Wendi Peters for Mount Airy mayor campaign profile

Wendi Peters for Mount Airy mayor campaign profile

EXPERIENCE LEADERSHIP COMMITMENT

Wendi Wagner Peters, 46, was born and raised in Mt. Airy, having attended Mt. Airy schools and graduated from South Carroll High School before attending college in Baltimore. She is proud to follow both her father and grandfather in serving on the Town Council. Wendi and her husband, Gary have a 16 year old son, Zach, who is a junior at Linganore High School. As a former PTA Executive Board member and parent volunteer, she remains an advocate for the modernization of schools for our children. She grew up in a family business and over the years has worked in a number of areas to promote economic development, while balancing the interests of our residents. She is a fiscal conservative and is mindful that the money government spends is YOUR money.

Campaign platform:

Leadership – Former Town Clerk BJ Dixon, when nominating me for Mayor, stated “we need stability and continuity…we need to get the town back on track”. I understand our government, the importance of relationships with county and state officials and I will provide the leadership we need.

The Budget – I understand the money government spends is YOUR money. Serving on the Council, I have consistently identified ways to reduce costs and save money. Our successful recycling program is one example. I will continue to work to reduce costs and keep Mount Airy an affordable place to live.

School and recreational facilities – As a mother, PTA member and mentor, I know the importance of modernized schools and adequate recreational facilities for our children. I will work with all parties to advocate for the rebuilding of the Mt. Airy Middle School and address our recreational facility needs.

Qualifications and experience:

Town of Mt. Airy – Councilwoman
Liason – Economic Development – 2008 - present
Liaison – Recycling and Sanitation - 2006-present
Zoning Administrator – 2004-2006
Liaison - Water and Sewer – 2004-2006

Business Volunteers Unlimited – School & Business Partnership Program
Mentor to Baltimore City Elementary School students– 2008 - present

Maryland Municipal League – Communications Committee
Chairman – 2007-2008
Member – 2006-2007

Mentoring Connections Team
Mentor to Mt. Airy School Middle School students– 2007-2008

Advisory Committee to the Community Legacy Board
MD Department of Housing and Community Development
Member – 2006-2007

Community Law in Action
Mentor to Baltimore City High School students – 2006 – 2008

Mount Airy Main Street Association
Board Member - 2008-2009
Member - 2004-present

Downtown Revitalization Committee
Member - 2002-2004

Town of Mt. Airy – Planning & Zoning Commission
Vice Chairman – 2000 – 2004
Member – 1998 – 2004

Twin Ridge Elementary School – PTA
Executive Board – 2002
Parent Volunteer – 1998 – 2004

Town of Mt. Airy – Board of Zoning Appeals
Member – 1997

Town of Mt. Airy – Recycling Commission
Chairman – 1990 – 1996

Calvary United Methodist Church
Staff Parish Relations Council – 2006-2008
Sunday School Teacher – 1998-2000
Member

EDUCATION
University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
Fellow, Academy for Excellence in Local Governance, 2007

Loyola College, Baltimore, Maryland
B.A., Political Science, 1989

Villa Julie College, Baltimore, Maryland
A.A., Paralegal Studies, 1983

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Maryland State Bar Association, Associate Member
Maryland Association of Paralegals
National Federation of Paralegal Associations

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For coverage of the May 3, 2010 Mount Airy municipal elections click on: Elections 20100503 Mount Airy

Labels: Carroll Co Dist Mt Airy, Dayhoff photos, Dayhoff photos Carroll Co, Elections 20100503 Mount Airy, History Mount Airy MD, People Peters-Wendi Mt Airy Council

Related coverage: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/search/label/Elections%2020100503%20Mount%20Airy

Mount Airy town elections a little over a month away League of Women Voters to hold candidates' forum March 31 Posted http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/4173/mount-airy-town-elections-little-over-month-away/ 3/29/10 by Carroll Eagle, Eldersburg Eagle, Westminster Eagle

Scott Strong for Mount Airy town council campaign profile March 29, 2010 http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/03/scott-strong-for-mount-airy-town.html

BJ Dixon nominates Councilwoman Wendi Peters for the Office of Mount Airy Mayor By Kevin Dayhoff for Soundtrack March 29, 2010 http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/03/bj-dixon-nominates-councilwoman-wendi.html

Mount Airy town elections a little over a month away http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/03/mount-airy-town-elections-little-over.html League of Women Voters of Carroll County to hold candidates’ forum.
March 19, 2010 by Kevin Dayhoff

Current Mount Airy Mayor Helt nominates Mr. Everich http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/03/current-mount-airy-mayor-helt-nominates.html

The Mount Airy Lottery in The Tentacle: http://www.thetentacle.com/ by Kevin E. Dayhoff Wednesday, March 24, 2010: “The “awful aughts” were not kind to Mount Airy. The last decade seemed to have been on the minds of citizens who crowded into the Mount Airy town hall on March 8 to nominate candidates to vie for elected offices in the upcoming election….”

