the board of elections to disqualify signatures and invalidate the petition.

I further opined in my previously mentioned column, Mr. Thompson should argue for a stay in the deliberations of the current appointed charter board, until such time as a legal ruling has been made.

Thompson never received my vote during the time he served in office and I place a large degree of blame on him for the incendiary rhetoric which exists today between the so called "growth" versus "no-growth" factions in Frederick county. His often used slogan "Don't Let the Developers Win" only served to further divide voters. When, I believe what is needed are more efforts to unite our community.

However, he is right to argue this case and I trust his legal expertise is up to the day in court which will hopefully come soon.

The latest local media reports have focused on the personalities of some of those who supported and were involved in the petition in a seemingly manner to further erode the credibility of the overall effort to hold a special election.

Who was involved in the petition effort or whether they convinced you to sign the petition is not the issue to be weighed when determining the eligibility of one's vote and whether a special election will be held. As, I already stated, I did not sign the petition. However, if a special election is held, the efforts behind the petition effort is important and will be weighed along with other factors by voters when they cast their ballot.

The strength of our democracy should not be judged based on whether the media or those in elected office share a prevailing view, but rather on everyone being treated equally and the right to have one's vote count being upheld in a court of law.

Democracy should also never be argued over the basis of cost, as it is too precious a right.

I trust the court review to make the right decision and to count the intended votes. If, after the recount is concluded, a special election is held, all Frederick County voters can weigh in on who should serve on the charter writing board.

Then, the work toward writing a charter should begin.

Stay Tuned...

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Charter Board Election A Constitutional Right

George Wenschhof

The push back on a special election for members of the Frederick County Maryland charter writing board has been intense and has led the print media in the community to editorialize on the issue.

The expressed feeling being the appointment process was open and transparent. Future charter board meetings will also be open to the public and coupled with the estimated cost for a special election of $250,000, the consensus is there is no need for an election,

In addition, an added argument against a special election for members of the charter writing board is the voters have the final say on whether a change to charter government will take place when the issue is placed on the 2012 general election ballot.

So, the argument continues, why have a special election for members of the committee, when if you do not like what is written, you can vote against it.

As one who applied for consideration to serve on the charter writing board, I share the view the selection process was a transparent effort and the member selection appears to have been a genuine effort to have the board members represent different segments of the population as well as different geographic locations in Frederick county. A bipartisan board which represents the community and who also come from different locations within the county is what I been calling for in columns for quite some time.

While, I may question why certain individuals were interviewed over others and why certain applicants were not selected, it is clear an open process was followed.

Providing the opportunity for members of the community to weigh in as the charter is being written is another long position I have espoused. My belief being the failure of the charter to pass in past attempts in the county were a result of a lack of understanding of what charter government is and the lack of input from the community in the writing of the document.

Again, my wish for public involvement in the process has been taken up by the charter writing board.

However, I stop short of opposing an effort by some to gather the necessary petitions to force a special election for the members of the charter writing board.

Changing the form of government is a significant action. So significant, that when the Maryland constitution section on establishing a charter form of government was written, a provision was included to allow for the opportunity of a special election for the members of the charter writing board.

The eight individuals who wish to serve on the charter writing board have until May 9 to obtain two thousand signatures, when verified by the local board of elections, will force a special election which must be held within ninety days.

They have the constitutional right to pursue this election. While, I have not heard a strong enough argument from any of the aspiring members of the board for me to sign the petition, I do not oppose their effort.

To date, the argument for a special election appears to mirror the 2010 Frederick county commission election with a emphasis on "growth" versus "no-growth" issues being the prevalent theme.

In all likelihood, should a special election take place, some current members would be replaced. Only two of the appointed board members and one of the aspiring board members have run for public office and won.

Outside of political wonks like myself, most voters are not following the effort to change to a charter form of government. Many of the appointed and aspiring board members are not known by voters.

An election may serve a valuable purpose in bringing attention to this issue. Candidates would hopefully provide their reason for wanting to serve on the board which would provide much needed education on the topic.

