Town of Easton election day is May 2nd. I live about 500-feet outside the Town limit; therefore, I cannot vote in the election. Still, I’m very involved the well-being of the Town. So, here are some observations from 500-feet outside the Town.
Things are going well in Easton. Mayor Willey and the Town Council, led by President Megan Cook, work well together and have been making life better for all of us. From the expansion of rails to trails, the acquisition of 200 acres along Oxford Road, stream restorations, affordable housing (which we desperately need more of), to the retention and attraction of new business and the preservation of our beautiful downtown; this group of people work well together.
Even though our town is comparatively small to others, it is still complex in its management, budgetary and legislative matters. Size does not matter when it comes to manging a town. There are still difficult decisions to be made every day and plenty of opinions. Therefore, it is important to have leadership at the Mayoral and Council level that understand the complexities of municipal management.
We are fortunate to have three people running for Mayor. To me, this is the sign of healthy, vibrant community and leaders who care about our town.
Mayor Willey is running for re-election. Mayor Willey is a life-long resident and knows the Town and the people well. He has occupied the Mayors office for many years and has guided us to where we are today. His approach to management is hands-on and always looking at our future, while providing an important and insightful view into our past. In my experience, he is careful and deliberate. It is difficult to find a person more passionate about the town.
Megan Cook is an excellent Town Council President. Her ability to guide the Council, its legislative agenda and work with Mayor Willey is outstanding. Megan is the longest serving current councilmember. She has a broad view of our community and is closely involved in the social fabric and well-being of the town.
Councilmember Al Silverstein is always insightful and probing. He asks good questions and approaches Town matters with a level of due diligence and inquiry that is necessary for the Council’s oversight of budgetary and legislative matters. He is knowledgeable and well versed in Town matters.
We need all these people, and more like them. From 500 feet outside the Town limits, Easton looks pretty good to me. Things are going well in Easton because the configuration of elected officials is working to make life better for all of us.
Tony Kern Easton, Maryland
Holly Wright says
With all due respect, things are not all going well in Easton. The lack of leadership vis a vis the stalled regional medical center is the most glaring and it’s passivity in dealing with unmanaged development has brought us to the situation we are in now.
In terms of the management of the town, Easton needs an experienced business executive who’s not afraid to start managing the town, it’s budget and staff. When Mayor Willey takes issue with a project his staff has recommended, one wonders how it got off his desk to go to the Town Council unless he is no more than decorative. And the idiosyncratic compensation arrangements and budgeting process at Town Hall needs a CEO Mayor like Al Silverstein to update fiscal systems and a 30 year old town administration.
The Mayoralty of our town should not be a participation award for community activism. Megan Cook speaks very favorably about the operation of the town and well she might since devoid of management skills she will be wholely dependent on the existing management. They will manage her. Her lack of experience and skills to lobby major institutions like University of Maryland and the Governor’s office makes her limited in representing Easton in these important external relationships.
Easton needs a CEO not a cheerleader.
Alan Boisvert says
New/young blood(Megan/not Al))is needed for an old stogy town like Easton.
Eileen A. Deymier says
In the interest of accuracy,Shore Health System Inc. filed for its Certificate of Need (CON) with the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) on January 6,2023.
The writer perhaps has not lived in the Town of Easton very long or has not attended many Town Council meetings. Megan Cook has served on the Town Council as both the representative of Ward 4 and as the elected President of the Council,the position she presently holds. Her talents & institutional knowledge are needed on the Town Council as President.
Bob Willey,first elected Mayor in May 2003, has served the citizens of the Easton extremely well.Most recently, his administration, working with Project Open Space, was successful in securing 5 million dollars to purchase 197 acres of land on the Oxford Rd. The plan is to create Easton Woodland Park, a ‘passive park’ with walking trails & the added benefits of saving acres of mature trees & preventing additional development.
Holly Wright says
Having worked in the field of Certificate of Need for many years, filing a certificate of need is simply a necessary hurdle for the project but in no way substantively moves the project forward. Many approved certificates of need can sit on the shelf for years until the political will, strategic purpose and financial where with all is there.
Al Silverstein is the only candidate who can advocate for Easton and negotiate for the regional medical center going forward in Annapolis and Baltimore.
Easton needs a CEO not a cheerleader, even one with intelligence and institutional knowledge. Management experience and skills are needed to review and update compensation arrangements and budgeting procedures which may be needed. Megan Cook’s position that everything is fine in Easton portends no change perhaps because she will be so dependent on the local bureaucracy. They will be managing her.
It seems a contingent for no change is promoting both Mayor Willey and his 20 year (I stand corrected) administration and Megan Cook.