“Mount Airy electoral nominees named” By Jennifer Jiggetts, Times Staff Writer Jiggetts http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/article_27f19880-2d92-11df-9131-001cc4c002e0.html Friday, March 12, 2010

“Mount Airy announces nominations for mayor and Town Council” Originally published March 10, 2010 By Nicholas C. Stern News-Post Staff http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=102271

“Peters, Rockinberg to face off for mayor - Two nominated for mayor, three for two open council seats in Mount Airy's May 3 election” by Angie Cochrun Staff Writer Thursday, March 11, 2010 http://www.gazette.net/stories/03112010/mounnew162451_32547.php

David Blais Candidate for Mount Airy Town Council web site
http://www.davidblais.com/contact.html

http://www.thegroggreport.com/merrygoround.htm

http://www.gazette.net/stories/03112010/mounnew162451_32547.php

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=102271
_______

*****

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ or http://kevindayhoffart.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/ or http://www.westgov.net/ = www.kevindayhoff.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net Explore Carroll: www.explorecarroll.com The Tentacle: www.thetentacle.com

BJ Dixon nominates Councilwoman Wendi Peters for the Office of Mount Airy Mayor

BJ Dixon nominates Councilwoman Wendi Peters for the Office of Mount Airy Mayor By Kevin Dayhoff for Soundtrack March 29, 2010

The mayor’s office and two council seats are up for grabs this coming May 3 when Mount Airy citizens go to the polls to select new leadership for the town.

It was standing room only at the Mount Airy board of supervisors of elections citizens’ meeting on March 8, 2010, in the town hall council chambers. The chair of the elections board, Bruce Walz, banged the gavel and brought the short, 20-minute meeting to order at precisely 7 p.m.

Citizens, from the town of almost 10,000, which straddles the Frederick and Carroll County border, crowded into the room to nominate candidates to vie for the mayor’s office, currently held by Peter Helt; and two council seats, currently held by Gary Nelson and Chris Everich.

Citizens nominated Wendi Peters, currently a town councilmember, and Patrick Rockinberg, who currently serves as the vice-chair of the Mount Airy planning and zoning commission to vie for mayor.

For the two council seats, citizens choose three to stand for election: David M. Blais, Scott Strong, and incumbent councilmember Chris Everich.

At the Mount Airy board of supervisors of elections citizens’ meeting, former Mount Airy town clerk BJ Dixon nominated councilwoman Wendi Peters to run for the mayor’s office in the upcoming municipal elections.

That evening, Ms. Dixon said:

“Good Evening, For those that don’t know me, I’m B.J. Dixon. My husband, Carl, and I have lived in the Town for 44 years. I recently retired as a 30-year employee with the Town of Mount Airy.

“I’m here this evening not only as a resident of the Town; not only as a past employee of the Town; but as a concerned citizen that feels we need to get the Town back on track with someone that has leadership abilities.

“I’m here to nominate Councilwoman Wendi Peters for the Office of Mayor.

“Having worked with Wendi over the years, I believe she has the experience to lead the Town into the future. Wendi understands the workings of our government, she is a problem solver and possesses the ability to stand up and take on tough decisions.

“We need to quit drawing lines in the sand. We need stability and continuity back in our Town. We need Wendi Peters to do just that. With her experience, her leadership and her commitment, I’m confident she will get this Town back to one that we can be proud to call “Our Town”. Our Town with a strong, bright future.”

After the meeting, councilwoman Peter’s released the following statement:

“Tonight I am honored to have BJ Dixon place my name in nomination to run for Mayor of Mount Airy. I am honored to have her trust, respect and support as our former Town Clerk and a retired 30 year employee of the Town of Mount Airy.

“The past year has been challenging for our town in many ways. While some of these challenges remain, I am confident with new leadership, a strong, dedicated staff and devoted volunteers we can confront these challenges and work together for the best interests of all of our residents.

“I am honored to have served my hometown in various capacities over the last 20 years. I have consistently shown I will always stand up for what I believe is in the best interests of our town. I am committed to identifying and solving problems while looking forward with a sense of vision. … This is a very important election and I need your support. Thanks very much, Wendi Peters”

On the evening of the citizens’ nominations the League of Women Voters of Carroll County announced that the non-partisan organization will hold a candidates’ forum on March 31 at 7 p.m. for those running for office.

The forum will be held at the Mount Airy town hall and will be broadcast live by the Community Media Center. The forum will feature questions developed by the League and questions from the audience. For more information about the forum, contact the League at info@carroll.lwvmd.org.

The last day for write-in candidates to get on the ballot is 5 p.m. April 12. The deadline to register to vote is April 5 and absentee ballots are available at the town offices up until April 15.

Elections are held in the town every two years. Citizens will have an opportunity to vote for one mayor and two councilmembers on Monday, May 3, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Firemen's Activities Building on Twin Arch Road.

For more information call the town office at 410-795-6012 or 301-829-1424 or visit the town web site at http://www.mountairymd.org/.

[20100308 BJ Dixon Peters nom remarks]

Photo captions:
Carol Blackburn, of the League of Women Voters of Carroll County, and Councilwoman Wendi Peters stop to talk after the Mount Airy board of supervisors of elections citizens’ meeting on March 8, 2010 in the town hall council chambers. Photo by Kevin Dayhoff [20100308 MA noms 4]

Councilwoman Wendi Peters was nominated to run for the office of Mount Airy mayor at the Mount Airy board of supervisors of elections citizens’ meeting on March 8, 2010 in the town hall council chambers. Photo by Kevin Dayhoff [20100308 MA noms 5]

For coverage of the May 3, 2010 Mount Airy municipal elections click on: Elections 20100503 Mount Airy

