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
Showing posts with label Carroll Co 5 Commissioner Dist plan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Carroll Co 5 Commissioner Dist plan. Show all posts

Thursday, December 09, 2010

Carroll County commissioners open term with 'framework from which to govern'

Term limits, property rights and prayer before meetings are among new board's 10 philosophies

Carroll County commissioners open term with 'framework from which to govern'

By Jim Joyner
Posted 12/08/10  http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/4991/term-limits-property-rights-prayer-before-meetings-are-among-new-boards-10-philosophies/
Smaller government, term limits, lower property taxes and a resistance of unfunded mandates from state and federal government — these are a few of "10 Governing Philosophies" unveiled Wednesday by the newly-elected Board of County Commissioners at a press conference in Westminster.

Also on the list: prayer before each board meeting, no more county cars for commissioners and promise to converse with constituents in "plain English."

“It is important for us to set a direction, and we have worked collectively on this," said Commissioner Doug Howard, who represents the 5th Commissioner District in Sykesville and Eldersburg.

Howard said the commissioner board — which has no incumbents and is the first-ever in Carroll County with five members elected by district — wanted to express its philosophies to set a tone for the new term. The board was sworn into office Monday.

"These philosophies will serve as a framework from which to govern," said Howard, "(and are) the product of our collective understanding of the will and the desire of the citizens." ... 



[...]


At Wednesday's event, each of the five commissioners took a turn announcing two of the principles. In addition to Howard, those taking part were Robin Frazier (1st District-Manchester/Taneytown), Haven Shoemaker (2nd-Hampstead/Finksburg), Dave Roush (3rd-Westminster) and Richard Rothschild (4th-Mount Airy/New Windsor). All are Republicans.


http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/4991/term-limits-property-rights-prayer-before-meetings-are-among-new-boards-10-philosophies/

Wednesday, December 08, 2010

Kevin Dayhoff - The Tentacle: Historic Changes in Carroll County

December 8, 2010

Historic Changes in Carroll County
On Monday, Carroll County’s first five-member Board of Commissioners took the oath of office: Robin Frazier, Haven Shoemaker, Dave Rous, Richard Rothschild, and Doug Howard.

All are Republicans. Only Ms. Frazier has served in the commissioners’ office before, for one term, 1998 to 2002.

After a long and stormy commissioner election campaign, it took only 15 minutes for history to be made as the 59th Board of Carroll County Commissioners was sworn into office.

It will be interesting to see how well this county government functions with five instead of three commissioners. Are five heads better than three?

Taxes, waste-to-energy, the airport, police protection, and the economy are some of the many leftovers the new commissioners will find on their plates.

For dessert, the commissioners have available the preservation of the business of agriculture and increasing employment in Carroll County so that the 62% of the work force doesn’t need to leave the county every work day in the pursuit of meaningful employment.

Barrels of ink and antacid have been spilled on the discussions over the five-district, five-commissioner form of government along with hand wringing, gnashing of teeth, food-fights of kindergarten proportions and close encounters of the third grade.

The idea was first publicly floated as far back as...  http://www.thetentacle.com/ShowArticle.cfm?mydocid=4097

Tuesday, December 07, 2010

Carroll County MD Nov. 2, 2010 General Election official results

Carroll County MD Nov. 2, 2010 General Election official results


November 2, 2010 Gubernatorial General Election Official Results Summary Report, State of Maryland, Carroll County: Summary For Jurisdiction Wide, All Counters, All Races

This may help some folks with the “who is on first” and “what is on second” for my article: Carroll's 59th Board of County Commissioners sworn into office By Bob Allen and Kevin Dayhoff Explore Carroll shar.es/Xp9W1


Also see: For today's swearing-in, @kevindayhoff looks at the history of the County Commissioners/"Levy Court" in Eagle Archive http://bit.ly/gSlGLD

Carroll, county, Maryland, politics, commissioners, elections, history, Roush, Frazier, Shoemaker, Howard, Rothschild, Dayhoff

Carroll County MD Nov. 2, 2010 General Election official results                                                                                                                              
20101102-ge-summ

20101206 59th Brd info for Scribd


*****

Carroll's 59th Board of County Commissioners sworn into office





Also see: For today's swearing-in, @kevindayhoff looks at the history of the County Commissioners/"Levy Court" in Eagle Archive http://bit.ly/gSlGLD

