Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Friday, June 30, 2023

First/Inaugural OTA - Off Track Art Emeritus Show


First/Inaugural OTA Emeritus Show
Friday, June 30, 2023 – Sunday, July 30, 2023
Opening reception Friday, June 30, 2023 4-7 p.m.
Off Track Art is open Friday and Sunday 12-4 
and Saturday 10-4 or by special appointment.


Off Track Art's July show celebrates several former partners and their most recent work!

June 30, 2023 4-7 Off Track Art opening reception: 


Nolly Gelsinger: Our artists’ cooperative Off Track Art was incorporated in 2009 by a great field of local energetic artists. 

For the month of July, Off Track Art is checking in with some of our former partners who spent time with us in the recent (and not so recent!) past. 


We refer to each one as a “Partner Emeritus” to honor their status. They are all dear to us and we appreciate how these partners helped to pave the way for the continued success of Off Track Art. 

Specifically, we wanted to see how some of our former partners, who are involved in their former or new communities, are now using their outstanding creativity as their lives have evolved in additional directions.


We caught up with seven of them-their names may be familiar to you- and asked them to update their biography with us, bring any artwork they have been doing, display it on our lobby walls, and offer it for sale for the month of July. 

The show runs from Friday June 30 until Sunday, July 30. Our visiting artists are: Sherrill Cooper, Kevin Dayhoff, Gail Elwell, Sarah Gawens, Thomas Sterner, Robert Waddell, and Pamela Zappardino! 


ATTEND a FREE gallery reception to MEET THE ARTISTS Friday June 30 4-7 PM Gallery hours are Fridays 12-4pm, Saturdays 10am-4pm, and Sundays 12-4pm. In addition to this lobby show, see our ongoing display of 8 artist partners and 20 artist consigners!

+++++++++++++++

Kevin Dayhoff – June 25, 2023
www.kevindayhoffart.com
Text: (410) 259-6403 E-mail: kevindayhoff@gmail.com

First/Inaugural OTA Emeritus Show
Friday, June 30, 2023 – Sunday, July 30, 2023
Opening reception Friday, June 30, 2023 4-7 p.m.
Off Track Art is open Friday and Sunday 12-4 
and Saturday 10-4 or by special appointment.

Kevin Dayhoff is a Westminster native who lives on Uniontown Road with his wife, Caroline Babylon. Dayhoff has been a self-employed artist and businessman since 1974 and has been exhibiting art since 1981. In the tradition of his friend and mentor The Rev. Dr. Ira Zepp, Dayhoff has served for many years as non-denominational multi-disciplinary fire, police, and military chaplain.

As a landscape designer, collage, mixed media assemblage, sculpture artist, writer, and photographer; he has had a life-long pervasive interest in color and spatial relationships and the juxtapositioning of incongruent objects.

After graduating from Westminster High School in 1971, he served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves for two years as he attended Elon College and served in the Civil Rights movement in the south - before leaving college in 1973 to pursue a career in writing and art.

In 1974, Dayhoff started farming; raising nursery stock; and started his own business as a landscape designer, contractor, and nurseryman. He retired in 1999.

In recent years, he has enjoyed exploring and utilizing technology - digital photography, the scanner, and the computer – as a creative process.

In 1981 Dayhoff had his first art show at the Theatre Project in Baltimore, followed by a group show. "Four at 409" at Gallery 409, in Baltimore in October 1982. It was in the 1982 time period that Dayhoff met Carroll County artists Linda Van Hart and Robert J. Waddell while he was exploring photocopier art.

In the past he has collaborated with a number of artist groups, including The Consortionists with Linda Van Hart and Robert J. Waddell from 1983 to 1989; the United Art Workers from 1989 to 1991 and most recently with Off Track Art from December 2008 to June 2013. He has displayed art at Western Maryland – McDaniel College on a number of occasions. Beginning in 1988, Dayhoff participated for many years in (幸円 良介 - Ryosuke Cohen’s long-running “Brain Cell” – “Fractal” series, from Osaka, Japan.

Dayhoff has been a short story and technical writer since 1968. Since 2004 he has been writing as a newspaper reporter for the Baltimore Sun Media in addition to a number of regional publications.