If a special election is held, I look forward to hearing from the candidates on why I should vote for them.

Obtaining two thousand signatures over a sixty day period by just the eight aspiring candidates is not a difficult task. One would believe a directed door to door effort would result in the necessary signatures.

If they fail in their effort, the question may be how serious of an issue was the selection process to the voters?

Staying with the current appointed board should also turn out well for the voters as their input will be received and the meetings will be open to the public.

Ultimately, voters will have the final say on charter government in Frederick county and that is how it should be.

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Charter Board Appointments Challenged

George Wenschhof

As expected, a petition drive has begun to force a special election for the members of the Frederick County Charter Writing Board.

This board is charged with developing the document which, if passed by the voters in the 2012 general election, would provide the governing policies for Frederick County government.

The eight challengers for the nine member board have sixty days from March 10 (the day the nine appointments were made) to obtain two thousand verified signatures from registered voters of Frederick County.

If successful, the board of elections must hold an election within ninety days following the expiration of the sixty days from the date of appointment of the charter writing board.

Now the petition effort has begun, County Attorney John Mathias may wish to postpone meetings by the appointed charter writing board until the sixty day period has expired. If a special election follows, Mathias may deem it appropriate to delay meetings by the charter writing board until after the election.

As I wrote previously, dissatisfaction of the process used by the county commissioners was evident immediately following the announcement by county commissioner president Blaine Young.

While, I believe the board of commissioners made an effort to conduct a open and even televised process for selecting the members, it was also a certainty a challenge to the appointment process would take place.

The county commissioners could have simply appointed the members. An interview is not a requirement. However, it was the televised interviews which caught the attention of many who viewed them.

The lack of consistency of the questions asked to the candidates and some of the silly questions asked were evident to those who watched the interviews.

At the same time, some candidates, such as Robert Kresslein and Ken Coffee (both were selected), performed very well.

Both Janice Wiles (Friends of Frederick County) and former county commissioner Kai Hagen (Envision Frederick County) have said to me they are not behind this effort. However, expect both to be branded with conspiring to run the challenging slate of candidates to serve on the charter writing board.

At first blush, some will say the eight challengers appear they could be labeled as "anti-growth". If true, this effort could quickly deteriorate into more of the same "growth" versus "no-growth" county commissioner battles of the last twenty years.

But. it is also likely they are indeed motivated over their dissatisfaction in regard to the process used by the county commissioners to select the members of the charter writing board.

A quick look at some of the challengers reveals Aaron Valentino is chair of the board of directors of Envision Frederick County and Ellis Burruss lost in the county commissioner race last year while appearing on the "managed growth" slate.

Donna Kuzemchak and Russell Winch served as elected officials, with the City of Frederick and Town of Walkersville. John McClurkin served on the Frederick County Planning Commission. Paul Gilligan has been a long term advocate for the rural legacy program and ran unsuccessfully three times for delegate in district 3-b.

Rolan Clark has been a long time Democrat who has volunteered in the local Democratic Party rapid response efforts in the past and has been vocal in regard to his positions on local issues, including the recent waste-to-energy debate.

Three of the challengers had applied for consideration by the county commissioners to serve on the charter writing board and were not selected for an interview.

Arguments from some against a special election will certainly include the estimated cost of $150,000 from the board of elections to hold the election.

Yet, others will argue the special election will serve to further educate the voters on how charter government will impact them.

I have been a long term advocate for charter government and my support of the change has nothing to do with a "growth" or "no-growth" perspective. Rather, my support stems from my belief that a charter form of government with an elected executive and county council would better serve the voters than the current board of commissioner form of government.

However, I also strongly believe the voters should be engaged in the charter writing process. The balance of power between the executive and county council, and whether the council should be elected by district or at large are but a few of the many sections of the charter that deserve full public input as the charter is being drafted by the board.

The expense of 150 thousand out of the 448 million Frederick County general fund is a small figure when one considers the impact changing the form of government will have on the lives of Frederick County residents.