Labels: Carroll Co Dist Mt Airy, Dayhoff photos, Dayhoff photos Carroll Co, Elections 20100503 Mount Airy, History Mount Airy MD, People Peters-Wendi Mt Airy Council

Related coverage:

Mount Airy town elections a little over a month away http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/03/mount-airy-town-elections-little-over.html League of Women Voters of Carroll County to hold candidates’ forum.
March 19, 2010 by Kevin Dayhoff

Current Mount Airy Mayor Helt nominates Mr. Everich http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/2010/03/current-mount-airy-mayor-helt-nominates.html

The Mount Airy Lottery in The Tentacle: http://www.thetentacle.com/ by Kevin E. Dayhoff Wednesday, March 24, 2010: “The “awful aughts” were not kind to Mount Airy. The last decade seemed to have been on the minds of citizens who crowded into the Mount Airy town hall on March 8 to nominate candidates to vie for elected offices in the upcoming election….”

“Mount Airy electoral nominees named” By Jennifer Jiggetts, Times Staff Writer Jiggetts http://www.carrollcountytimes.com/news/local/article_27f19880-2d92-11df-9131-001cc4c002e0.html Friday, March 12, 2010

“Mount Airy announces nominations for mayor and Town Council” Originally published March 10, 2010 By Nicholas C. Stern News-Post Staff http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=102271

“Peters, Rockinberg to face off for mayor - Two nominated for mayor, three for two open council seats in Mount Airy's May 3 election” by Angie Cochrun Staff Writer Thursday, March 11, 2010 http://www.gazette.net/stories/03112010/mounnew162451_32547.php

David Blais Candidate for Mount Airy Town Council web site
http://www.davidblais.com/contact.html

http://www.thegroggreport.com/merrygoround.htm

http://www.gazette.net/stories/03112010/mounnew162451_32547.php

http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?StoryID=102271
_______

*****

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ or http://kevindayhoffart.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/ or http://www.westgov.net/ = www.kevindayhoff.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net Explore Carroll: www.explorecarroll.com The Tentacle: www.thetentacle.com

This week in The Tentacle

This week in The Tentacle http://www.thetentacle.com/

Wednesday, March 24, 2010
The Mount Airy Lottery
Kevin E. Dayhoff
The “awful aughts” were not kind to Mount Airy. The last decade seemed to have been on the minds of citizens who crowded into the Mount Airy town hall on March 8 to nominate candidates to vie for elected offices in the upcoming election.

The Seven Cannons of Sambas
Tom McLaughlin
Royal Palace, Sambas, Indonesia – Startled, Putri, the Sultan’s mother and caretaker, wondered how I knew about the seven cannons of Sambas. I told her my wife, of royal lineage, had heard stories handed down through her family.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Variety Show
Roy Meachum
John “Lennie” Thompson probably got it wrong again! As usual. He may have thought his motion for Frederick County to secede from the state has historical precedence. Legendary Jones County did not withdraw from Mississippi during the Civil War. Never happened. The phrase, “The Free State of Jones,” was casually tossed around way before what my ancestors called “The War for Southern Independence.”

A Sad Truth – A Day of Mourning
Farrell Keough
Sunday’s vote on healthcare, not only screwed up our capitalist system, but it also wreaked havoc on my intended topic for a column!

Monday, March 22, 2010
Spoiling a journey
Richard B. Weldon Jr.
They say a journey begins with the first step. This little essay describes a journey that began with a dinner conversation.

Campaign Diary – A New County?
Michael Kurtianyk
Tuesday, March 16 – Morning View – This was quite a day. The morning was spent watching the Board of County Commissioners proceedings on television.

Friday, March 19, 2010
Real “Green Zone”
Roy Meachum
*Friday is a day off from Lent, particularly in New Orleans where St. Joseph’s feast day is celebrated by tables loaded with food.

The Emperor’s New Clothes
Joe Charlebois
If you’ll recollect, the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” is the story centered on two suit makers or weavers, the Emperor, his court, the royal subjects and an innocent child, who eventually points out how the weavers swindled the Emperor by producing a “suit” made of invisible thread.

Thursday, March 18, 2010
Correct Change
Patricia A. Kelly
We all want it. We usually look down at our hands and count to make sure we have it. Instead of screaming epithets, maybe we should take just as careful a look at what is happening on our political scene.

What Price Glory?
Derek Shackelford
Fame comes with a price. It will cost all of us something. The prices are different in each circumstance. In many instances the price is constant media attention.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010
At the Edge of the Cliff
Kevin E. Dayhoff
At the dawn of this New Year, many expected much more in the way of fireworks from the current 427th session of the Maryland General Assembly. It is an election year and the state is entering another fiscal year of huge budget deficits.

A Royal Home?
Tom McLaughlin
Sambas, Borneo Island, Indonesia – Sambas is a magical place where my wife’s family originated. The prospect of finding sultans, rajahs, palace intrigues and family connections sent us on a journey of a butt-numbing, 15-hour bus ride.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Vanished Snow
Roy Meachum
The snow finally vanished from my patio. It took seemingly weeks and weeks to be gone. For much of the past winter, as I remember now, Pushkin could not get enough purchase with a foot to bound into the usual area, in the farther corner, where he did his “business.” It felt like forever since the paving blocks and asphalt had last appeared in plain sight.

Life’s Successes
Nick Diaz
To educate children and adolescents, good schools know that they must also spend time educating parents. When parents are not on the same page with educators, children move through the conflicts of misaligned home and school life, receiving opposite messages rather than similarly focused ones from both sides. Accordingly, here are some observations that parents and educators can contemplate together.