Dayhoff has been a member – and displayed art with the Carroll County Arts Council since its very early years. An avid historian and historic preservationist, Dayhoff was a Westminster elected official when the city purchased the Carroll Theatre in 2000 and adaptively renovated the building which reopened on April 6, 2003 as the Carroll Arts Center. He currently serves on the Arts Council board – and continues to actively pursue promoting art and cultural venues in an open, affirming, and inclusive community – and having murals and public art to be installed throughout Westminster. 

+++ Dayhoff Art +++

Kevin Dayhoff for Westminster Authority Caroline Babylon, Treasurer.

Carroll County Times: www.tinyurl.com/KED-CCT
Baltimore Sun Carroll Eagle: http://tinyurl.com/KED-Sun

Facebook Dayhoff for Westminster: https://www.facebook.com/DayhoffforWestminster/
Facebook: Kevin Earl Dayhoff: https://www.facebook.com/kevindayhoff

Dayhoff for Westminster: www.kevindayhoff.city
Dayhoff Soundtrack: www.kevindayhoff.net
Dayhoff Carroll: www.kevindayhoff.org
+++ Dayhoff Soundtrack +++

Kevin Dayhoff for Westminster Authority Caroline Babylon, Treasurer.

Carroll County Times: www.tinyurl.com/KED-CCT
Baltimore Sun Carroll Eagle: http://tinyurl.com/KED-Sun

Facebook Dayhoff for Westminster: https://www.facebook.com/DayhoffforWestminster/
Facebook: Kevin Earl Dayhoff: https://www.facebook.com/kevindayhoff

Dayhoff for Westminster: www.kevindayhoff.city
Dayhoff Soundtrack: www.kevindayhoff.net
Dayhoff Carroll: www.kevindayhoff.org

Thursday, May 25, 2023

20071228 Recent Eldersburg Eagle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

May 25, 2023 update – This is hilarious. A soulless bot has flagged this post because it refers to Vanity Fair article from June 2005 about Marc felt – “So Mark Felt, once the second highest-ranking FBI officer in America, has decided to come clean after 32 years.” I am not kidding. SMH

From: Blogger <no-reply@google.com>

Date: Thu, May 25, 2023 at 12:56PM

Subject: Your post titled "20071228 Recent Eldersburg Eagle columns by Kevin Dayhoff" has been put behind a warning for readers

To: <kevindayhoff@gmail.com>

Hello, As you may know, our Community Guidelines (https://blogger.com/go/contentpolicy) describe the boundaries for what we allow-- and don't allow-- on Blogger. 

Your post titled "20071228 Recent Eldersburg Eagle columns by Kevin Dayhoff" was flagged to us for review.  

This post was put behind a warning for readers because it contains sensitive content; the post is visible at https://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2007/12/20071228-recent-eldersburg-eagle.html

Your blog readers must acknowledge the warning before being able to read the post/blog.

 

+++++++++++++++++++

Recent Eldersburg Eagle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

December 28th, 2007

Wednesday, December 19 2007 Reaching out to troops is an effort that's evergreen By Kevin E. Dayhoff Operation Christmas Tree...

Wednesday, October 10 2007 We can honor firefighting heritage by preventing disaster By Kevin E. Dayhoff Sykesville Fire Department...

Wednesday, August 22 2007 Song of the South: No grits, no glory By Kevin E. Dayhoff

**** And from the archives…

11/07/05 - Real scoop on ice cream leads to peace, prosperity and kids George Washington and Thomas Jefferson also served ice cream.

The real breakthrough in ice cream came around 1832, when a former White House chef, African- American Augustus Jackson "invented ...

09/06/06 - Just say no to reality TV mentality in Carroll County election 2006-09-06 00:00:00 Kevin E. Dayhoff Just say no to reality TV mentality in Carroll County election By Kevin E. Dayhoff

Now that Labor Day has passed; perhaps Carroll Countians are finally focu...

12/20/06 - Donations, wishes for critically-injured trooper 2006-12-20 00:00:00 Local News Donations, wishes for critically-injured trooper By Katie V. Jones and Kevin Dayhoff On Sunday, members of the Maryland Troopers Association Lodge No. Workman...

12/14/06 - Donations accepted for injured trooper's family 2006-12-14 00:00:00 News Donations accepted for injured trooper's family By Kevin Dayhoff Donations are being accepted to help the family of the Maryland State Trooper critically injured this week...

