20050420 Committee orders New Windsor farmer to fix fence

Committee orders New Windsor farmer to fix fence

By Carrie Ann Knauer, Times Staff Writer

Carroll County Times - Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Despite neighbors' complaints that the loose pigs in Marston belong to a nearby farmer, the county Right to Farm Agricultural Reconciliation Committee has determined that the pigs are feral.

More than a dozen residents gave testimony over two nights during the past two months about loose pigs trespassing on their property, uprooting their grass with their snouts and chasing the homeowners and their children.

But two experts from the University of Maryland Cooperative Extension testified that the pigs in the photographs provided by neighbors did not look like the quality of pig a farmer would raise to make money from, and said there was a strong possibility the pigs were feral, probably having escaped from a farm at some time and had reverted back to a wild state.

In addition, the two experts visited Carroll Schisler Sr.'s farm in the 2500 block of Marston Road and examined his pigpen. They determined it was an adequate pen that should be able to contain his pigs.

Neighbors and animal control officers from the Humane Society of Carroll County testified that the fence separating Schisler's property from their properties had several gaps that was allowing the animals to go back and forth across the fence.

The reconciliation committee said that regardless of whether the pigs belong to Schisler or not, he should repair the 300-yards of fence in question to prevent any of the animals he has in that pasture - sheep, goats, horses and cattle - from getting out.

The reconciliation committee ordered that the Schislers repair the fence to standards appropriate for the types of animals he pens according to the recommendations of the cooperative extension within 60 days.

Committee Chairman Kevin Dayhoff said he had spoken with Carroll Schisler Jr., who runs the farming operation, and asked him if he would be able to fix the fence. Dayhoff said Schisler Jr. told him he already had most of the supplies and was willing to make improvements.

Carroll Schisler Sr. said his fence was not allowing any animals out, but that neighbors were blaming him for any loose animals they saw, regardless of whether they belonged to him.

"Any time my fence is down it gets fixed," he said.

Schisler said he is still worried that his neighbors will continue to attack him because of the attention gathered from this hearing. Schisler testified that nearly 30 of his animals have been shot on his property in the past year because of bad blood with his neighbors.

Reconciliation committee member Barry Marsh made a motion at Tuesday night's hearing to have the committee go on the record that it is against residents taking any action against animals trespassing on their properties. Assistant County Attorney Tim Burke said the law states that people may not shoot trespassing animals unless the property owners are in imminent danger.

"This committee does not condone any of the citizens taking it upon themselves to destroy any of these animals," Marsh said.

Burke said he has contacted the Maryland Department of Natural Resources about the feral pigs. Burke said the representative he spoke with was very interested in investigating the matter and trying to eradicate the loose pigs as soon as possible.

The reconciliation committee asked that the county staff pursue an eradication program with the DNR and the U.S. Department of Agriculture and report back to the committee in 60 days on the progress.

Resident Agnes Lerp said she appreciated the time the committee took to help resolve the pig issue. Lerp said while she doesn't necessarily believe the pigs are wild, she believes the committee has done all it can to correct the problem.

"Fixing the fence is the most important thing," she said.

20050218 Live Near Your Work Program Resurrected by Deitrich Curry

20050218 Live Near Your Work Program Resurrected by Deitrich Curry

Live Near Your Work Program Resurrected by Deitrich Curry

Capital News Service Friday, February 18, 2005

ANNAPOLIS - Genora Brown has been a homeowner for five years after accepting a $3,000 incentive to live closer to her work, but others haven't had the same opportunity since the program that provided the grant closed in 2003.

Now one lawmaker has introduced legislation to resuscitate the program that made it possible for Brown to walk to her Johns Hopkins University job.

"I'm a new homeowner and that's something to be proud of," said Brown at Thursday's hearing before the House Environmental Matters Committee.

The Live Near Your Work Program began in 1997 to encourage homeownership and reduce commuting long distances by providing an incentive for buying a home close to work.

The state, localities and employers each contributed $1,000 for a total incentive of $3,000.

State funding cuts eliminated the program in 2003.

"It was really just getting off the ground," said the bill's sponsor, Delegate Maggie McIntosh, D-Baltimore County.

The bill will require that the governor include at least $250,000 annually in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 for the Department of Housing and Community Development to fund the program. Funds are not to exceed $500,000.