Link list Mount Airy Carroll and Frederick Counties MD

20060331 March 31, 2006 - Mount Airy MD, where confidential memos are automatically forwarded to the public by Kevin Dayhoff on “Soundtrack”

20060615 "Mayor Frank Johnson and Deja Vu all over again" June 15th, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff in "Soundtrack"

20070905 September 5, 2007 "Mount Airy: The Little Town That Could" by Kevin Dayhoff in The Tentacle

20070913 Recovery efforts underway from recent 3 alarm fire in Mount Airy: 09/02/2007 Mount Airy Fire Photos by SD and M Dorrance by Kevin Dayhoff in "Soundtrack"

20071205 December 5, 2007 President George W. Bush at Calvary United Methodist Church by Kevin Dayhoff in The Tentacle

20080331 March 24, 2008: "Re-elect WENDI W. PETERS for Mount Airy Town Council" by Kevin Dayhoff in "Soundtrack"

20080409 Wendi Peters – Mount Airy’s Steel Magnolia by Kevin Dayhoff in The Tentacle

20100324 March 24, 2010 "The Mount Airy Lottery" in The Tentacle by Kevin Dayhoff

Carroll County Government
Carroll County Times
Carroll Eagle
Carroll Media Center
Frederick County Government
Howard County Government
March 13, 2008 Four nominated for Town Council by Mankaa Ngwa-Suh Gazette Staff Writer
Montgomery County Government
Mount Airy Main Street Association
Mounty Airy Volunteer Fire Department
Mt Airy news and information on "Soundtrack"
Mt. Airy Messenger

Soundtrack label: Carroll Co Dist Mt Airy
Soundtrack label: History Mount Airy MD
Soundtrack label: People Johnson–Frank Johnson
Soundtrack label: People Peters-Wendi Mt Airy Council

The Frederick News-Post
The Greater Mt. Airy Chamber of Commerce
The Grogg Report
The Hagerstown Herald-Mail
Town of Mount Airy, MD

20100324 sdosm This week in The Tentacle

*****

Kevin Dayhoff Soundtrack: http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.net/ Kevin Dayhoff Art: http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/ or http://kevindayhoffart.com/ = http://www.kevindayhoff.com/ Kevin Dayhoff Westminster: http://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/ or http://www.westgov.net/ = www.kevindayhoff.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/kevindayhoff Twitpic: http://twitpic.com/photos/kevindayhoff Kevin Dayhoff's The New Bedford Herald: http://kbetrue.livejournal.com/ = www.newbedfordherald.net Explore Carroll: www.explorecarroll.com The Tentacle: www.thetentacle.com

20080409 This week in The Tentacle

This week in The Tentacle

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Wendi Peters – Mount Airy’s Steel Magnolia

Kevin E. Dayhoff

People were delighted to see former Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., last Friday when he came to Frederick County in support of Mount Airy Councilwoman Wendi Wagner Peter’s re-election bid.

Fallen from Grace

Tom McLaughlin

I have trouble equating human life with money. It’s like combining an apple and an orange to make a new fruit. Shakespeare and algebra simply will not go together in a publishable book.

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Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Bemoaning Rick Weldon's Farewell

Roy Meachum

The legislative process, state or federal, frequently invokes the image of grass growing; it is generally long and tedious, unmemorable. The real trick for a journalist comes from watching out for "moles," the bills that work slightly undercover, like the fuzzy critters.

How to Avoid Getting Run Over…

Farrell Keough

Sometimes you are the bug and sometimes you are the windshield. It seems that recently we taxpaying residents of Maryland have been the bug. Of course, this covers a multitude of sins.

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Monday, April 7, 2008

“1984” Predicts 2008

Steven R. Berryman

Enabling legislation passed by our Maryland General Assembly will allow Frederick to use red light cameras for law enforcement. Frederick is now one small step closer to becoming Montgomery County. Your accuser may be “Big Brother” instead of a police officer. Beware the trend.

The Yin and the Yang of Annapolis

Richard B. Weldon Jr.

This place is really odd. There is just no more appropriate one-word definition. We begin our legislative session in middle of winter’s icy grip, and we end it in all of spring’s emerging glory.

Moses Without a Chariot

Roy Meachum

Charlton Heston and I met a couple of times in Washington. He went to testify before a congressional hearing, something about the American Film Institute.

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Friday, April 4, 2008

Columns' Fodder

Roy Meachum

"Columning," as this racket is sometimes called, relies totally on other people's mistakes, usually politicians. They are naturals because they wield public power. And distribute the public purse.

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Thursday, April 3, 2008

Of Traffic Woes and Solutions

Tony Soltero

Traffic congestion is an issue most of us can relate to, whatever our political leanings. A significant number of Frederick County residents – myself included – commute daily to jobs in the D.C. and Baltimore areas, sometimes crossing over into Virginia. License plates from Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania dot the major arteries in the region every morning and evening.

Sense and Sensibility

Patricia A. Kelly

I just finished reviewing a recent speech by Newt Gingrich, a well known moral icon from government, who has been rewarded with lots of cushy commentator jobs for his incredible act of attempting to impeach a president while hiding his own very similar behavior.