12/15/06 - WEB UPDATE: Train derails along Patapsco on Howard and Carroll line 2006-12-15 00:00:00 News WEB UPDATE: Train derails along Patapsco on Howard and Carroll line by Kevin Dayhoff and staff reports At about 3:15 a.m. on Friday, Carroll County, Howard County, Marylan...

11/30/05 - Burnett- Students today perform on global stage 2005-11-30 00:00:00 Local News Burnett- Students today perform on global stage By Kevin Dayhoff
Special to The Eagle

Several hundred people attended the fourth annual Carroll County NAACP Fr...

11/23/05 - Burnett: Students today compete on global stage 2005-11-23 00:00:00 Local News Burnett: Students today compete on global stage By Kevin Dayhoff, Special to The Eagle Several hundred people attended the fourth annual Carroll County NAACP Freedom...

01/10/07 - Campbell, 91, shaped public safety in Carroll 2007-01-10 00:00:00 Obituaries Campbell, 91, shaped public safety in Carroll by Kevin Dayhoff

In November 1962, a Western Maryland College graduate and former Washington Redskins football playe...

Ag Center market marks 35th anniversary

News Briefs 06/21/06

This Saturday, June 24, marks the 35th anniversary of the Carroll County Farmer's Summer Market at the Carroll County Agriculture Center.


History recalls -------, but will it pardon Mark Felt?

06/08/05

So Mark Felt, once the second highest-ranking FBI officer in America, has decided to come clean after 32 years.

In a Vanity Fair magazine article, he wore his best pair of flip-flops and now admits that he was, after all the denials for over three decades, -------- (Remember his remarks in 1974: "It was not I and it is not I.")

####

+++ Dayhoff Carroll +++

Kevin Dayhoff for Westminster Authority Caroline Babylon, Treasurer.

Carroll County Times: www.tinyurl.com/KED-CCT
Baltimore Sun Carroll Eagle: http://tinyurl.com/KED-Sun

Facebook Dayhoff for Westminster: https://www.facebook.com/DayhoffforWestminster/
Facebook: Kevin Earl Dayhoff: https://www.facebook.com/kevindayhoff

Dayhoff for Westminster: www.kevindayhoff.city
Dayhoff Soundtrack: www.kevindayhoff.net
Dayhoff Carroll: www.kevindayhoff.org

20071228 Recent Eldersburg Eagle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

May 25, 2023 update – This is hilarious. A soulless bot has flagged this post because it refers to Vanity Fair article from June 2005 about Marc felt – “So Mark Felt, once the second highest-ranking FBI officer in America, has decided to come clean after 32 years.” I am not kidding. SMH

From: Blogger <no-reply@google.com>

Date: Thu, May 25, 2023 at 12:56PM

Subject: Your post titled "20071228 Recent Eldersburg Eagle columns by Kevin Dayhoff" has been put behind a warning for readers

To: <kevindayhoff@gmail.com>

Hello, As you may know, our Community Guidelines (https://blogger.com/go/contentpolicy) describe the boundaries for what we allow-- and don't allow-- on Blogger. 

Your post titled "20071228 Recent Eldersburg Eagle columns by Kevin Dayhoff" was flagged to us for review.  

This post was put behind a warning for readers because it contains sensitive content; the post is visible at https://kevindayhoffwestgov-net.blogspot.com/2007/12/20071228-recent-eldersburg-eagle.html

Your blog readers must acknowledge the warning before being able to read the post/blog.

 

+++++++++++++++++++

Recent Eldersburg Eagle columns by Kevin Dayhoff

December 28th, 2007

Wednesday, December 19 2007 Reaching out to troops is an effort that's evergreen By Kevin E. Dayhoff Operation Christmas Tree...

Wednesday, October 10 2007 We can honor firefighting heritage by preventing disaster By Kevin E. Dayhoff Sykesville Fire Department...

Wednesday, August 22 2007 Song of the South: No grits, no glory By Kevin E. Dayhoff

**** And from the archives…

11/07/05 - Real scoop on ice cream leads to peace, prosperity and kids George Washington and Thomas Jefferson also served ice cream.

The real breakthrough in ice cream came around 1832, when a former White House chef, African- American Augustus Jackson "invented ...