During the program's six-year run, the state provided $1.35 million for 997 grants in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Prince Georges County, Montgomery County, College Park, Hagerstown, Westminster and Salisbury.

About 130 employers participated including Johns Hopkins University, The Baltimore Sun Co., Morgan State University, Perdue Farms Inc. and Pepsi Cola Bottling Co.

McIntosh said the return is one of the best parts about this program.

"State dollars leverage more than twice their amount," McIntosh said.

There was no opposition to the bill at the hearing and McIntosh said the bill had a good chance of passing because of its "very low" cost.

The governor's office said it had no opinion on the bill.

While the state ended its funding for the program, Baltimore City continued to participate, providing a total of $2,000 for each family from the city and the employer.

The program has aided more than 300 families over the past two years.

Homes were purchased at an average cost of $93,776 and had a median cost of $830,000, according to a report released by The Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors.

About 56 percent of the new homebuyers had an annual household income of $50,000 or less, the report also revealed.

Still, the city is ready for the state to join the program again.

"We are ready, willing and able to be the third party," said Kenneth J. Strong, homeowners' office director of the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development.

Employers and local jurisdictions can decide how far the person must live from their work to qualify. Some jurisdictions paid the incentive for people to live in certain, underpopulated areas.

Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff said the program has helped revitalize his city by increasing families and citizens.

"A small amount of money can make a big difference when a young family purchases a home," he said.

Delegate Kumar Barve, D-Montgomery, an Environmental Matters Committee member, said the program has a variety of benefits.

"It encourages people to live where they work, while preventing congestion and improving the environment," he said.

Delegate Barry Glasman, R-Harford, also a committee member, called it a " laudable program."

Copyright © 2008 University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism

http://www.journalism.umd.edu/cns/wire/2005-editions/02-February-editions/050218-Friday/LivingProximity_CNS-UMCP.html

20003010 20041231 Coverage of Kevin Dayhoff by Benjamin Demers for the Carroll County Times for 2003 and 2004

20003010 20041231 Coverage of Kevin Dayhoff by Benjamin Demers for the Carroll County Times for 2003 and 2004

January 1, 2003 – December 31, 2004

Future of Even Start program in doubt as funds are cut, despite success

Without the Even Start program, Westminster resident Misty Miley said she wouldn't have the confidence needed to try and get her GED. While Miley has yet to receive the results of her high school equivalency test, which she took two weeks ago, she sa...
Mar. 19, 2004

Roundabout planned to ease traffic

Carroll County's Commissioners have awarded a contract for the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Center Street and Gorsuch Road in Westminster to help deal with potential traffic problems from Winter Mills High School. The commissio...
Jul. 13, 2004

No rush to commit to build new school in North Carroll
In spite of public demand for a quick decision to construct a new school, Carroll County Board of Education members will not rush into deciding how to address overcrowding at North Carroll High School. At a March 11 public hearing and an April 14 boa...
Apr. 27, 2004

Carroll News BriefsBurnett named new higher ed secretary Former Coppin State College President Calvin W. Burnett was named acting secretary of higher education Monday by Gov. Robert Ehrlich. Burnett, a Westminster resident, spent 32 years as president of Coppin State b...
Dec. 9, 2003

'Lights On' lets kids shine
If it wasn't for the Lights On Afterschool program, East Middle School eighth-grader Crystal Bell claims she would be on the streets. Bell, like hundreds of students in Carroll County, says she has been positively affected by the program, which provi...
Oct. 10, 2003

20003010 20041231 Coverage of Kevin Dayhoff by Benjamin Demers for the Carroll County Times for 2003 and 2004

20040914 Westminster acquires properties by Greg Guenthner for the Carroll County Times

20040914 Westminster acquires properties by Greg Guenthner for the Carroll County Times

Westminster acquires properties by Greg Guenthner for the Carroll County Times

September 14, 2004

City officials approved the purchase of two properties on Union Street to be rehabilitated.

The duplex, located at 45 and 47 Union St., will be sold to low or moderate income families to promote homeownership, said Karen Blandford, the city's housing and community development manager.

The city housing department hopes to change the balance between renters and homeowners in Westminster, Blandford said.

The houses will be sold in a shared equity program, Blandford said, which will allow the city to maintain a share in the appreciation of the property. The program also guarantees that the home will not be sold as a rental unit.

In other business:

Council approved the appointment of Calvin Wray Mowbray Jr., to the Carroll Regional Airport Technical Advisory Committee.

