Front of mind for residents of Easton are several major issues. Two among them are the stalled University of Maryland regional medical center project and related physician shortage issues and out of control growth and development that threatens our quality of life. Al is far and away the best candidate for Mayor of the Town of Easton to take on these challenges on May 2nd.
I first met Al when I was running for State Senate in 2018 and he was the Executive Director of the Talbot County Chamber of Commerce. He was kind enough to meet with me to help me understand some of the concerns of the local business community. At that time I recognized an impressive grasp of jurisdictional and political issues within and beyond Talbot County that rang true.
Before moving to Maryland, I worked for four years for the Massachusetts certificate of the need program, involved with overseeing the acquisition and upgrading of community hospitals by the Boston academic medical centers. I believe Al is the only candidate who can successfully move on behalf of our community, in Annapolis, Baltimore and Talbot County, to make the University of Maryland’s new regional medical center happen. Al has also worked on physician recruitment elsewhere and will know how to take on that issue here.
We should be so grateful for the video Talbot Spy-Avalon Candidate Profiles. Be sure to watch them. They give candidates an opportunity to share what they see as their priorities and related experience should they be elected Mayor. Priorities and goals follow sometimes lengthy background statements but hang in there and you will get to how the candidates see their role as your future Mayor.
Al’s statement about establishing a strategic plan for the town to get out ahead of projects submitted at the whims of developers is just the kind of approach to managed growth our Town needs. Whether its managing growth or the stalled medical center project, Al’s remarks give a sense of confidence that he understands the importance of these critical issues and that in his hands, the Town of Easton can move forward.
Of concern to me as a democrat is the seeming insinuation of the county democratic party into Easton’s municipal election which has always been non-partisan. In any case their candidate, while earnest and admirable, fails to display a grasp of these key concerns of Easton nor any sense that she would successfully maneuver in political and jurisdictional realms beyond the Town needed to bring resources here.
I suggest that in the future the county party stay out of non-partisan municipal elections and their candidate return to fill out her remaining two year term as Town Council President.
Holly Wright
Easton
Patrick Firth says
Holly, as Chair of the county’s Democratic Party I’d like clarification about our activities in this election. We haven’t organized anything for the municipal elections. Not sure what you’re talking about.
Call me if you have any questions please.
Be well,
Patrick
Holly Wright says
Seriously? Holding an event at Democratic Headquarters on March 3rd for the only registered Democrat in the mayoral race qualifies. Obtaining coverage in the Spy for all our beautiful community of progressives in Easton to see (“Megan Cook, Candidate for Mayor, To Meet Dems March 3”) puts a partisan thumb on the scale for the wrong candidate.
Al is far and away the best candidate for mayor to work on the regional medical center, physician shortage and achieving community control over developer monied agendas. Introducing party labels muddies the waters not in the best interests of Easton.
I was working at the PFLAG table at last summer’s Delmarva Pride event in Easton and saw Al had a table promoting his campaign for mayor. Together with his closing remarks on the Spy profile about working to have more to attract minority communities to downtown Easton, I know Al will be the mayor for all the people in Easton.
Jerry McConnell says
Ms Wright obviously doesn’t know what she’s talking about, either, with respect to “non-partisan municipal elections”.
Maybe something like that happened somewhere, but I’ve never heard of it.
As far as the Democratic Party “insinuating” itself into the election, she apparently is confusing support for the respective parties’ candidates with some nefarious, inappropriate behavior. This community is too oriented toward the common good and our objectives too transparent for much political / behind the scenes subterfuge.
[ except maybe by real estate developers and some right-wing GOP extremists ].
So, TOE voters can,
“ We’re ready to Cook”; or
“Show’em your Willey”; or,
“Better call Al”