Two good photography books have arrived on my doorstep this year.  The June arrival was by Annie Leibovitz about her portraits and her working methods,  The Second and more important book is by Jeff McGuiness of St. Michaels. Jeff’s book: “Bear Me Into Freedom” is about the conditions of slavery in Talbot County and his time as a slave, as seen through the eyes and words of Frederick Douglass; and more importantly, his emotions.

I can only imagine when Jeff McGuiness started this project he thought he was making a photography book.  He did indeed accomplish that and so much more.

His research took him into Frederick Douglass’ writings, namely the three autobiographies Douglas wrote about his time in Talbot County – American Slave (1845); My Bondage and My Freedom (1855); and Life and Times of Frederick Douglass (1881).

McGinnis, with the click of his keyboard and the sound of his camera’s shutter has managed to flip the narrative of the usual photo book,  MCGinnis did his research and his reading and then proceeded to find locations in Talbot County that Douglass describes in his autobiographies.  Those resulting photos presented on the right side of the book spread, visually ‘inform’ the viewer/reader about Douglas’ feelings and emotions as written in those passages.  It’s important for the reader to dip into the right side of their brain and see something beyond the trees, the water and the tide – see the feelings..

Most photo books show the photos on the right side of the book spread and text on the left  It is well known in the ‘photo book trade’, when landscape photos are presented, the text is skimmed over and not expected to nourish the photo, but only provide some context of what, when, where and why.

When the words “flip the narrative” are used – it means – Jeff’s photos explain Douglas’ emotions visually.  Read Jeff’s selected passages and open up the right side of your brain and see those emotions in the photos.  They are there.

Steve Lingeman
Talbot County

The 2020 election in Talbot County was determined by 116 votes of more than 22,000 cast locally. Particularly in communities like ours, your vote – your individual voice – matters. We might also note that state and local elections, though perhaps not as exciting as a presidential race, are undeniably more important and impactful to our day-to-day lives.

We are proud of the strong, dedicated, and united team of Democratic candidates running to represent and serve the people of Talbot County. It has been a long, yet inspirational and informative campaign. So many of the decisions made at the level of Talbot County government are not partisan, and allowing our discourse to be polluted by national culture wars and vitriolic agendas would not be in our best interests.

Regardless of our Party affiliation, it serves us well to vote for the candidates who are most curious and driven for common-sense solutions, the ones who are both passionate and compassionate. Vote for people with experience and objective professionalism, and vote as if the future of Talbot County depends on your voice. Because it does.

It has never been easier to vote efficiently and securely; and we have put together an informative and accessible resource page –www.TalbotDems.org/Vote – that provides voter information links, election dates, and candidate information. You may not agree with our positions, but you might find the information provided useful.

In the final days of this election, we should all take a moment to reflect upon and appreciate the incredible personal and professional sacrifices of our friends and neighbors running for office. We should rise to their example to be active participants in the democratic process.

From the fields of Yorktown to the hallowed grounds of Gettysburg, our forebears gave their last full measure of devotion to start this great democratic experiment. From the forceful rhetoric of Frederick Douglass to the demands of our mothers and sisters in Seneca, we have continued to form a more perfect Union representative of all the people of this nation. From the cries of Americans when a revered King in Memphis was taken from us on the darkest of nights to the demands of a nation for equal justice and opportunity in the eyes of the law, we know that we have so much more work yet to do. The first step towards progress is participating in the democracy that generations of Americans have fought for, marched for, sat in for and walked out for, cried and cheered for and sacrificed and died for.

Voting is more than a civic right. Being a voter is a fundamental responsibility of every American that is embedded into the DNA of our nation. Be an American. Be a Voter. Election day is November 8.

Patrick Firth
Chair of the Talbot County Democratic Central Committee

In the general election November 8th, we will be electing the five members to represent our community on the Talbot County Council.  It is important that the council not only represent the citizens, but also possess the ability to work together respectfully in conducting the business of the county.  

I believe we need a council that will be forward thinking, one that will guide and carry out the vision of the county’s comprehensive plan.  The members of the County Council are stewards of our community, and must be fiscally responsible and constantly look for efficiencies to improve county services within the limited resources of the budget.

Scott Kane possesses the qualities and abilities to meet these expectations. As a member of the Talbot County Council, I feel Scott will lead our county forward and in a manner in which the citizens of the county will be proud.  I support Scott Kane as one of the five members of the Talbot County Council.