Mowbray is a pilot with a background in management and marketing.

Mayor Kevin Dayhoff issued a proclamation for Constitution Week for the week of Sept. 17-23.

Dayhoff also issued a proclamation recognizing Disabled American Veterans Forget-Me-Not Month.

- Greg Guenthner

Westminster Mayor 200105 200505 Kevin E. Dayhoff proclamations, Westminster Housing initiatives, Carroll County Regional Airport, Westminster Scrapbook Union St., Media journalists Guenthner - Greg Guenthner

20040427 Carroll County Times: City to tap reserve funds to close deficit

Carroll County Times: City to tap reserve funds to close deficit

City to tap reserve funds to close deficit

By Maria Tsigas, Times Staff Writer

Tuesday, April 27, 2004

The Westminster City Council voted Monday to formally introduce the mayor's $28 million budget with a public hearing to follow May 3.

Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff said that to balance a budget with a $4.2 million deficit, the city will have to take out a $1.5 million 10-year loan, but a $65 yearly trash collection fee which would have generated $300,000 has been taken off the table.

Instead the money will be made up in several ways, including taking $135,000 from the city's automobile and equipment reserve to buy five new police vehicles, instead of using funds from the general budget, he said.

Another $15,000 will be pulled from the Westminster City Police Department's reserve to purchase protective gear.

Dayhoff said another $74,000 will be made up by making reductions in some of the city's programs.

The costs of services have increased faster than the amount of revenue coming in, Dayhoff said. That compounded with the city's unfunded federal and state mandates have all led to a structural deficit in the city's budget, he said.

The income tax has been flat for three years, and revenue from property taxes is not increasing enough to make up for the cost of goods and services the city provides, Dayhoff said. But, an increase in the property tax is likely in the near future, he said.

Paying for long-term expenses with one-time funds cannot continue, he said.

Council President Damian Halstad said that this is a tight budget.

"We just cut it to the bone. No one knows what next year will bring. We'll just have to wait and see," he said.

Councilman Thomas Ferguson agreed that the city cannot keep tapping into its reserve funds because if the city experiences an unexpected expenditure it will be in trouble.

Next year the city will either have to decrease services or increase property taxes, he said.

"There aren't many more rabbits if any left in the hat," he said.

Capital costs account for $8 million and operating expenses account for about $20 million of the total budget. This year's budget, which runs from July 1, 2004, to June 30, 2005, increased by $3 million from fiscal year 2004.

Reach staff writer Maria Tsigas at 410-857-7886 or mtsigas@lcniofmd.com.

Westminster Dept Finance Budget 2004 – 2005 FY

Westminster Dept Public Works Solid Waste Man

Westminster Dept Public Works Solid Waste Man Recycling

Westminster Dept Public Works Solid Waste Man 20040415 Solid Waste and Recycling Cost Recovery Fee

Westminster Dept Finance Budget 20040415 Solid Waste and Recycling Cost Recovery Fee

Westminster Dept Finance Budget

Environmentalism Solid Waste Man Pay as You Throw

Environmentalism Solid Waste Man Recycling

20031208 McDaniel College web site: Local leaders, political science students talk bioterrorism

20031208 McDaniel College web site: Local leaders, political science students talk bioterrorism

http://www.mcdaniel.edu/news/archive03/bioterror2.shtml

Local leaders, political science students talk bioterrorism

December 8, 2003

Consider this scenario: Pneumonic plague has hit Baltimore, and city leaders suspect bioterrorism.

Bracing for the disease to spread across county lines, the Westminster mayor convenes a team of advisers.

Tension runs high. Not only are Mayor Kevin Dayhoff and other local leaders asking difficult questions; this new team of advisers has never handled an emergency plan – never mind one for a bioterrorist attack.

They are McDaniel students in a political science class, "National Security in a Changing World."

And when the students met with local emergency responders Dec. 3 to lay out their strategy, their real-life counterparts were quick to complete their plans with advice – from critique to praise for the students' creativity.

As two groups of students presented their proposals to local leaders, they offered a range of ideas. They discussed aspects of their plans, from blocking main roads and screening entrants to quarantining people who had been exposed, offering treatment for patients at the former Lowe's building and area schools, and even shuttling the sick so they wouldn't create extra traffic on area roads.