Carroll, county, Maryland, politics, commissioners, elections, history, Roush, Frazier, Shoemaker, Howard, Rothschild, Dayhoff

Carroll's 59th Board of County Commissioners sworn into office                                                                                                                              

20101206 Carroll County Govt 59th Carroll Co Commissioners

20101206 59th Brd info for Scribd


See also: Carroll's 59th Board of County Commissioners sworn into office  Explore Carroll  shar.es/Xp9W1  By Bob Allen and Kevin Dayhoff (Enlarge) New Carroll County commissioners sworn in ...  After a long and stormy election campaign; ... http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/4990/carrolls-59th-board-county-commissioners-sworn-into-office/


*****

Monday, December 06, 2010

Carroll's 59th Board of County Commissioners sworn into office


By Bob Allen and Kevin Dayhoff (Enlarge) New Carroll County commissioners sworn in ...  After a long and stormy election campaign; ... 
http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/4990/carrolls-59th-board-county-commissioners-sworn-into-office/

After a long and stormy election campaign; it took only 15 minutes for history to be made Monday, as the 59th Board of Carroll County Commissioners was sworn into office earlier today.

The five members of the county’s first five-member board were sworn in en mass in a ceremony, in Circuit courtroom No. 4 at the County Courthouse Annex at 55 N. Court St., Westminster.

Compared to the formal ceremony, they spent far more time posing for photographs afterward.

Five new faces that will be part of the new board of commissioners — Robin Frazier (1st District), Haven Shoemaker (2nd), Dave Roush (3rd), Richard Rothschild (4th) and Doug Howard (5th).  All are Republicans, and only Frazier has served in the commissioners’ office before, from 1998 to 2002...  
http://www.explorecarroll.com/news/4990/carrolls-59th-board-county-commissioners-sworn-into-office/

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Kevin Dayhoff: Historic changes in Carroll County government are coming

Historic changes in Carroll County government are coming

Sunday, August 22, 2010 by Kevin Dayhoff

The 2010 primary election on September 14 is fast approaching and with it, the next step in Carroll County’s great experiment in governance will come one-step closer.

Barrels of ink and antacid has been spilled on the discussions, hand-wringing and gnashing of teeth over the five-commissioner form of government that has had the county transfixed for over twelve-years.

The idea was first publicly floated several years before the failed attempt in a 1998 referendum. That initiative came after years of whispers of discontent in the hallways of power.

This is not the first time folks in Carroll County have changed our form of government – and chances are it will not be the last.

From 1659 to 1837, the eastern half of Carroll County was governed by Baltimore County.  From 1695, Prince George's County governed the western portion of Carroll County until December 10, 1748 when Frederick County was formed.  (When "Whites Level," which later became part of Westminster, was purchased in 1733, it was actually part of Prince George's County.)

As early as 1785, citizens petitioned Maryland Gov. William Paca to form "Paca County" from parts of Frederick and Baltimore counties.

In the Nov. 25, 1813, issue of the "Engine of Freedom," a newspaper in "The Forks,” later known as Uniontown, wrote that a petition was being forwarded to the Maryland General Assembly to form "Union County," with the county seat in Uniontown.  The effort failed

On March 2, 1833, a bill passed the General Assembly authorizing a vote on forming Carroll County in October 1833.  The vote failed, 593 to 554; although it was later speculated that it failed because of voter irregularities in the Baltimore County portion.

Finally, a bill was introduced in 1835 and passed the General Assembly on March 25, 1836 to form Carroll County.  

This act was confirmed on Jan. 19, 1837. It only took about 50 years, but Carroll Countians had finally changed their government.

From 1837-51 the governing body of Carroll County was called the "Levy Court."  It consisted of nine individuals; one from each of the nine existing election districts in Carroll at the time.  They were appointed by the governor of Maryland.

The Maryland Constitution of 1851 changed the "Levy Court" to the "Commissioners of Tax" and from 1853 to 1891, there were three at-large commissioners elected to two-year terms.  From 1893 to 1921 the county elected one commissioner every other year for a six-year term.

In 1926, the county fully transitioned to electing three commissioners for four-year terms.  In 1968, voters in Carroll County rejected both charter government and code home rule.  In 1984, code home rule was defeated.  In 1992, charter government was defeated at the ballot box.