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Wednesday, April 2, 2008

The McCain Vice President Decision

Kevin E. Dayhoff

Speculation persists as to who presumptive Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain will choose as a running mate. This upcoming decision has sparked a growing debate among many political pundits for a number of reasons.

Farmers and the Bays

Tom McLaughlin

Where in the world are we going to put the chicken poop? That is the question most people on the Eastern Sore are asking. “Not in my back yard!” said the towns. “Not in my backyard” said the counties. Not on the fields said the wacko environmentalists.

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Tuesday, April 1, 2008

War That Won't Disappear

Roy Meachum

Despite administration strategy to keep the war in Iraq out of sight, the official image formed over the past five years busted out in the open last week. The accompanying text confirmed the road to peace had made another violent turn. Those surprised belonged to the administration's Coue faction.

In The Preacher’s Defense

Derek Shackelford

So far this presidential election has developed many subplots. They – if we are not careful as voters – will take us away from the important issues that affect this nation.

Roadmaps to Success

Nick Diaz

What is happening to American institutions requires both art and science. From its churches to its educational system, from the government and political party system to the military, an invasive form of totalitarian groupthink has been artfully and successfully applied to those institutions.

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Monday, March 31, 2008

Hang ‘Em High, Just Not in Maryland!

Richard B. Weldon Jr.

As the 2008 General Assembly session starts to wind down, the issues are easier to define. The big revenue shortfall is the 800-pound gorilla, but there a whole bushel of other topics that have garnered the attention of the press corps.

The Semantic War 4000

Steven R. Berryman

Survey says: You don’t want to hear it. The 4,000 war-attributed deaths in combat were reported as a “milestone” event last week in our Iraq War. Why did one have to turn to page A-3 in many papers to read the story? Strange, as we are told by President George W. Bush’s administration that this is the defining issue of our day, even in light of the “recession.”

20080324 Governor Ehrlich is scheduled to join Mount Airy Councilwoman Peters for a campaign desert reception

Governor Robert L. Ehrlich is scheduled to join Mount Airy Councilwoman Wendi Wagner Peters for a campaign desert reception on April 4, 2008 at the Mount Airy Maryland American Legion.

Please join us for this special event.

Please read the following note from Councilwoman Peters:

Dear Friends,

After thoughtful consideration and the blessing of my family, I have decided to run for reelection to the Mount Airy Town Council. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve the town in which I was born and raised and look forward to your support for a second term.

We have many challenges before us: implementing a long-term water source, regaining the synergy and economic development in our downtown and satisfying the shortfall in our recreational facilities. We will be addressing these challenges in the midst of difficult financial times. My 18 years of experience serving the town will be valuable as we move forward to address these issues.

Your support for my campaign is very important. I would like you to join me for a Dessert Reception on Friday, April 4 from 7:00 – 9:00 pm at the Mount Airy American Legion on Prospect Road. This will be a great opportunity to gather with friends and neighbors, discuss the issues that matter to you and enjoy some delicious desserts.

In addition, I am honored to have as my special guest, Governor Robert L. Ehrlich. I hope that you will join me as I welcome him to Mount Airy. This will be a special evening. (Please RSVP to 301-829-2525.)

I appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you on Friday, April 4.

Sincerely,

Wendi W. Peters

Councilwoman

*****

For other posts on Soundtrack on Mount Airy: Mount Airy or Peters Mount Airy Councilwoman Wendi Peters or Mount Airy Fire Department or History Mount Airy Maryland or Water and Sewer Mount Airy.

20080324 Re-elect WENDI W. PETERS for Mount Airy Town Council

Re-elect WENDI W. PETERS for Mount Airy Town Council

Experience and qualifications:

March 24, 2008

Town of Mt. Airy – Councilwoman

Liaison – Recycling and Sanitation - 2006-present

Zoning Administrator – 2004-2006

Liaison - Water and Sewer – 2004-2006

Maryland Municipal League – Communications Committee

Chairman – 2007-2008

Member – 2006-2007

Mentoring Connections Team – Mt. Airy Middle School

Mentor – 2008

Advisory Committee to the Community Legacy Board

MD Department of Housing and Community Development

Member – 2006-2007

Community Law in Action

Mentor to Baltimore City High School students – 2006 – present

Mount Airy Main Street Association

Member - 2004-present

Downtown Revitalization Committee

Member - 2002-2004

Town of Mt. Airy – Planning & Zoning Commission

Vice Chairman – 2000 – 2004

Member – 1998 – 2004

Twin Ridge Elementary School – PTA

Executive Board – 2002

Parent Volunteer – 1998 – 2004

Town of Mt. Airy – Board of Zoning Appeals

Member – 1997

Town of Mt. Airy – Recycling Commission

Chairman – 1990 – 1996

EDUCATION

University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland

Fellow, Academy for Excellence in Local Governance, 2007

Loyola College, Baltimore, Maryland

B.A., Political Science, 1989

Villa Julie College, Baltimore, Maryland

A.A., Paralegal Studies, 1983

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

Maryland State Bar Association, Associate Member

Maryland Association of Paralegals

National Federation of Paralegal Associations

For other posts on Soundtrack on Mount Airy: Mount Airy or Peters Mount Airy Councilwoman Wendi Peters or Mount Airy Fire Department or History Mount Airy Maryland or Water and Sewer Mount Airy.