"Mostly what we're trying to do is prevent the spread and go a little overboard," said Nate Getchell '05, acting as the health officer for one of the groups. "Offense is your best defense."

The students proposed developing hotlines for people seeking information and spreading the news via local TV and radio stations. One of the groups wanted to broadcast the hotline information from police cruisers.

"Has the mayor declared marshal law?" Dayhoff asked.

Without hesitation, Jon Fitzgerald '06, serving as the public information officer for his group, responded. "No, the mayor has not. Quite frankly, we are trying to remain as calm as possible."

Looking ahead, the students even tried to find solutions such as sending contaminated hospital materials to an incinerator in York, Pa., and storing dead bodies in refrigerators at a meatpacking plant.

"I think the identification of a temporary morgue is a great thing," said Mike Webster, director of Campus Safety. But be prepared, he told the students, for the liability issues after destroying a local business's reputation.

Dayhoff complimented the students on their plans, which they developed after interviewing their real-life counterparts and then grappling with the scenario, created by their instructor, Volker Franke, assistant professor of political science and international relations.

"Some of those things that you didn't get right … you didn't get it right with a lot of depth and a lot of thought and a lot of integrity, and that never bothers me," Dayhoff said.

In a real incident, Dayhoff said he would have declared marshal law – as he did during Hurricane Isabel – along with turning to the National Guard and Maryland Emergency Management Agency for extra support.

"You're going to be absolutely amazed at how much of your future roles will be absorbed with public health, safety, and welfare," Dayhoff told the students. "I wish I had taken this class when I was your age. I've just had to put it together over the years."

For Leon Checca '05, acting as public information officer for one of the groups gave him a glimpse into what he might like to do after college, possibly working for the National Security Agency.

"It was definitely really interesting," he said. "We didn't really think anything would happen in Westminster. We thought it would happen elsewhere."

But if it does happen in Westminster, Dayhoff may have a few extra advisers.

"There were no incorrect or wrong decisions. What's really important is that you planned," he said. "I would go into any emergency response with you all."

For more information, contact Rita Beyer, associate director of media relations, at 410-857-2294.

WestGovNet: Colleges and schools McDaniel College, Colleges and schools McDaniel College Dr. Franke Fall BioTerrorism Simulation Exercise, Dayhoff Kevin Dayhoff press clippings

KevinDayhoffNet: Colleges and Universities McDaniel College, Colleges and Universities McDaniel College Dr. Franke Fall BioTerrorism Simulation Exercise, Dayhoff press clippings

NBH: colleges and universities mcdaniel, dayhoff press clippings, mcdaniel college franke fall biot sim ex]

Class projects puts McDaniel students on the front lines of a biological attack
http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/51418.html

mcdaniel college franke fall biot sim ex
http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/tag/mcdaniel+college+franke+fall+biot+sim+ex

20031204 Class projects puts McDaniel students on the front lines of a biological attack by Jamie Schmidt for the Carroll County Times

20031204 Class projects puts McDaniel students on the front lines of a biological attack by Jamie Schmidt for the Carroll County Times

Class projects puts McDaniel students on the front lines of a biological attack

By Jamie Schmidt, Times Staff Writer

December 4th, 2003

Westminster city officials gathered and spent several hours discussing how to respond to a biological attack. The plan unrolled like a Tom Clancy novel, including road barriers, hotlines, shelters, press releases, volunteers and preparing a hospital for infected patients.

However, there was no real infectious outbreak, and the officials were actually McDaniel College political science students - although the real officials attended, to observe and question the students' research.

The students convened in a mock round table Wednesday night attended by Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff, Westminster fire company chief Kevin Utz and Larry Leitch, health officer at the county's Health Department, among others.

The students' teacher, Volker Franke, assistant professor of political science and international studies, said that one student came to him earlier Wednesday worried about presenting a plan to men and women who thought about emergency response for a living.

Franke consulted Dayhoff in designing the exercise.

"He gave me a list of people he told me he would want to hear from, and I assigned the roles of the responders to the students," he said.

Students then had to interview everyone to learn about the roles they would have to play. Howard "Buddy" Redman Jr., director of emergency management for the county, spoke to several students about his responsibilities managing manmade disasters and attacks.

"It is interesting to have others interested in what you do," Redman said. "I have been working in emergency management for 27 years, and for the first 25, we were there but people didn't think about us as much."