In 1998, voters rejected a referendum to increase the Board of Commissioners to five at-large members and rejected a charter form of government.

According to an old Baltimore Sun article by John Murphy on November 29, 1999, “In 1998, the proposal for five at-large commissioners carried four precincts: three in Eldersburg and one in Mount Airy, where some residents seek better representation in Westminster, the county seat.  The five-commissioner proposal failed, 11,151-6,860.”

Undaunted, on Dec. 8, 1999, State Delegate Don Elliott brought the five-commissioner idea back up at a joint meeting of the county's state delegation and the commissioners.

On November 2nd, 2004 Carroll voters decided to approve a referendum to form a five-commissioner board elected by district rather than having three commissioners elected at large. 

But wait, it took another four-years - until Monday, April 7, 2008, before the Maryland General Assembly approved Senate Bill 675 on Option 1 to draw the boundaries of the five commissioner districts among the eight municipalities, 36 election precincts and 14 election districts in the county.

I wonder if anyone will dare to venture a guess as to how long this latest experiment will last.

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







*****

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Testimony of MD Sen. David Brinkley in support of SB 675 Carroll County five districts legislation…

Testimony of MD Sen. David Brinkley in support of SB 675 Carroll County five districts legislation…

On or about March 7, 2008


Senate Bill 675 would create five new districts for the purpose of changing county commissioner elections in Carroll County from three commissioners elected at-large to five commissioners elected by district.  The bill adopts the districting plan known as “Option 1” prepared by the Carroll County Districting Commission in 2006.  The two options presented in the Commission’s final report are attached and available in color on-line at: http://ccgovernment.carr.org/ccg/topics/redist-map/default.asp.

This same “Option 1” districting plan was incorporated in House Bill 491 which was passed by the Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee during the 2006 Session.  However, that bill failed to reach final passage by sine die and the districting plan became the subject of court proceedings.  The case reached the Court of Appeals which ruled that only the General Assembly can create commissioner districts in Carroll County.  The court ruling reverted the 2006 election to three commissioners elected at-large.

The chief critic of the “Option 1” plan is Martin Radinsky, Chairman of the Democratic Central Committee of Carroll County, who views the map as a right-wing conspiracy patently unfair to Democrats because it “divides the pockets of Democrats that exist in the county, and I believe this is the intention of our 100 percent Republican delegation.” (Carroll County Times article, February 23, 2008)

I can assure this Committee that nothing is further from the truth than Mr. Radinsky’s comments.

First, there are strong policy reasons to adopt Option 1 over Option 2, including:

Option 2 violates the Commission’s own Guidelines by splitting municipal boundaries.  At the beginning of the districting process, the Commission adopted guidelines that included: “High regard should be given to the boundaries of political subdivisions, and where possible, the splitting of municipalities should be avoided.”  Option 2 bisects the municipality of Sykesville splitting the historic town from newer annexations including its major economic development project known as the “Warfield Complex.”  Option 1 does not split any municipal boundaries and supports a overall districting scheme in which larger municipalities serve as anchors for each district with Sykesville anchoring District 5 and Mt. Airy anchoring District 4.

Option 2 bisects a large unincorporated community planning area know as Finksburg.  On the eastern side of Carroll County is a growing residential area that does not have the advantages of municipal government but is organized informally within the Finksburg Area Planning Council.  Residents of this area oppose Option 2 because it literally splits in half the community planning area.  Option 1 preserves the unification of the Finksburg region and also supports the overall districting scheme in which larger municipalities serve as anchors for each district with Hampstead anchoring District 2.

Secondly, Mr. Radinsky is wrong when he claims that the Option 1 map “divides the pockets of Democrats” to provide an unfair political advantage to Republican commissioner candidates.  As shown by the attached tables, it is actually Mr. Radinsky’s Option 2 map that dilutes the Democrat voting strength.  In contrast, Option 1 provides the Democrats with two districts where the margin of Republican to Democrat voter registration is less than 16%.

As you can see from the voter registration data, the Carroll County Delegation has placed policy considerations above politics by selecting Option 1 and by rejecting Option 2 which would dilute Democrat voting strength by “dividing the pockets of Democrats that exist in the county.”  For these reasons, I respectfully request that the Committee give a favorable report to Senate Bill 675.