20080313 Four nominated for Mount Airy Town Council by Mankaa Ngwa-Suh Staff Writer Gazette

Four nominated for Town Council by Mankaa Ngwa-Suh | Staff Writer

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Write-in candidates for May 5 election must submit letters of candidacy by 5 p.m. on April 11

Three members of the Mount Airy Town Council and a commission chair will be on the May 5 ballot for three open spots on the council.

Incumbents Peter Helt, Wendi Peters and David Pyatt will run along with Marc Nance, chairman of the town’s Water and Sewer Commission.

[…]

Peters, who was elected in 2004, said she would work toward finding the ‘‘best long-term solution for the town” regarding water if re-elected, adding that the town needs to ‘‘get [its] arms around that.”

Rebuilding downtown Mount Airy after the fire would also be a priority for Peters. She said the revitalization would help ‘‘get the synergy back in downtown” and be ‘‘good for the whole town.”

She understands that there are ‘‘tough times” ahead at the state level regarding the budget, and she would work to ‘‘crack some of those fiscal concerns” for the town, she said.

[…]

Write-in candidates must submit letters of candidacy by 5 p.m. April 11 to Town Hall, 110 S. Main St.

Letters should include the first and last name the candidate will use on the ballot, the address and phone number of the candidate, what office the candidate is running for, and a statement of qualifications including voter registry and time of residency in Mount Airy.

To be eligible to run for a Town Council seat, a candidate must live in town limits for at least one year and be a registered voter.

To be eligible to vote in a town election, voters must live in town, be registered to vote in either Carroll or Frederick counties or be registered to vote with the town through its supplemental registration.

Absentee ballots will be available April 14 at Town Hall, applications for which must be made in writing and include a home address.

Voting will take place 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 5 at the Mount Airy Fire Company’s activities building on Twin Arch Road.

Council members run nonpartisan, are elected to four-year terms, and are paid $4,000 per year.

The terms of councilmen Gary Nelson and John Woodhull and Mayor Johnson expire in 2010.

Eligibility requirements

To be eligible to run for a Town Council seat, the candidate:

Must live in town limits for at least one year

Must be a registered voter

To be eligible to vote in a town election, voters:

Must live in the town

Be registered to vote in either Carroll or Frederick counties or be registered to vote with the town through its supplemental registration

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For other posts on Soundtrack on Mount Airy: Mount Airy or Peters Mount Airy Councilwoman Wendi Peters or Mount Airy Fire Department or History Mount Airy Maryland or Water and Sewer Mount Airy.

20080313 Four nominated for Mount Airy Town Council by Mankaa Ngwa-Suh Staff Writer Gazette

20070912 Recovery efforts underway from recent 3 alarm fire in Mount Airy

Recovery efforts underway from recent 3 alarm fire in Mount Airy

September 5, 2007 – September 12^th, 2007

by Kevin Dayhoff

09/02/2007 Mount Airy Fire Photos by SD and M Dorrance

In the early morning hours of Sunday, Sept. 2, the town of Mount Airy was awakened to a three-alarm fire in the 200 block of South Main Street.

The damage is estimated to be around $4 million for six businesses, and five apartments destroyed in the historic main downtown business district of Mount Airy. The businesses affected by the fire, included Larienzo’s Brick Oven Cafe, A Do or Dye Day Spa & Salon, Déjà vu, Retro Metro, Inspiration Point, and the Olde Towne Restaurant.

An empty lot vacated by a fire which destroyed a grocery store a number of years ago separated the fire from the newly renovated Town Hall, which was unharmed.

Two buildings were destroyed, the Watkins building owned by Bill Chapman and the Bohn building owned by Rob Scranton. The American Red Cross provided assistance for the displaced apartment residents.

Over a hundred firefighters from Carroll, Frederick, Montgomery, and Howard counties fought the blaze. There no reports of injuries.

Fighting the fire was reported to have been difficult and complicated by a relatively narrow Main Street, overhead wires, various other access issues, and challenges with obtaining enough water. None of the buildings or businesses involved had sprinkler systems.

The small town of about 8,200 residents which straddles the Frederick and Carroll County line has been the scene of disastrous fires in the past - on February 24, 1903, March 25, 1914, June 4, 1925, and May 9, 1969. Another fire on February 10, 1935 destroyed the old Mount Airy High School on North Main Street.

Mount Airy Councilwoman Wendi Peters, a 3^rd generation elected town official said she was at the fire most of day on Sunday. “The fire brought back sad memories of the mill fire (in 1969.) I was young at the time. My father was a firefighter. I will always remember the charred smell… from the smoke.”

The fire was “shocking and devastating” as she watched the fire with many of the town’s residents. “There were a lot of heavy hearts. I spent a great deal of time talking with the business owners and helping feed the firefighters. We have a really strong community and we will rebuild. But it will take the entire community.”

Scranton is investigating setting up temporary modular buildings in the parking lot at the train station on Main Street; such as those used in the aftermath of the tornado which destroyed vast portions of the southern Maryland town of La Plata a number of years ago.

U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, Dist.-6, and various state and Carroll County officials are scheduled to visit for the purpose of determining what state, federal or county aid may be available for the community in their efforts to rebuild.

“It is our hope that by next week the businesses will have a base of operations (in the modular buildings),” said Peters. “It was clear at the (emergency town council) meeting (the night after the fire,) from telephone calls and e-mails that the community is coming together behind rebuilding.”