09/06/06 - Just say no to reality TV mentality in Carroll County election 2006-09-06 00:00:00 Kevin E. Dayhoff Just say no to reality TV mentality in Carroll County election By Kevin E. Dayhoff

Now that Labor Day has passed; perhaps Carroll Countians are finally focu...

12/20/06 - Donations, wishes for critically-injured trooper 2006-12-20 00:00:00 Local News Donations, wishes for critically-injured trooper By Katie V. Jones and Kevin Dayhoff On Sunday, members of the Maryland Troopers Association Lodge No. Workman...

12/14/06 - Donations accepted for injured trooper's family 2006-12-14 00:00:00 News Donations accepted for injured trooper's family By Kevin Dayhoff Donations are being accepted to help the family of the Maryland State Trooper critically injured this week...

12/15/06 - WEB UPDATE: Train derails along Patapsco on Howard and Carroll line 2006-12-15 00:00:00 News WEB UPDATE: Train derails along Patapsco on Howard and Carroll line by Kevin Dayhoff and staff reports At about 3:15 a.m. on Friday, Carroll County, Howard County, Marylan...

11/30/05 - Burnett- Students today perform on global stage 2005-11-30 00:00:00 Local News Burnett- Students today perform on global stage By Kevin Dayhoff
Special to The Eagle

Several hundred people attended the fourth annual Carroll County NAACP Fr...

11/23/05 - Burnett: Students today compete on global stage 2005-11-23 00:00:00 Local News Burnett: Students today compete on global stage By Kevin Dayhoff, Special to The Eagle Several hundred people attended the fourth annual Carroll County NAACP Freedom...

01/10/07 - Campbell, 91, shaped public safety in Carroll 2007-01-10 00:00:00 Obituaries Campbell, 91, shaped public safety in Carroll by Kevin Dayhoff

In November 1962, a Western Maryland College graduate and former Washington Redskins football playe...

Ag Center market marks 35th anniversary

News Briefs 06/21/06

This Saturday, June 24, marks the 35th anniversary of the Carroll County Farmer's Summer Market at the Carroll County Agriculture Center.


History recalls -------, but will it pardon Mark Felt?

06/08/05

So Mark Felt, once the second highest-ranking FBI officer in America, has decided to come clean after 32 years.

In a Vanity Fair magazine article, he wore his best pair of flip-flops and now admits that he was, after all the denials for over three decades, -------- (Remember his remarks in 1974: "It was not I and it is not I.")

####

+++ Dayhoff Carroll +++

Kevin Dayhoff for Westminster Authority Caroline Babylon, Treasurer.

Carroll County Times: www.tinyurl.com/KED-CCT
Baltimore Sun Carroll Eagle: http://tinyurl.com/KED-Sun

Facebook Dayhoff for Westminster: https://www.facebook.com/DayhoffforWestminster/
Facebook: Kevin Earl Dayhoff: https://www.facebook.com/kevindayhoff

Dayhoff for Westminster: www.kevindayhoff.city
Dayhoff Soundtrack: www.kevindayhoff.net
Dayhoff Carroll: www.kevindayhoff.org

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Belle Grove Square

Belle Grove Square 20May2023

Belle Grove Square

Belle Grove Square 20May2023

Another view of the clock tower

Another view of the clock tower. 20May2023

Another view of the clock tower

Another view of the clock tower. 20May2023

USA Today: Is honey good for you? Health benefits and comparing it to sugar

Bees are, well, the bee’s knees. They are master pollinators. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, these busy pollinators “contribute to 35 percent of the world’s total crop production, pollinating 87 of 115 leading food crops worldwide.” 

And, they create honey – a sweet, sticky, natural substance that they make as food for themselves. It also provides all kinds of benefits for humans. Sweet! ...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2023/05/20/is-honey-good-for-you-health-benefits-sugar-daily/70206040007/ 

Saturday, May 13, 2023

Westminster Flower and Jazz Festival

The Westminster Recreation and Parks Department stopped for a nutritious doughnut break during the Westminster Flower and Jazz Festival. 13May3023

Westminster Flower and Jazz Festival

The Westminster Recreation and Parks Department stopped for a nutritious doughnut break during the Westminster Flower and Jazz Festival. 13May3023

Saturday, May 06, 2023

Re-elect Kevin Dayhoff to the Westminster City Council May 9th, 2023


Westminster Common Council candidate: Kevin Dayhoff

This spring three Westminster Common Council seats are up for election on May 9, 2023. Westminster council members serve four-year terms. The seats are currently held by council members Kevin E. Dayhoff, Ann Gilbert, and Gregory Pecoraro.