*****

Thursday, January 17, 2008

20080119 Public Hearing on Carroll County Local Bill Requests

CARROLL COUNTY DELEGATION

PUBLIC HEARING ON LOCAL BILL REQUESTS

Editor’s note: The public hearing on local bills proposed for the 2008 General Assembly is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Jan. 19, in Room 003 of the County Office Building, 225 N. Center St., Westminster.

JANUARY 19, 2008

AGENDA ITEMS

Commissioners and Allied Agencies Bills

  • Public Facilities Bond

  • Distribution of Tobacco Products to Minors – Prohibition & Penalties

  • Green Building Tax Credit

  • Regulation of Domestic Animals – Fine & Penalty Increase

  • Alcoholic Beverages – Increase Fees

  • Alcoholic Beverages – Sunday Sales

  • Alcoholic Beverages – Arts Council

· Exempt Carroll County Public Schools from all State and local noise ordinances

· Salary Increase for Board Members & Board President

Other Items for Discussion

· Election of County Commissioners Four by District, One at Large

· Creation of a County Police Department – Should it go to referendum?

20080109 Westminster Eagle: Districting plan faces hearing in January by Bob Allen

Westminster Eagle: Districting plan faces hearing in January by Bob Allen
Posted January 17, 2008
01/09/08 By Bob Allen



Bill would create four districts, one at-large
The latest proposal to expand the Board of County Commissioners from three to five members will be open for public comment at a hearing set for Jan. 19 in Westminster.
State Del. Donald Elliott (R-Dist. 4B) said he co-created the plan with State Sen. Allan Kittleman (R-Dist. 9). It calls for four commissioners to be elected by districts with a fifth elected at-large, or county-wide.
The at-large commissioner would serve as president of the Board of Commissioners.
Under the plan, Carroll voters would vote for two commissioner candidates, one running in their district and one at-large.
On the eve of the General Assembly opening in Annapolis this week, Elliott said he believes his proposal has enough bipartisan support to get it through the assembly. A similar plan failed to make it to the floor in 2006, mostly because of disagreement over how and where district lines should be drawn.
"Last (time) a lot of people felt the (commissioner) districts should align with state legislative districts," Elliott said. "This time, that has been done to the extent that it could be done."
The failed proposal also differed in that it called for five commissioners, all elected by district. That's what voters selected in a 2004 referendum.
Elliott said his four-district plan is a compromise that carves out districts as equitably as possible, based on population, a per capita balance between registered Republicans, Democrats and independents and geography.
"The bottom line is, we are trying to make a compromise with this," Elliott said. "I feel very strongly that with this county growing the way it is, a change in governance is in order."
Skeptics have said the new proposal should not go forward because it differs from the five-district plan chosen in the 2004 referendum -- and as a result may eventually be overturned in court.
Elliott says his proposal does not need to go to referendum and is on solid legal ground.
"We're not violating the public's wishes," he said. "We have checked with the Attorney General's office and we have a written opinion from them that this is not in violation of the referendum and that we are not doing anything illegal.
"For some of these people (who oppose his plan), they are using that (argument) as a way to try to kill this bill, as in the past," he added. "There are still people who want three commissioners and others who still want five at-large commissioners.
Janet Jump, former president of the Board of Elections who also served on the committee that drew up the initial districting plan, likes Elliott's revised plan and thinks a commissioner-by-district system is long overdue.
"Carroll County is very diverse; South Carroll is a world away from North Carroll," Jump said. "These (sectional) differences deserve to be honored and recognized in running the county government, and the present system doesn't do this."
"I think creating districts is the only way we can recognize these differences," she said.
Elliott said his plan is modeled after Charles County and it works effectively there.
"I've talked to people in Charles County and other counties (where the board of commissioners has been expanded) and they told me it does make a difference," he said.
The new five-commissioner plan has been submitted to members of Carroll's delegation to Annapolis. The delegation will vote on it sometime after taking public comment at the Jan. 19 hearing.
"If approved by the delegation, it will be dropped in the hopper and be voted on by the Maryland General Assembly," he said. "Hopefully this time we have bipartisan support we need."
The public hearing on the proposed five-commissioner plan and other local bills proposed for the 2008 General Assembly is scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Jan. 19, in Room 003 of the County Office Building, 225 N. Center St., Westminster.
####

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

20071030 Carroll County Times Editorials October 16th through October 30th 2007

Carroll County Times Editorials October 16th through October 30th 2007

Editorial for Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Follow legislative progress Everyone has a stake in the outcome of the special legislative session that began Monday evening, and everyone should take advantage of every available opportunity to learn about what our lawmakers are considering and to h...

