Dayhoff Soundtrack: Mount Airy town elections a little over a month away

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Mount Airy town elections a little over a month away

Mount Airy town elections a little over a month away

League of Women Voters of Carroll County to hold candidates’ forum.

March 19, 2010 by Kevin Dayhoff

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 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.

Councilmember Gary Nelson is to date, not a candidate for re-election.

Each town council member is paid $4,000 per year and the mayor is paid $8,500 a year.

In the last several years, Mount Airy has stayed in the news for political turmoil and intrigue, allegations of ethics violations, quarrels over growth and annexation, recreation, and water. On September 3, 2007, the town was awakened to a devastating three-alarm fire in the 200 block of South Main Street.

In 2009, a total of three citizens took turns in the mayor’s office in a year of public bickering and disagreement.

Helt, who was voted in as mayor by the council members on Dec. 7, 2009 after the council voted out former Mayor David Pyatt, chose not to stand for election for mayor. Helt had taken the place of former Mayor Frank Johnson Jr., who was elected in 2006 and resigned in February 2009.

There was also turnover in 2009 among the councilmembers as Everich was chosen to take the place former councilmember John Woodhull who moved out of town and did not finish his term.

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/.

Photo caption: At the Mount Airy, MD board of supervisors of elections citizens’ meeting on March 8, 2010 in the town hall council chambers 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.

Photo by Kevin Dayhoff March 8, 2010 [20100308 MA noms 3]

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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

Related coverage:

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