Rather than fight the effort to hold a special election for the members of the charter writing board, it would be prudent to understand some are concerned with the current make up of the board.

Educating the voters on what charter government means to the charter writing board candidates would hopefully be part of the petition drive and subsequent campaign.

The change to charter government in Frederick county has failed numerous times in the past. Most often, due to confusion and personalities, rather than on merit.

If two thousand verified signatures are obtained, a special election will be held and the voters will decide who sits on the charter writing board - democracy in action - which is a good thing.

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Editor's Note - I was among 52 original applicants who applied to serve on the nine member charter writing board

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Special Election Likely for Charter Writing Board

George Wenschhof

Frustration continues to grow over the selection process used by the Frederick Board of County Commissioners (BoCC). Last night, the BoCC interviewed fifteen candidates from fifty-two applicants and chose the following nine (Rocky Mackintosh, Bob Kresslein, Jeff Holtzinger, Debra Borden, Fred Anderson, James Hoover, Ken Coffey, Tom Browning, and Joan Aquilino-McIntrye) to serve on the charter writing board.

Three (Earl Robbins, Dana French, and Doug Browning) were selected to serve as non-voting alternates.

Questions pertaining to the process used to select the members began immediately after board president Blaine Young announced on his radio show last Friday the fifteen people to be interviewed and the list of questions each would be asked to answer. The questions posed to the fifteen candidates can be read here.

One of the first callers to the show asked how were the questions determined and why they were not asked of all of the applicants prior to the board selecting fifteen to be interviewed - a good question.

Kathy Rossen is among those who are frustrated with the selection process. In a telephone conversation she expressed concern in regard to the process and questions the answer she received from the county when she requested the criteria used to whittle the applicants down to fifteen.

Ms. Rossen was sent the following list: 1. Business 2. Community Activist 3. Political 4. Government/Civil Servant 5. Municipal 6. Legal Community 7. Non-Profits 8. Education 9. Agriculture 10. Public Safety 11. Transportation 12. Medical Community 13. Military.

Instead, she felt representatives from community groups should have received priority consideration. She was disappointed the League of Women Voters of Frederick County, which she was selected to represent, was not given a seat at the table - I agree.

She added many lawyers had been selected and felt one representative from the legal community would have been sufficient as county counsel would surely be made available to the committee, when needed.

Rossen has long been a proponent of charter government and fears the selection process will hurt the possibility of passage by the voters in the 2012 general election.

She also felt the questions posed to the candidates indicated the commissioners already knew how they wanted various sections of the charter to be written and felt some of the questions were not even appropriate to be asked in the interview.

When I asked her if she would participate in a special election, she said she wouldn't rule it out. Her only concern in regard to a special election was if the cost of holding it would be a negative to voters.

Ms. Rossen is torn because she wants charter government to pass but she fears the board members selected by the BoCC will not produce a document she will be able to support.

Former county commissioner Kai Hagen, who lost in his reelection bid, also has reservations in regard to the community representation on the board. Hagen is now executive director of Envision Frederick County, a newly formed non profit organization.

I sent him an email earlier in the week asking him his thoughts in regard to the selection process and whether a special election should be held. His response is as follows:

"I will watch the remaining part of the selection process with interest. But, since they decided to only interview 15 people for nine spots and three alternates, one can already make certain conclusions. One observation that seems to be widely shared by people who know something about many or most of the people left in the process is that it is not a broadly representative group (in many respects)...and that it is heavily developer-oriented.

It remains to be seen who the nine will be, and who among others will want to run for a spot on that committee (assuming that the requisite number of signatures are gathered by them and on their behalf).

It is likely that others will run, and almost certain at this point that switching out some members of the committee with others might make - could make - the committee more diverse and representative of more perspectives and concerns in our community.

I expect I'll be involved in that effort, but how much and in what manner is not yet determined.

I do think the 2,000 signatures, over a 60 day period, is very do-able, if folks are motivated.

I will also note that having an election for the charter writing committee has an additional benefit, in that it will certainly help foster more public discussion and awareness, and sooner. And that by itself is a good thing".