For this election in Westminster, four candidates have filed for the non-partisan election. All three of the incumbents, Kevin E. Dayhoff, Ann Gilbert, and Gregory Pecoraro, would like to be re-elected. One challenger, Scott Willens, has filed.


Here are Kevin Dayhoff’s responses.

The attached photo is dated April 10, 2019 courtesy of Kelly Heck.

Biographical information: Name, age, occupation, election experience:

Kevin E. Dayhoff, 69.

Occupation - Profession: Writer and artist; 19-years as a newspaper reporter – since 2004; fire, police and military chaplain; and retired farmer - 25 years farming 1974-1999. Two years of college in which I concurrently served in the Marine Corps Reserves 1971-1973. 

Election experience: 

Ten-years as Westminster elected official. I served as the Westminster mayor from 2001-2005. I served as a council member from 1999-2001 and 2019-present. I have served as a state, county and local government appointed official in various agriculture and environmental capacities since 1978. I served on the Maryland Municipal League Board of Directors annually for five consecutive years, from June 2000 to May 2005. It is a statewide election in which one is elected by other municipal elected officials. 

Why are you running?

I would like to take another turn working for the community with the Westminster staff and elected officials. It has been an honor to serve the last four years with Councilmembers Ann Gilbert and Greg Pecoraro. Along with Mayor Mona Becker, Councilmembers Dan Hoff, and Tony Chiavacci - we have a unique opportunity to take Westminster to that next step into the future and I would like to be a part of that.  I am a Westminster native. I love Westminster. I know the community, its citizens, its history, and traditions – and have a keen eye for some future changes. I offer experience, energy, accessibility, vision, a fresh perspective, new ideas, along with fiscally prudent and socially responsible leadership. I am convinced I can make a contribution and make a positive difference. 

What is the most important issue in Westminster? 

Complexity – the ever-increasing complexity of governance and business. It seems like nothing is simple anymore. We must re-imagine customer service, approaches in communication, and re-invent the delivery of municipal goods and services. In Westminster, we are meeting all these challenges, however complexity is a constant concern.

Evolving federal and state mandates, judicial decisions, changing zoning dynamics, complicated information dissemination systems, the evolution of service delivery performance evaluations, and macro-economic challenges complicate the everyday delivery of municipal services. Everything takes an incredible amount of time, costs a great deal more, and necessitates the increased time management requirements of staff.

Whether it is the need to replace our old parking meters which have hardly changed since the late 1940s, strengthening and enforcing our property maintenance codes; upgrading and maintaining aging infrastructure, updating our zoning and parking regulations, or helping a business to get established, it is frustrating to not be able to keep the ball moving to the finish line in a timely manner. 

Add to this mix the challenges of addressing the recruitment and retention of highly qualified employees – especially police officers. Of special note is the new era of employee benefits. The evolving workplace also increasingly complicates human resources operations. This, in particular, impacts the retention and recruitment of public works employees and Westminster police officers. Record inflation, new mandates and regulations, wage and price pressures, economic volatility, and international and national current events continue to increase the complexity of governance and cause additional impediments in the retention and recruitment of highly qualified employees. 

What is the best way for Westminster to work with community partners such as McDaniel College and MAGIC?

The best way for Westminster to work with community partners such as McDaniel College, MAGIC, the Carroll Arts Center, Carroll County government, the Chamber of Commerce, Carroll Hospital, Carroll Community College, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, our Delegation to Annapolis and our other civic partners, is to meet and network frequently. It is important to designate one or two individuals to maintain a direct liaison with each of our partners. We do this well with a group of talented directors, and Westminster’s council committee-driven form of deliberative government.  

Fortunately, our community is currently benefiting from having some of the best talent in history to have leadership positions in these various civic partners. Individually and collectively the elected leadership and staff of the City of Westminster genuinely enjoys working with our partners including McDaniel President Dr. Julia Jasken, MAGIC Executive Director Graham Dodge, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners and our Delegation to Annapolis, Mike McMullin, the president of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce, Carroll Hospital president Garrett Hoover, Carroll Arts Center Executive Director Lynne Griffith, the president of Carroll Community College Dr. James Ball, Carroll County Sheriff Jim DeWees, and State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker.