Student Farzin Farzad said that he gained an enormous admiration for Tom Beyard, Westminster's director of planning and public works, after learning about his responsibilities.

Franke said that he wanted the students to understand their roles before he gave them a pretend scenario: plague bacilli released during a sold-out performance at the Joseph Myerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore.

During the roundtable, as students threw out plans, Dayhoff piped up that the students should consider recommending that the mayor declare marshal law.

"With the hurricane, I ordered everyone off the streets at 6," Dayhoff said. "If I did it for a hurricane, I'd sure as heck do it for this."

Utz piped up that he immediately wanted to know the names of every person who attended the symphony hall. Bob Cumberland, longtime Westminster volunteer fire company member, told students to remember the fire company's mutual aid agreements - that it was okay to ask for help.

"Let's look to Pennsylvania to assist," he said.

In the last 12 weeks, Franke's students discussed and studied the threats on the United States that developed over the past decade and examined changing global security requirements. Franke said that he was impressed how the students worked together in their culminating project for the semester.

"Preparing is hard," said student Danielle Goodnow. "You get a great amount of respect for what people do."

*****

WestGovNet: Colleges and schools McDaniel College, Dayhoff Kevin Dayhoff press clippings, Colleges and schools McDaniel College Dr. Franke Fall BioTerrorism Simulation Exercise,

KevinDayhoffNet: Colleges and Universities McDaniel College, Dayhoff press clippings, Colleges and Universities McDaniel College Dr. Franke Fall BioTerrorism Simulation Exercise

NBH: McDaniel College Franke Fall BioT Sim Ex, Colleges and Universities McDaniel College, Dayhoff press clippings

20020822 “Mayors consider an area council” By Mary Gail Hare, Sun Staff

20020822 “Mayors consider an area council” By Mary Gail Hare, Sun Staff

http://www.sunspot.net/news/local/carroll/bal-ca.towns22aug22.story?coll=bal%2Dlocal%2Dcarroll

Mayors consider an area council

Board of towns' leaders would work with county; 'Enormous untapped talent'

By Mary Gail Hare, Sun Staff, August 22, 2002

Representatives of Carroll's eight towns, buoyed by their solidarity on growth management, are looking to form a council of town governments to work directly with the county commissioners on regional issues such as transportation, development and education.

The proposed countywide council would include mayors; town council members; school officials; and representatives from police, fire and emergency services agencies.

"We have enormous untapped talent on our councils, and we represent one-third of the county's population," said Westminster Mayor Kevin E. Dayhoff. "A council would allow us input above and beyond the quarterly mayors' meeting."

The commissioners meet with the mayors four times a year, usually late in the afternoon. Often, job demands - nearly all the mayors have careers outside of town hall - keep town leaders from these daytime meetings.

"What gets accomplished in those meetings is up to the mayors," said Commissioner Robin Bartlett Frazier. "The agendas are largely fixed by the towns. We use the meetings as an opportunity to share information. We are always open to their concerns."

Hampstead Councilman Haven Shoemaker Jr., president of the Carroll chapter of the Maryland Municipal League, said he would use the league's framework to expand the mayors' meetings into a county council. The sessions - which would include other county departments and would be held more often and in the evenings - would operate as an arm of the league.

"It is wiser to build on MML," said Westminster Councilman Damian L. Halstad. "This is an organization with clout, stature and credibility."

Dayhoff introduced the concept Monday as town officials gathered to formally endorse growth-control measures that call for limiting or curtailing building permits in areas coping with water shortages or with crowded schools and roads.

But town officials decided that the council issue would be diffused if they included it in a letter to commissioners meant to detail their growth-control proposals. They decided to wait until next month to tackle the proposal.

The monthlong delay will give the mayors time to discuss the issue with their town councils and gather support.

"I think everybody will go for it," said Sykesville Mayor Jonathan S. Herman. "But, if it is not effective, people will lose interest. The effectiveness of this council is more important [than] what it is."

Mount Airy Town Council President Frank Johnson developed the towns' six-point growth-management strategy, which insists that the county plan with the towns in mind. He won support for the strategy from the other seven towns and from the Finksburg and Freedom area residents councils.

"We brought the county together on this issue that affects everybody," Johnson said. "We demonstrated the importance of corroboration, cooperation and standing together. The next step is long-term problem-solving."

Johnson told his municipal colleagues the next step is a county council that would include the county staff.