Donations to help those affected by the fire can be left at the Mount Airy Town Hall, 110 S. Main Street, or sent to the Mount Airy Disaster Relief Fund, P.O. Box 53, Mount Airy MD, 21771 or any New Windsor State Bank branch. All donations are tax deductible.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org

20061020 32 Maryland municipal officials endorse Michael Steele

October 20, 2006

32 Maryland Mayors and Municipal

Leaders Endorse Michael Steele

ANNAPOLIS, MD – Today, 32 Maryland mayors and municipal leaders presented Michael Steele with a letter of endorsement for his campaign for U.S. Senate.

Michael Steele said, “I have worked hand in hand with mayors and municipal leaders all across this state to produce real results for their towns and municipalities, and I will take this same commitment to getting something done with me to the United States Senate.”

The mayors signed a letter stating, “As a municipal official, I have seen first hand Michael Steele’s commitment to our state’s 157 municipalities. As Lieutenant Governor, he has visited our towns and municipalities, bringing state government resources directly to local government. To date, Michael Steele has visited 110 municipalities, and kept his promises to local officials.”

Mayors and Municipal Leaders Supporting Michael Steele:

Carroll County elected officials – Elected officials with which I have worked with in the past.

Some Carroll County officials who are not on the list really jumps out…

This is a fairly significant list as it contains a number of critical opinion makers and more than a few folks who have crossed party lines.

John Bunnell – Cecilton; Judith Cox – Rising Sun; Ellen Cutsail – Union Bridge; Theresa Hartman – Aberdeen; Dave Yensan – Aberdeen; Jay Jacobs – Rock Hall; Jim Eberhardt – Perryville; Frank White – Princess Anne; Harry Piscapia – Galena; Jay Parker – Princess Anne; George Mayer – Federalsburg; Robert Willey – Easton; Jackie Ebersole – Rosemont; Betty Ballas – Federalsburg; Bob Bruchey – Hagerstown; Terence Hanley – Bel Air; Don Bradley – Hurlock; Robert Flickinger – Taneytown; Shanice Shields – Salisbury; Wendi Peters – Mount Airy; Randy Rudy – Aberdeen; Steve Farkas – New Windsor; Sam Pierce – New Windsor; Allan Imhoff – Frederick; Brad Jewitt – Berwyn Heights; Gary Nelson – Mt. Airy; Joe Fisona – Elkton; Steve Goldston – Princess Anne; Paul Chamberlain – Taneytown; Garland Hayward – Princess Anne; Cheye N. Calvo – Berwyn Heights; W. Jeff Holtzinger – Frederick

20060514 Water and Growth Issues in Carroll County

Water and Growth Issues in Carroll County
Kevin Dayhoff
April 3rd, 2006 – May 14th, 2006

Update May 14th, 2006: I wrote the piece pasted below as one of those free-association exercises that writers go through as they are trying to organize and fathom an issue.

Sometimes pieces such as this are refined and become columns. More often than not they could become a “diary entry” if one had the time to collect them properly in a body of work.

This piece merely got lost in my computer filing system, until I reconvened working on this week’s Tentacle column and rediscovered it.

… I’d like to write a piece about the future of “Smart Growth” in Maryland….

Every time I begin such a piece I get distracted by the results of the recent election in Mount Airy and what those results indicate, if anything, for the future of managed growth discussions.

Then I get distracted by water allocation and appropriation issues.

And Adequate Public Facilities Ordinances (APFO) and what that means for the future of managed growth issues.

Or the results of the bitter and contentious discussions over municipal annexation that took place in the recent session of the Maryland General Assembly.

Then there is the study recently released by the University of Maryland National Center for Smart Growth Research and Education about APFOs and Smart Growth issues.

Reality Check Plus (http://www.realitycheckmaryland.org/) is conducting a series of exercises on growth issues…

I cannot ever remember getting ‘writers-block.’ I usually get ‘writer-overwhelmed.’

Meanwhile, as I sort all of this out. Below is a piece I wrote on April 3rd, 2006, as I tried to find some bearing on some of the growth issues in Carroll County.

I hope that most of the text below will get refined and re-appear in a future column. The again, it would appear that some of the words and concepts will get jettisoned like so much of the flotsam and jetsam of contemporary conversations as to how to proceed with growth issues in Maryland.

Meanwhile, it appears below in its unedited stream-of-consciousness first draft.
_________________

Water Issues in Carroll County
Kevin Dayhoff
April 3rd, 2006

Water and wastewater treatment has always been in issue in Carroll County since the first settlers came here in the early 1700s.

And one thing is for sure, water and all the accompanying issues are sure to continue to be complex, contentious and difficult.

All water in Maryland is owned by the state. All uses of water, including safety, distribution, rate setting, use of, discharge into and just anything else that is remotely associated with water is by state permit.

A never-ending alphabet soup of complex byzantine federal, state and local regulations, laws, special commissions, committees and authorities regulates the permits.

Some of which are conflicting and all of which have spawned a cottage industry in Maryland for the full employment act of bureaucrats, lawyers, hydrologists, lawmakers, environmental groups, special interests groups and engineers. All of which, in many cases know a piece of the elephant but haven’t a clue as to what an elephant looks like.

The subject is awash with the pollution of misunderstandings, political rhetoric, outrage, conspiracy theories and misinformation.

Not a week goes by when an article in the newspaper does not appear about secret meetings, intrigue, ethics violations, fraud, misconduct, complicity and conspiracy. It reminds one of a giant gerbil, churning out news items as if it is twirling around in its own wheel of self-importance and inflated delusions of influence.