Chip Councell
Talbot County

As a fierce opponent of the “Lakeside” development, I cannot in good faith support the RESET movement or any organization that is working to elect David Montgomery and Lynn Mielke to the Talbot County Council.

Both were deeply involved in the effort to preserve Talbot County’s disgraced and now dislocated Confederate monument. Montgomery was the leader of the “Preserve Talbot History” organization and Mielke was its vocal advocate. Both were fully dedicated to protecting a statue that sat on our courthouse lawn as a tribute to the old Confederacy and as a blatant gesture of intimidation to Black families in search of justice.

Their involvement in that issue alone should disqualify them from governing a county in which nearly 25 percent of its residents belong to a racial or ethnic minority. However, there is more. Here is Montgomery, well-known for his anti-LGBTQ jeremiads, implying a connection between a child’s sexual orientation and his or her propensity for murder:

“Do I think that the massive propaganda machine legitimizing the desire to change sex is harmful, and that it added to the impulses that made this boy and girl into killers? Indeed, I do.”

Meanwhile, Mielke recently stated that “there is an element that is trying to run this country on sunshine and windmills, and it ain’t going to work…it doesn’t work at night…it doesn’t work on cloudy days…it doesn’t work in the morning.” Mielke went on to call for a council-appointed “Education Accountability” task force that would EXAMINE THE BOOKS that are being assigned by teachers to their students. This is nothing less than a thinly-disguised way of bringing the notorious, far-right “Moms for Liberty” movement into our county.

David Montgomery and Lynn Mielke wouldn’t represent a reset so much as a relapse for Talbot County. We should not accept this false choice between candidates who will blithely do the bidding of any land developer waiving a check, and those who may be right on this one issue but whose views on everything else would take Talbot County in a very troublesome direction.

We deserve so much better. I would recommend that we vote to re-elect Pete Lesher and elect Michele Dappert, Keasha Haythe, Scott Kane and Philip Jackson to join him. Each would work in good faith to establish the appropriate balance between land preservation and other priorities that define vibrant, forward-thinking communities. Let’s do the reset without the relapse.

Len N. Foxwell
Talbot County

With early voting underway and Election Day quickly approaching I would like to close out this campaign by thanking you, the citizens of Talbot County. Through dozens and dozens of events over the past six months I’ve had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of you. It’s been an amazing experience that I greatly appreciate. I’ve learned we share a deep-rooted love and appreciation for our beloved home and remain undivided in our commitment to ensuring our county remains the wonderful place it is. 

The next County Council will be responsible – working with the Planning Commission – for crafting our new 10-year Comprehensive Plan. It is time for the next generation of Talbot County’s citizens to become involved. At 31, I am ready to step up and serve. My background is in advocacy for investment in public life, and my experience in strategic planning & digital technology qualify me to lead the overdue modernization of our local systems. This will improve government transparency and accountability, all while providing better services to our community. 

From education to infrastructure, affordable housing to new jobs, and from retaining young families to improving healthcare, we must commit to strong and sustained investments in the future — all while preserving Talbot’s rural character, and protecting our citizens and businesses. If you have met me on the campaign trail you know I am unrelenting in the pursuit of pragmatic solutions to the challenges we face.

With your support you will have an advocate, an ally, a partner, and a friend with me on the Talbot County Council. I look forward to making it happen. Thank you again for the privilege of being considered for the Talbot County Council. 

Michele Dappert
Candidate for Talbot County Council

 

 

The issues facing Talbot County have never been more crucial. Many face us, ranging from healthcare to land use policy. Some of these issues have been thrust upon us; others have accumulated through past inaction.  In either case, we must act to move the county forward, wisely and deliberately.

To get the job done we have formed Team Talbot.  

Each of the five of us bring unique skills, knowledge and capabilities to the job.  Please consider electing this team to work for you on the county council.

Keasha Haythe is an expert at economic development who will lead in bringing the jobs and economic vitality we seek.   She runs charities and nonprofits, such as the Foundation of HOPE, which contribute to who we are as a county.   She is an ordained minister who will help lead us to engage with each other in more civil ways.  As the granddaughter of a waterman, she will represent local businesses and our innate culture so important to our quality of life.

Michele Dappert, an expert at data technology, will work reorganizing the county’s information systems to deliver and presenting the information in ways that are most useful to you. Michele also has in-depth insight into, and experience with land use planning that will serve us well as we develop the county’s Comprehensive Plan (CP)  this upcoming term.