"We are all part of the same county," Johnson said. "What happens in one part of this county does have an effect on other parts. There is much more of a connection and a need for ongoing communication, a problem-solving approach that brings everybody to the table."

Halstad said that the towns have not had the best relationship with the county commissioners and that selling them on the idea could be difficult. Several candidates for county commissioner are members of the municipal league and were present at the signing.

"We need a board of commissioners that is sensitive and willing to listen," Halstad said. "This organization could fly once we have that. We can get ahead of the growth curve and participate in policy planning."

Shoemaker said he will add the council proposal to the league's meeting in Union Bridge on Sept. 19.

"This is an idea that is definitely worth exploring," Shoemaker said.

Labels: Carroll Co. Council of Govts COG, People Carroll Co. Shoemaker – Haven Shoemaker, MD Municipal League Carroll Co. Chap., Westminster Mayor 200105 200505 Kevin E. Dayhoff, Dayhoff press clippings, MD Municipal League

19990413 More candidates file for May elections By KEVIN GRIFFIS, Times Staff Writer

19990413 More candidates file for May elections By KEVIN GRIFFIS, Times Staff Writer

http://www.carrollcounty.com/news/tue3.htm

First published in the Carroll County Times Tuesday, April 13, 1999

More candidates file for May elections

Chapin won't seek re-election in Westminster

By KEVIN GRIFFIS, Times Staff Writer

There were only a few last-second filings Monday for Carroll's May municipal elections.

Most of the action took place in Hampstead and Taneytown, while in Westminster a city councilman who had waffled about whether he would run again decided to forgo another race.

In a town that has what could become the most interesting mayoral race this year, county political newcomers Keith A. Heindel and Denise Justus both filed to run for Hampstead city council seats the last day they could, said town clerk Pat Warner.

That brings the total candidates for the two open seats to five. Incumbents Lawrence H. Hentz Jr. and Stephen A. Holland and challenger Steven Balaz have also declared for the race. Balaz ran and lost in 1997.

Mayor Chris Nevin filed for re-election April 8, Warner said. He will battle councilman Wayne H. Thomas for Hampstead's top spot.

Nevin ousted incumbent C. Clinton Becker by running on a slow-growth platform in 1995. The mayor, though, has taken heat recently for approving a 66-condominium development in the Roberts Field housing development.

Thomas has served on the city council since 1991 and was re-elected in 1997.

In Taneytown, Henry C. Heine Jr. is running unopposed for mayor, while at the last moment Bobby Wales joined Daryl Hale and incumbent Brian Long in the race for two city council seats.

Westminster incumbent councilman Stephen R. Chapin had said he would play it down to the wire before making a decision on whether or not he would run for re-election. He said he was waiting to find out whether another fiscal conservative would file. That didn't happen, but Chapin still decided not to run again.

Chapin said he's become an advocate for term limits. It's time for some new blood, he said. Chapin, a self-described fiscal conservative and eight-year council veteran, said he hopes someone else steps forward on the council to watch the town's pennies.

There are only four candidates running for three open seats in Westminster.

In 1995, five people ran for three council seats and the city experienced the lowest election-day turnout of any municipality in the county.

City officials attributed the low turnout and dearth of election day choices in 1995 to a lack of hot-button issues and have said the same about this year's race.

Incumbents Suzanne Albert and Gregory Pecoraro are running with challengers Kevin Dayhoff and Frank Wagner.

New Windsor has three open seats and five candidates have filed to run. Councilmen Paul Garvey, Ronnie Blacksten and Terry Petry are running against last-minute filers Samuel Pierce and Kevin Null.

Potential candidates in Union Bridge, a town that passed a water rate hike in January, have until 4 p.m. today to declare their candidacy. As of Monday afternoon, only incumbents Mayor Perry L. Jones Jr. and Councilmen Bret D. Grossnickle and Donald Wilson had filed.

At the Sykesville Town Council meeting held Monday night, town council members William R. Hall, Michael Kasnia, Jeannie Nichols and Michael H. Burgoyne announced they will seek re-election. They will, however, by challenged by five other candidates. Three full-term seats [four years] and one partial-term seat [two-years] will be up for grabs. Each candidate must have been nominated in person at the meeting in order to be declared as an offical candidate.

The other candiates nominated are Charles B. Mullins, Scott Hollenbeck, Constance Lee Higgins, Cynthia DeBari Campbell and Garth Adams.