Editorial for Monday, October 29, 2007
Abuse is allowed to thrive We were outraged. We read about years of sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priests. We saw the faces of those who had suffered abuse. We heard their stories of emotional turmoil and shattered trust. We wondered how men of God ...

Editorial for Sunday, October 28, 2007
Proposal negates public vote While finding compromise in contentious issues is usually a good thing, our state delegation's attempt at breaking a deadlock over commissioner district lines raises more issues than it clears up. The delegation this past...

Editorial for Friday, October 26, 2007
Governor should stop scare tactics Gov. Martin O'Malley should listen to his own Comptroller instead of trying to scare people into going along with his budget proposals. The Governor on Tuesday ran through a laundry list of ways that residents would...

Editorial for Thursday, October 25, 2007
Manchester showing maturity Manchester Town Council members took a positive step this week when they held an open forum with candidates who wish to fill a vacant seat. From ongoing concerns about water to traffic through developments to the mayor ine...

Editorial for Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Delegation can right a wrong Carroll's legislative delegation has an opportunity today to right a wrong when they meet to consider alternatives for the change to five commissioners which voters said they wanted in 2004. After the 2004 vote, a committ...

Editorial for Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Pink helps promote awareness Pink is the predominant color of October as more and more groups and organizations join the cause to help increase awareness about breast cancer. From Fortune 500 companies to mom and pop operations, businesses of all siz...

Editorial for Monday, October 22, 2007
Lifestyles stymie changes Economic development in Carroll County has struggled for decades, and despite the best intentions and best efforts of our elected officials, little is likely to change no matter what we do. The reason is simple economics, co...

Editorial for Sunday, October 21, 2007
Environment can be good for business A Mount Airy environmental group's work with businesses is a good example of how such partnerships could prove beneficial to both the businesses and to residents. Two businesses, Freedom Energy Solutions of Westmi...

Editorial for Friday, October 19, 2007
Warding off staph infections Stories about illnesses and even death associated with a staph infection that is resistant to certain antibiotics may have some people concerned, but the best advice to reduce the chance of getting sick is to follow the s...

Editorial for Thursday, October 18, 2007
GOP needs a seat at the table The warm and fuzzy bipartisanship touted earlier this year by Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley seems to be over, meaning that the state's elected Republicans will have a more difficult time getting any attention for their...

Editorial for Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Consider expense reduction Gov. Martin O'Malley should not use a special legislative session as a way to enact tax increases without considering state spending reductions. Republicans and some Democrats in the legislature are against the special sess...

Editorial for Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Congress must back shield law The U.S. House today is set to vote on a bill that would make it more difficult for the government to compel journalists to reveal sources, and given the climate in Washington, it is a bill that needs to be passed. The f...

Friday, November 10, 2006

20061110 Is it time for Charter government in Frederick County?

Is it time for Charter government in Frederick County?

And for that matter, Carroll County too?

November 10th, 2006

In Thursday’s November 9th, 2006 edition of the Gazette, there is an article by Sherry Greenfield, “Brinkley pushes for alternate form of county government;” which reports that Maryland State Senator David R. Brinkley (R-Dist. 4) of New Market is taking a hard look at the form of government in Frederick County.

This is significant for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that members of elected delegations to Annapolis have been historically reluctant to embrace such changes as it has been perceived in the past that it diminishes their power.

One could argue that position; however, these days there are plenty of pressing statewide issues for which state elected officials to focus their time.

Senator Brinkley however is not known for short-sighted approaches to what is in the best interests of the citizens he serves. For Senator Brinkley it seldom is about himself and it is consistently all about what is in the best interests of Maryland, Frederick County – and Western Maryland.

I served on the Committee for Charter Government in its beginning exploratory stage, in Carroll County in the late 1980s and although that effort may have been, in hindsight, a bit premature, the time will come, and not in the too far distance future, that Charter Government will be what is best for Carroll County also.