Phil Jackson also knows information technology intimately and is experienced at health care, as well as managing and running wastewater treatment facilities — all crucial undertakings for the next council.  Phil’s knowledge will be necessary to guide and develop the new Comprehensive Water and Sewer Plan (CWSP) also upcoming this term.  This CWSP is vital to cleaning up our lovely streams and rivers.

Pete Lesher will use his extensive experience with the local political systems to restore trust between the county and the towns in the county.  His service on the Talbot County Council these past four years provides the institutional memory needed to make wise decisions.  Well respected throughout the county, Pete will help restore civility and transparency to county council operations — so urgently needed in the county’s service to our citizens.

Scott Kane is current and comfortable in the ways of local government, having served as past Mayor of Chevy Chase and on several advisory boards in the county during the past eight years. As an engineer, he will focus on helping to build the new hospital, bringing broadband to Talbot County and improving our infrastructure.  As a businessman, he will update the budget to be evermore frugal and reorganize county operations to be more effective.

Please elect this team of talented, committed and enthusiastic leaders — Team Talbot — to move Talbot County forward for the next four years.

Scott Kane
Candidate for Talbot County Council

As we reach the end of the Talbot County Council’s 2022 session and I reach the end of my 12 years of service on the Council and 8 years serving in leadership with the Maryland Association of Counties, I want to take this opportunity to reflect on the election of our next County Council.  

Chuck Callahan and Pete Lesher have served on the Council for 8 and 4 years respectively.  Both have enough history and records for voters to make their own decision in deciding whether to return them to the Council for another term. There is a benefit to be gained by having some experienced members return to the Council – to affect a smooth transition of our County government and aid the incoming Council.  Continuity is important. 

Of the 8 remaining and first time candidates for the Council, there are two, who, in my opinion, stand out. Lynn Mielke’s experience as a lawyer and David Montgomery’s experience with economic and budget issues would benefit the Council.  Both possess the disposition to investigate and speak up on issues and ask relevant questions. They have different opinions on various issues, and that is a good thing.  Debating issues is important.

One key factor to be considered is whether the candidate can make decisions based upon the best interests of citizens of Talbot County and not their own personal opinions, views, or self-interests.  Too many of the other candidates have agendas, or are single issue candidates.  

The matters that are presented to us at the county level are varied and complex and are not necessarily the “hot button” issues on which some candidates are running. Understanding the scope of the county council’s legal responsibility is important. While a candidate might have strong opinions on some matters, some of those are simply not within the purview of the county council to resolve or influence.   believe that Lynn and David both understand what the local issues are and which ones the County Council can directly impact; there are many important issues that will come before the next Council that will impact the quality of life in Talbot County. The pressure for development is strong, and it will take strong people to make decisions that benefit the community as a whole. Furthermore, we are in demanding economic times, and it is important to have people on the Council who have an understanding of the economic pressures we will face in the next four years.

Additionally, Council members are called upon to vote on legislation that may go against his or her beliefs. I believe that Lynn Mielke and David Montgomery possess the ability and have the experience to build consensus and to put aside personal preference for the good of the county in the near and long term.   I’ve always had a saying that if my vote made all sides a little bit mad, then I did my job correctly.  This quality is important.

What I would emphasize to voters is that the decisions that the County Council makes are rarely “political” in the sense that they are Republican or Democrat; the decisions made by the Council are, for the most part, pragmatic ones that should be based on an understanding of how those actions relate to the Comprehensive Plan and how they impact the budget and the safety of the residents of Talbot County. Therefore, what is important, in my estimation, is to vote for candidates who have skill sets relevant to the matters that will come before them and who have the maturity, integrity and objectivity to evaluate the various impacts of their actions.  

I am pleased to support two people who possess the qualities I believe are essential to an effective council.  

Laura Everngam-Price
Talbot County Councilwoman

410-725-1474 10-28-22

Recently, it came to my attention that the Republican Party, working in conjunction with a group that originally called itself the Family Advocacy Alliance (FAA), recruited school board candidates for Talbot County. We, the citizens of Talbot, need to be aware that the FAA got its start as an anti-VAX, anti-mask, anti-Critical Race Theory (CRT) organization. It is also critical for you to know that this group and these candidates are enthusiastic supporters of Dan Cox and Gordana Schifanelli.