What is your assessment of zoning in Westminster? Would you advocate for changing it or leaving it the same?

This is not our grandmother’s Westminster, and it is imperative that we thoughtfully and deliberately upgrade and update our legacy zoning and parking regulations that date back to November of 1979. I especially dislike Euclidean zoning and look forward to more overlay zones and increasing the ability of the Westminster planning staff to use administrative adjustments in order to apply common sense solutions to an ever-changing business and housing environment.  

What resources should be available to new businesses in Westminster and how rapidly should Westminster be developing? 

Recently we have added some exceptional talent to the Westminster Department of Planning and Community Development. The recent election of Westminster Councilmember Dan Hoff has also been quite helpful. Mr. Hoff has years of business experience and served for many years on the county planning and zoning commission. 

The City of Westminster also benefits from the fact that three of the current six council members are self-employed and own small businesses. Add to this some new approaches to communications and service delivery, such as providing our business and residential customers with checklists and information pamphlets to aid in navigating the complexity of municipal, county, state and federal regulations, will go a long way to help stimulate a strong economic development vibe for the city. How rapidly Westminster grows will be constrained by market forces and by the availability of finite amounts of water allocation. 
####
+++ Dayhoff Soundtrack +++

Kevin Dayhoff for Westminster Authority Caroline Babylon, Treasurer.

Carroll County Times: www.tinyurl.com/KED-CCT
Baltimore Sun Carroll Eagle: http://tinyurl.com/KED-Sun

Facebook Dayhoff for Westminster: https://www.facebook.com/DayhoffforWestminster/
Facebook: Kevin Earl Dayhoff: https://www.facebook.com/kevindayhoff

Dayhoff for Westminster: www.kevindayhoff.city
Dayhoff Soundtrack: www.kevindayhoff.net
Dayhoff Carroll: www.kevindayhoff.org

Re-elect Kevin Dayhoff to the Westminster City Council May 9th, 2023


Westminster Common Council candidate: Kevin Dayhoff

This spring three Westminster Common Council seats are up for election on May 9, 2023. Westminster council members serve four-year terms. The seats are currently held by council members Kevin E. Dayhoff, Ann Gilbert, and Gregory Pecoraro.

For this election in Westminster, four candidates have filed for the non-partisan election. All three of the incumbents, Kevin E. Dayhoff, Ann Gilbert, and Gregory Pecoraro, would like to be re-elected. One challenger, Scott Willens, has filed.


Here are Kevin Dayhoff’s responses.

The attached photo is dated April 10, 2019 courtesy of Kelly Heck.

Biographical information: Name, age, occupation, election experience:

Kevin E. Dayhoff, 69.

Occupation - Profession: Writer and artist; 19-years as a newspaper reporter – since 2004; fire, police and military chaplain; and retired farmer - 25 years farming 1974-1999. Two years of college in which I concurrently served in the Marine Corps Reserves 1971-1973. 

Election experience: 

Ten-years as Westminster elected official. I served as the Westminster mayor from 2001-2005. I served as a council member from 1999-2001 and 2019-present. I have served as a state, county and local government appointed official in various agriculture and environmental capacities since 1978. I served on the Maryland Municipal League Board of Directors annually for five consecutive years, from June 2000 to May 2005. It is a statewide election in which one is elected by other municipal elected officials. 

Why are you running?

I would like to take another turn working for the community with the Westminster staff and elected officials. It has been an honor to serve the last four years with Councilmembers Ann Gilbert and Greg Pecoraro. Along with Mayor Mona Becker, Councilmembers Dan Hoff, and Tony Chiavacci - we have a unique opportunity to take Westminster to that next step into the future and I would like to be a part of that.  I am a Westminster native. I love Westminster. I know the community, its citizens, its history, and traditions – and have a keen eye for some future changes. I offer experience, energy, accessibility, vision, a fresh perspective, new ideas, along with fiscally prudent and socially responsible leadership. I am convinced I can make a contribution and make a positive difference. 

What is the most important issue in Westminster? 