Ay caramba.

Sadly, the reactionary conversation - often involving unpleasant public hearings, uninformed conspiracy theories, political spinelessness and personal attacks - distorts and polarizes the collective discourse to such an extent that it renders many citizens skeptical about any discussion over growth and development.

Indeed, I have no anxiety over a publication, an advocacy group or a candidate for elected office taking a position; I just hate it when they pretend to be impartial. Or better yet, couch their panderings on the mantel that they are not “no-growthers”, with no plan that has any relationship with rules, regulations or laws – or reality.

In the next 25 years, the population of Maryland will increase by 1.5 million.

Not all 1.5 million need to live in Carroll County. Nevertheless, as much as I would like to live in a Westminster with the simplicity and population density of 1958, that is just not possible.

Usually the news items spewing-forth from this never-ending well of rhetoric result because someone has decided that they are all the sudden an “expert” – read: self-involved know-it-all.

They disagree with a public official who has worked tirelessly for peanuts, away from their family and loved ones, to try and negotiate the byzantine complexity of water laws and regulations for the greater good of a community they love.

It is okay to disagree, confine your disagreement to the issues or increase your dosage.

Then the citizen-experts and the sycophant elected officials in their pocket, leak to the newspaper misleading information that only tells a portion of the story. Many of the newspaper reporters in the area are young, new on the job and it never seems to dawn on them to ask follow-up probing questions or give an issue context and perspective. The articles are short and have become derisively known as “McArticles.”

Many of these newspaper items are written by a reporter or an editor that has all the wisdom or knowledge of a Monday-morning quarterback, who makes ten-times the amount of money the public official makes and works half the hours.

More often than not, the news reporters are like sea gulls, who visit a small town newspaper long enough to knock all the pictures off the wall and soil all over the floor and then leave town for a better job. The public official is often personally and financially invested in the future of his or her community and is hear to stay and clean up the mess.

The folks who produce this fish wrap ought to consider that they need to maintain and honor a public trust to the very same citizens for whom we all serve.

In the words of Dan Rodricks in a similar commentary, these public officials “should be thankful for one small blessing – (they live in Carroll County in 2006,) not Salem 1692. In Salem, they hanged you or crushed you under stone. Here they just humiliate you and raise doubts about your integrity.”

Thankfully, in Carroll County we have some of the state’s leading experts hard at work, to lead us into the future. Folks such as Hampstead town manager Ken Decker; Sykesville town manager Matthew Candland and Sykesville mayor Jonathan Herman; Westminster’s public works experts Tom Beyard and Jeff Glass; Union Bridge mayor Bret Grossnickle, Mount Airy council president John Medve and councilwoman Wendi Peters and Carroll County hydrogeologist Tom Devilbiss and Jim Slater, who runs the county environmental department.

There’s more, but I just wanted to assure you that all is not despair.

Water will never ever be as cheap as it is now. Just in the City of Westminster alone, in order to keep up with recent new federal and state regulations, a new water treatment plant to the tune of $5 million dollars or so, and a upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant may cost as much as $11 million, are in the works. All of this expense will barely add one more drop of additional water capacity.

As a result of recent droughts, the pressure is on the Maryland Department of Environment to scrutinize, to the letter of the law, all water allocation permits for municipalities.

Meanwhile, no one wants any more developments (in the middle of a corn field,) and anti-sprawl public policies dictate that future development occur in a municipality where the various public infrastructures, including water and sewer capacity are located.

Only, the recent interpretations of the water allocation permits, in many cases, will not allocate enough water for municipalities, for their present needs, never mind, any future growth for community employment of economic development.

And, perhaps most importantly, there are huge numbers of the municipal populations that have no interest in any more houses anywhere near their municipality – period.

Having grown up in Carroll County in the 1950s and 60s - when we had quality of life - I could personally care less if not one more house is ever built in Carroll County. But that is simply not a practical or realistic position. So, if growth is inevitable, how can it be managed as well as possible so as to ensure some quality of life?

Having said that, we can’t take away a person’s property rights by plebiscite or angry mob, so if the houses come, I want the developer to donate ball fields, school sites and upgrades in the roads and water and sewer capacities and keep taxes low.

Besides, if you grew up in Carroll County before all the growth and accompanying congestion – and you are still here, you have learned to roll with it and change what you can and learn to deal with what you can’t change.

It has been called to my attention that behind my house in Westminster was once one of the larger and oldest farms in Carroll County. It has long since given way to a housing development with loud mechanical cows that eat the grass with a roar.

More that once I have been asked if this turn of events has made me unhappy.

“Do I miss the cattle and open space?”

To which I enjoy responding: “Yeah, it’s just terrible. I once had fields and cows out back. Now I have friendly neighbors, with children playing and laughing. Folks who throw parties, in which I often feel the need to call – and ask them to turn up the volume when they are playing heavy metal.”

A community is like a box of crayons, there are sharp ones and dull ones, short ones and tall ones, some colors I like and some with names I don’t understand, but they all fit in the box well with a little negotiation. All it takes is a little patience, benefit of doubt, a little humility and humanity.

Let’s come together and agree or disagree graciously as we explore what is best for our greater community and our children. Gracious gets gracious in return. Leave the personal pollution out of it.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.
E-mail him at: kdayhoff AT carr.org
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