In the past few months, the FAA has promoted the formation of a local chapter of a national group called The Moms For Liberty, who recently tweeted the following, in reference to a New Hampshire law that will fire and remove the license of public school teacher if anyone successfully complains said teachers are teaching CRT. “We’ve got $500 for the person that first successfully catches a public-school teacher breaking this law. Students, parents, teachers and school staff…We want to know! We will pledge anonymity if you want.”

There is a saying, “What you do speaks so loudly in my ear, I cannot hear what you say.” No matter how loudly the FAA proclaims themselves patriots, their actions betray that word. Founding a chapter of a national radical organization in Talbot is a divisive act meant to turn us against one another and perhaps one day having us turn in one another in for bounties.

We, the exhausted majority, want to move past the ugliness of the past four years. We want to get to a place where we may disagree civilly, restore our faith in experts, like teachers, and where parents are welcomed in schools as partners. Candidates recruited by local people who preach fear and division will mire us even more deeply in the muck of
lies, fears and division.

So, I have looked for the School Board Candidates to support. It’s tough to know who to vote for because there are four races in four different districts. So, you may or may not have a school board candidate on your ballot. By lucky coincidence, the School Board Candidates who best represent our Eastern Shore values of generosity, service and caring for neighbors in need all have a last name ending in “son.” Jymil Thompson is running in District 1. Amy Dodson is running in District 3. Emily Jackson is running in District 4. Jay Hudson is running in District 7. If you would like to move us forward at a time when our schools have serious challenges, vote for one of the “Sons”of Talbot for the Board of Education if an election contest is on your ballot.

Tori Paxon
Easton

Yesterday afternoon the Maryland Department of Environment published a decision that validates the near-universal call from citizens of Talbot County: RESET LAKESIDE!  

POINT #1:  The Developer DID get its long-awaited discharge permit for the new Lakeside sewer plant—a legal prerequisite for further development–to be built on the east side of Route 50 at the headwaters of pristine Miles Creek.

POINT #2:  That MDE permit (actually a “final determination,” here) is for a 100,ooo gallon-per-day plant–less than 20% of the 540,000 gallons-per-day capacity the Developer assured Talbot County was the basis for the approval granted by the Council under Resolution 281 in 2020.

There you have it: the foundation for the County’s approval of Lakeside (flawed and inadequate as it was) just fell away.  Kaput. Gone. Adios.

Consequently, Talbot County finds itself sitting with hundreds of acres of land legally designated as IMMEDIATE PRIORITY for development (and intended for high density residential, no less), but which has no sewer service at all. And MDE has just announced it will not be granted capacity as matters stand.  So, what’s wrong with that picture???  Everything.  

A year ago, our Planning Commission found Lakeside “inconsistent” with the Talbot County Comprehensive Plan, for other reasons completely (Lakeside adding pollution into La Trappe Creek).  But had it known that the project would not get an MDE permit for the sewer capacity as the Developer represented, do you think the Commission would have designated the entire northern half of Lakeside for “immediate development” in the first place?  Of course not.

Even the County Council majority, led by President Chuck Callahan–an outspoken supporter of Lakeside and provider of the key vote in March— likely would not have approved Resolution 281 had he known the promised MDE permit was not forthcoming.

Now, we must elect to the County Council candidates who will complete the job, who will adopt a resolution backing the Planning Commission and requiring Lakeside to be brought back for consideration anew.  We still have to discuss, for the first time ever, schools and traffic and public safety—and whose tax money is going to pay for all that.  

But now the developer has one more item to explain: Why would “immediate priority” be appropriate for a huge swath of land that has no sewer service?

And folks, YOU get the credit for MDE gutting Lakeside’s plan for sewer service.  Exactly a year ago today, about two hundred citizens filled the Talbot County Community Center on Route 50 to object to MDE’s grant of a spray irrigation permit that would have allowed, on many days, up to 1.5 million gallons of treated sewage effluent to be sprayed on fields at the headwaters of Miles Creek, that genuinely pristine tributary of the Choptank.  Not a soul spoke in favor.  So many were articulate on differing points, each in their own way.  Written comments of real impact were also submitted by experts and scientists, including those from ShoreRivers and Chesapeake Bay Foundation and elsewhere.  

And—who knew—MDE responded.  It took a year, but here we are.

The new Talbot County Council needs to finish the job.  Vote for TIP endorsed candidates, Republican or Democrat, who have committed to “hit the reset button:” Lesher, Dappert, Haythe, Jackson, Kane, Mielke, Montgomery.  

Go to ResetLakeside.org for more information.

 

Dan Watson
The Talbot Integrity Project
Easton