Complexity – the ever-increasing complexity of governance and business. It seems like nothing is simple anymore. We must re-imagine customer service, approaches in communication, and re-invent the delivery of municipal goods and services. In Westminster, we are meeting all these challenges, however complexity is a constant concern.

Evolving federal and state mandates, judicial decisions, changing zoning dynamics, complicated information dissemination systems, the evolution of service delivery performance evaluations, and macro-economic challenges complicate the everyday delivery of municipal services. Everything takes an incredible amount of time, costs a great deal more, and necessitates the increased time management requirements of staff.

Whether it is the need to replace our old parking meters which have hardly changed since the late 1940s, strengthening and enforcing our property maintenance codes; upgrading and maintaining aging infrastructure, updating our zoning and parking regulations, or helping a business to get established, it is frustrating to not be able to keep the ball moving to the finish line in a timely manner. 

Add to this mix the challenges of addressing the recruitment and retention of highly qualified employees – especially police officers. Of special note is the new era of employee benefits. The evolving workplace also increasingly complicates human resources operations. This, in particular, impacts the retention and recruitment of public works employees and Westminster police officers. Record inflation, new mandates and regulations, wage and price pressures, economic volatility, and international and national current events continue to increase the complexity of governance and cause additional impediments in the retention and recruitment of highly qualified employees. 

What is the best way for Westminster to work with community partners such as McDaniel College and MAGIC?

The best way for Westminster to work with community partners such as McDaniel College, MAGIC, the Carroll Arts Center, Carroll County government, the Chamber of Commerce, Carroll Hospital, Carroll Community College, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, our Delegation to Annapolis and our other civic partners, is to meet and network frequently. It is important to designate one or two individuals to maintain a direct liaison with each of our partners. We do this well with a group of talented directors, and Westminster’s council committee-driven form of deliberative government.  

Fortunately, our community is currently benefiting from having some of the best talent in history to have leadership positions in these various civic partners. Individually and collectively the elected leadership and staff of the City of Westminster genuinely enjoys working with our partners including McDaniel President Dr. Julia Jasken, MAGIC Executive Director Graham Dodge, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners and our Delegation to Annapolis, Mike McMullin, the president of the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce, Carroll Hospital president Garrett Hoover, Carroll Arts Center Executive Director Lynne Griffith, the president of Carroll Community College Dr. James Ball, Carroll County Sheriff Jim DeWees, and State’s Attorney Haven Shoemaker.

What is your assessment of zoning in Westminster? Would you advocate for changing it or leaving it the same?

This is not our grandmother’s Westminster, and it is imperative that we thoughtfully and deliberately upgrade and update our legacy zoning and parking regulations that date back to November of 1979. I especially dislike Euclidean zoning and look forward to more overlay zones and increasing the ability of the Westminster planning staff to use administrative adjustments in order to apply common sense solutions to an ever-changing business and housing environment.  

What resources should be available to new businesses in Westminster and how rapidly should Westminster be developing? 

Recently we have added some exceptional talent to the Westminster Department of Planning and Community Development. The recent election of Westminster Councilmember Dan Hoff has also been quite helpful. Mr. Hoff has years of business experience and served for many years on the county planning and zoning commission. 

The City of Westminster also benefits from the fact that three of the current six council members are self-employed and own small businesses. Add to this some new approaches to communications and service delivery, such as providing our business and residential customers with checklists and information pamphlets to aid in navigating the complexity of municipal, county, state and federal regulations, will go a long way to help stimulate a strong economic development vibe for the city. How rapidly Westminster grows will be constrained by market forces and by the availability of finite amounts of water allocation. 

####
+++ Dayhoff Westminster +++

Kevin Dayhoff for Westminster Authority Caroline Babylon, Treasurer.

Carroll County Times: www.tinyurl.com/KED-CCT
Baltimore Sun Carroll Eagle: http://tinyurl.com/KED-Sun

Facebook Dayhoff for Westminster: https://www.facebook.com/DayhoffforWestminster/
Facebook: Kevin Earl Dayhoff: https://www.facebook.com/kevindayhoff

Dayhoff for Westminster: www.kevindayhoff.city
Dayhoff Soundtrack: www.kevindayhoff.net
Dayhoff Carroll: www.kevindayhoff.org