I remember well the discussions in 1967 that led to Code Home Rule being put on the ballot in 1968. That effort was defeated and yes - Code Home Rule is not Charter Government, but amazingly, many of the issues that were brought forth in 1967 are still issues today. (Anyway, after a great deal of study, I have determined that Code Home Rule is not the answer. Charter Government is the answer...)

Certainly the time for Charter Government has come for Frederick County - and in Carroll County it would be wise to start taking a hard and intelligent look at Charter Government for future serious consideration..

On the bigger picture, this last election has seen folks get elected to the Maryland General Assembly that will, if you can believe it, take that august body much further to the left.

In the last several sessions there has been a serious erosion for “local courtesy” and the time may be just on the horizon when that august liberal body will be increasingly intolerant of the needs and wants of the counties in the state that need to take local lawmaking to Annapolis.

Numerous examples are available. One awkward moment came in the last session when the Maryland General Assembly played games with a bill brought forward by the Carroll County Delegation to Annapolis over designation of the five districts for which to elect five commissioners. The bill never passed.

Although this delighted Carroll County Democrats and various moderate Republicans - - and gave them wonderful sound bites for the election as to the degree of capability and effectiveness of the delegation; it is a slippery slope that may come back to haunt all of us.

It was very bad precedent for all commissioner forms of government counties throughout the state. It was particularly interesting to see folks who complained in the past of local citizens going to Annapolis to encourage the Maryland General Assembly to not pass certain legislation; do the very same thing with the “five district” legislation…

The Gazette has been consistent as to matter of Charter Government in Frederick County. See here to read the paper’s July 28th, 2004 editorial advocating for a change: “20040728 Time to change Frederick county government gazed.”

Another interesting read is Frederick and Washington County Delegate Richard B. Weldon Jr.’s Tentacle column from October 16, 2006: “The Case for Charter:”

“The debate about the form of governance employed by Frederick County has raged back and forth for decades. Voters have weighed in several times, always voting to retain the current form, the Board of County Commissioners.”

Read the rest here.

Meanwhile Frederick County has changed a great deal in the last 100 years. Just before World War I - in 1900, the county had a population of 51,920. Agriculture was king and Frederick County led the state in the production of wheat and corn. The county economy was good and local jobs plentiful with 353 manufacturing industries, but there was never-the-less, a clamor to attract more local jobs and industry.

In light of today’s computer technology, almost fifty years after a commissioner form of government was established in Frederick County, the first typewriter made it into the Commissioners’ office in 1898. In 1917, the first auto theft was recorded in the county.

Just before World War 1, one of the biggest citizen complaints was the road system. Alright, perhaps some things have not changed… The tax rate in 1903 was 87 cents; however the 1909 to 1911 Board of Commissioners raised the rate to $1.18.

Since World War 1, the form of government in Frederick County has changed several times.

From 1748 to 1851, the form of government was a Levy Court appointed by the governor every year. In 1851, it changed to five commissioners elected every two years. In 1934 the number of commissioners changed to three, only to be changed back to five in 1974, where it has remained to this day.

Considering the increase in population since 1974, not to mention, the increase in the complexity of the challenges facing local government these days, perhaps it is time to change the form of government again to join the other eight counties in Maryland who have Charter government.

Ms. Greenfield begins her Gazette article:

State Sen. David R. Brinkley wants the new Frederick Board of County Commissioners to consider changing the county’s form of government.

Brinkley (R-Dist. 4) of New Market, is interested in changing from the current commissioner form of government to a charter, which calls for local voters to create and approve a document that describes how the government will be run.

‘‘I’m encouraging them to get the ball rolling, so if there is a change that has to take place [the Frederick delegation] can be there to help them do it,” Brinkley said.

The idea that the county should change its form of government has been batted around for some time. The current boom in population has spurred it along further.

In the late 1950s and again in 1991, county residents voted down a charter. In 1991, 67 percent opposed a charter government.

‘‘There has always been discussion of changing our form of government,” Brinkley said. ‘‘...There are those that claim they don’t want to go through the delegation and they want a single person at the top running things.”

Read the rest of her article here.

And stay tuned for the rest of the “Charter Government” story as it continues to unfold, as I have it on good authority that this story is not going to go away anytime soon for either Frederick County or Carroll County.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA. E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org www.thetentacle.com Westminster Eagle Opinion and Winchester Report www.thewestminstereagle.com www.kevindayhoff.com has moved to http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/