Talbot Bone, a resident of Brookletts Ave, has filed to run for the Ward 2 seat on the Easton Town Council on May 7. Most people know him by his nickname, Tal.
Having served the Town in other capacities, Tal decided he could contribute sitting on the town council in the Ward 2 seat vacated by Pete Lesher. Ward 2 encompasses several neighborhoods south of Brookletts Avenue between Washington St and Aurora St, those neighborhoods encompassed by Easton Parkway, Peachblossom Rd, and Idlewild Ave. Additionally, the neighborhoods of Mulberry Station, Golton, Matthewstown Run, and Hunter’s Mill are part of Ward 2.
Tal intends to focus much of his energy on developing starter homes for teachers, police officers, nurses and other young professional entering the workforce; developing Easton Point and connecting it to downtown; and supporting our police and volunteer fire department to make our neighborhood safer, including strong efforts to combat substance abuse. Working with Talbot County, Tal hopes to significantly reduce the number of false alarms for the volunteer fire department of Easton and other communities.
Starter Homes: Many of our young professionals can not afford to live in Easton because the housing is too expensive. As a result, many of these individuals live in other counties and commute to work in Easton. Some efforts have been made to improve the housing situation, but not enough. Tal plans to work with architects, property owners, builders, and financial institutions to focus attention on this short fall in Easton’s housing inventory. We must move forward faster so that our teachers, nurses, and police can live in our community.
Easton Point & Historic Downtown: Several properties on Easton Point have been annexed into Easton and zoning is being finalized. Developing Easton Point and connecting it to downtown Easton gives us the opportunity to construct homes and businesses within the town’s boundaries and reduce the pressure to expand into existing farm land. Mixed use buildings ,i.e. shops and businesses on the first floor and apartments or condos on the higher floors will provide a solid basis for improving the viability of business such as restaurants, boutiques, and entertainment. It is critically important to do this in a manner that does not adversely impact historic downtown Easton. A vibrant Easton will help everyone that lives and works here.
Safety: Our fire and police departments are confronted by a problem of which many are unaware. During the night, pagers and cell phones go off alerting Easton Volunteer Fire Department members and Easton police of a fire. These automatic alarms, all too often, are false. These false alarms cause ware and tear on our equipment and can be frustrating to the individuals that respond at all hours of the night. False alarms can also deflect resources from a real emergency. A focused effort at identifying and correcting the causes for false alarms could significantly reduce the costs in both equipment and personnel. Another drain on our police force is the opioid crisis and other drug abuse. Tal fully support Sheriff Joe Gamble’s efforts through the Talbot Goes Purple Project.
A safe environment is key to a successful town. Developing starter homes, developing Easton Point and revitalization of downtown Easton will provide an environment to attract new business. This new vitality will attract teachers, police candidates, nurses, and fire fighters to stay in Easton to live and work. When that happens everyone benefits.
Tal and his wife Chris have been residents of Easton since 2002. Tal retired from Easton Utilities where he was the Manager for Engineering, Water & Wastewater. Prior to working at Easton Utilities, Tal retired as a Captain in the U. S. Navy. He has been a 10 year mentor for the ACE program and helped raise over $100,000 in scholarships for graduates of Talbot County and SSPP High Schools. He has also spent time helping 2nd and 3rd graders improve their reading skills.
Tal is also a volunteer with Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore teaching 3rd, 4th, and 7th graders about entrepreneurship and financial responsibility. He graduated from North Carolina State University with a bachelors of Civil Engineering and has a master’s degree in Engineering from the University of Texas. Tal is the current Chairman of the Town of Easton’s Planning & Zoning Commission and has been a member of that commission for 4 years. Tal is also a Deacon of Presbyterian Church in Easton.
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