Ms. Rossen and Mr. Hagen voice valid concerns. It is important to note the charge of the charter writing board is to produce a document which will provide the framework for governing Frederick county. They have up to eighteen months to complete it with the goal to have the charter put forward for the voters to decide in the November 2012 general election.

However, before the board can begin working on the document, any Frederick county registered voter has sixty days to file a petition to force a special election to determine the members of the charter writing board.

All that is needed is 2,000 signatures from Frederick county registered voters. The form to be used for obtaining signatures can be obtained here.

In a conversation with Frederick county elections director Stuart Harvey, he said a petition could contain up to nine names, the size of the board previously determined by the BoCC.

Harvey added there is no limit to the number of petitions which can be filed. So even a single individual could file a petition.

In other words, there is the potential for numerous names to appear on the special election ballot.

If petitions are received within sixty days, the signatures would be verified and a special election must be held within the following ninety days.

Harvey said the compressed time frame to hold an election could increase his estimated cost to the county of $150,000 to hold a special election.

The special election would allow the voters to weigh in on who will serve on the charter writing board.

In essence, a move to a special election will delay by up to five months, the charter writing board from beginning it's work. Not, an insurmountable problem, but the number of months available for the board to deliberate and still aim for having the question put to the voters in the 2012 general election will be reduced. Yet, the board will still have a year to produce the document.

The change to a charter government in Frederick County is long overdo and I commend the BoCC for deciding to create a charter writing board. But, it is important the process be done in a manner that is representative, transparent and provides for input from the voters.

A representative board is imperative for the future success of this effort. Involving voters throughout the charter writing process is also needed to receive input to ensure proper checks and balances, acceptable to the voters, exist in the charter. This voter outreach effort would also serve as a means of educating the voters on charter government.

I was one of the fifty-two applicants to apply for the charter writing board and feel the caller to Blaine Young's radio show, Kathy Rossen, Kai Hagen and others have expressed valid concerns in regard to the process used to date in determining the make up of the board.

Having been involved in politics all my life, I am used to political decisions being made by a majority of elected officials, sometimes outside of the public view - having been appointed to various county boards without an interview.

I, like Kathy Rossen, have been a long time proponent for charter government. I understand the reservations stated by others in regard to the process used in the selection process. I am now fearful the perceived taint of the appointment process will result in the failure of the charter to be approved.

Look to see an effort mounted to obtain signatures for a petition to hold a special election. If the candidates are as Kai Hagen suggests "...more diverse and representative of more perspectives and concerns in our community", the effort will be worthy of support.

Stay Tuned....

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Next Step To Frederick County Charter Government

George Wenschhof

On Thursday evening, the Frederick County Board of Commissioners will publicly interview 15 applicants for the charter writing committee.

Nine will be selected to serve on the committee (the maximum number allowed by law) and three will serve as alternates.

For the purpose of full disclosure, I was one of thirty-five applicants who were not chosen to be interviewed.

I have long advocated for the change to charter government in Frederick County Maryland and am pleased the process is moving forward.

While some will question the process used by the county commissioners to determine the make up of the committee, I am not one of them.

The commissioners received a large response from qualified individuals and many ways could have been utilized in the selection process.

The decision was made to narrow the list to 15, have them answer a series of questions and participate in an interview which is open to the public and also televised.

This will take place Thursday evening at Winchester Hall, with a decision by the board the same evening.

It is important to note that if a petition with sufficient signatures is received following the selection and appointment of the committee, a future special election would be held to determine the members of the committee.

Four years ago, I wrote that it was time to move charter government forward in Frederick County in a column published on TheTentacle.com on February 2, 2007.

In that piece I wrote (addressed to the previous Board of Commissioners) "They should concentrate on three areas: first, a decision on the establishment of the committee; second, the size and representative make-up of the committee; and third, the charge to be given to the committee".

I went on to write "The make-up of the charter-writing committee should be bipartisan and representative of all Frederick County communities".

The huge response from individuals (52 applicants) who were interested in participating in this process should ensure a representative committee.

For me, the most important part of the entire process is for the charter writing committee be given a charge by the board of commissioners to reach out to the community at large for input during the charting writing process.

In the same column written four years ago, I wrote, "The charge given to the charter-writing committee should require that it hold an on-going series of open and public meetings throughout Frederick County to solicit feedback and input from the residents".

I added "The commissioners should not - at this point in the process - get bogged down by dwelling on the minutia of the document that will be prepared by the charter-writing committee. Instead they should move forward on a dual front by concurrently soliciting opinion from the voters and having the charter-writing committee write the document".

Scheduling public meetings at various locations across Frederick County every 4-5 months over the next 18 months would be a good move. For example, hold meetings in the City of Frederick (perhaps a joint NAC meeting would be a good choice), as well as locations in northern, southern, western, and eastern Frederick County.

It is with this input and participation in the development of the charter by the community, the likelihood of passage by the voters will take place when they go to the polls in the November 2012 presidential election.

Discussion on how the separation of powers should be spelled out between the council and executive, the number of council members and whether they should be elected by districts are but two of the many areas of the charter that should receive public input.

A committee privately toiling away for 18 months and then unveiling the charter to be voted on will not likely receive a positive response.

It is past due that a change to charter government take place in Frederick County. I commend the county commissioners for taking the first steps in appointing a charter writing committee. I strongly urge them to include a charge to the committee to involve the voters during the development of the governing document.

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Change Needed in Frederick County, Maryland Government

George Wenschhof

For twenty years, residents of Frederick County Maryland have been governed by either a "pro-growth" or "anti-growth" Board of County Commissioners.

Rather than continuing the swing from one ideology to another, it is time for voters to elect a more centrist and balanced board. This will result in a more reasoned approach in addressing issues such as the impending reduction of the budget, creating jobs closer to home, charter government, growth and the disposal of trash.

Electing recently appointed Commissioner Blaine Young, Michael Kurtianyk, Paul Smith, Billy Shreve and Linda Norris will ensure a more balanced approach to decision making takes place over the next four years.

Incumbent commissioners Kai Hagen and David Gray are painful examples of the outdated five headed commissioner form of government.

Mr. Hagen obviously never learned the truth in the old saying which explains why we are born with two ears and one mouth (so, we listen twice as much as we talk), as he speaks incessantly, while often saying nothing.

A long term community activist and first term commissioner, he also never learned the difference between being an activist and an elected official, leading to his ineffectiveness as a commissioner over the last four years.

Mr. Gray either displayed his lack of understanding of the importance of becoming president of the board or his unwillingness to accept the responsibility that comes with it, by relinquishing the gavel after winning it, in the election four years ago.

None of these characteristics are qualities one should look for in an elected official and neither Mr. Gray or Mr. Hagen deserve another term in office.

When the newly elected commissioners discuss the budget cuts sure to come, all programs and services will need to be examined. Special care should be given to those departments who provide services to those in need as the ranks of the unemployed and underemployed have grown as all county governments across the country struggle to rise out of the deepest recession since the great depression.

The firing of county employees should be the last resort in meeting needed budget reductions. Instead, a focus on not filling essential positions and/or a hiring freeze should be examined. If employees still need to be laid off, the focus should be on mid level management positions, who often are a result of previous funding increases.

Creating jobs closer to home should be a priority of the new board of commissioners as way too many Frederick County residents continue a daily time consuming commute. Commissioner Blaine Young has made this a priority in his campaign.

One suggestion for the new Board is to work with the state legislature as well as our Representative in Congress to promote tax incentives for businesses who provide telecommuting to employees a minimum of one day a week. Passage of this legislation would be a great start in helping Frederick County residents reduce their weekly commute time.

A win-win proposal which would save energy, help employers with job retention and recruitment, while allowing employees more time to spend with family.

Creating a charter writing committee by the new board is one of the first things the new Board of Commissioners should do. The charge of the committee should be to complete the document, providing time for public input, with the question put to the voters in the 2012 presidential election. Once passed by the voters, it would go into effect for the 2014 election.

During the charter writing period, the committee should hold regional meetings throughout the county. The purpose of the meetings would be to provide the public with updated information on the progress of the charter document and to ask for comment and suggestions.

Moving to a county executive and county council will make for a much more effective form of government for Frederick county residents and is long overdo.

When it comes to issues relating to growth, the main concern has rightfully been to ensure infrastructure (schools, roads, water, sewer, fire and rescue) keeps pace with new growth.

While an Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) has been passed and impact fees instituted over the last twenty years, they have not made a noticeable difference in this area.

When attending first and second grade at Parkway Elementary School, I shared a classroom with students in the second and third grade due to overcrowded schools. At that time (1959-1960), the population of the county was about one-third of what it is today.

Years, after enacting well intentioned impact fees and the APFO, portables have replaced split classrooms, older schools remain badly in need of repair and new planned schools stand in line for funding, hardly a measurable improvement.

Roads remain congested and water and sewer availability remain a consistent problem associated with growth.

The new board would serve the residents well by reaching out to a nonpartisan research and think tank to review the results of the enacted growth policies of the last twenty years and if necessary, propose a new means of raising the needed revenue. The University of Maryland Center for Public Policy and Private Enterprise may be one who would provide the research.

Whether a fee is involved or not, a professional review of existing ordinances and regulations should be undertaken immediately.

In addition, the nonpartisan organization should be charged with both reviewing the current county development approval process and proposing a better, more effective and efficient way, than the existing time consuming and costly process.

As location has always been pivotal to buyers of real estate, Frederick County has always been destined to grow.

The discussion of growth should not be an adversarial exercise in Frederick County. Rather, the discussion should be one that leads to effective land management principles which benefit the entire community.

When it comes to the disposal of trash, where and how will always be a controversial decision for elected officials. While the cost of building the approved incinerator is a whopping 300 million plus, opponents led by Commissioner Kai Hagen have failed to offer a reasonable option.

Moving from a current county recycling rate of slightly more than thirty per cent to a rate not needing a landfill or an incinerator is not a realistic alternative. Continuing to truck waste out of state is not a viable answer.

One reasonable and less expensive alternative that should have received more consideration is another landfill or expansion of the existing landfill to serve the need of trash disposal in Frederick County which I wrote about two years ago.

What I proposed was a cost-benefit analysis be done between a landfill and an incinerator. Also, a similar effort made to identify possible locations for a landfill should take place as was done for an incinerator.

Candidate Michael Kurtianyk during a recent sit down interview said he would like to see the county investigate acquiring the former East Alco site in southern Frederick County to be used either for a landfill or incinerator site.

An interesting suggestion, as the acreage could also incorporate a regional compost facility and a resource recovery park.

The dramatic swing between "pro-growth" and "no-growth" boards over the last twenty years has been detrimental to the residents of Frederick County and needs to come to an end in this election.

With the election of Blaine Young, Michael Kurtianyk, Paul Smith, Billy Shreve, and Linda Norris, a balance of reason and experience will prevail over the next four years.

Blaine Young has the political experience which will be a benefit in dealing with the many issues facing county residents today.

Paul Smith, like Blaine Young, has the experience of serving as a City of Frederick alderman. An attorney, he will bring a welcomed reasoned approach to the issues.

Billy Shreve has long been involved in the community serving on boards and commissions. His time spent as chair of the Frederick County Board of Zoning Appeals and as a member of the City of Frederick Planning Commission will be invaluable.

Michael Kurtianyk has shown throughout the campaign his willingness to put principles in front of party. A refreshing approach to the issues from a politician and one which will be appreciated by the residents of Frederick County.

Linda Norris, with experience in working both in the public and private sector will be a added plus as a member of the Board.

Her time spent as Public Information Officer and as Director of Recycling for Frederick County Government will serve her well as commissioner.

The election is only four week away. Make sure you visit candidate websites, read voter guides and most important vote on November 2.

Your vote is important and does make a difference.

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