Thank you Talbot County for showing up and voting in our July 19th primary!
I am not a politician and I never will be but I will not stop fighting for our faiths, our families, and our freedoms. Although I did not make it through the Republican primary to be placed on the November 3rd ballot as a candidate for our County Council, I do appreciate all the support that I received and the support given to all of the County Council candidates, in particular, to Republicans Dave Stepp and Wade Strickland. This has been a very rewarding and humbling experience in which I have made many new friends, and I realize there are many more to be made.
At this point, I would be remiss if I do not clear the air on a particular political issue.
That issue being the one created by the Talbot Integrity Project (TIP). Although I did not meet with this group, I did convey to them that if I made it through the primary I would be happy to sit down with them and talk. In fact, this is the same response I gave to another special interest group as well as a couple of news outlets. Right, wrong, or indifferent, that was my decision as I am of the opinion that political candidates and politicians should answer directly to their constituents and not to lobbyists or special interest groups. As a result of my decision, the TIP misrepresented my stance towards meeting with them and my stance towards countywide development. I must now question, as should each Talbot County voter, what is the true intent and purpose of the TIP candidate recommendations, and have individual(s) within the TIP affected prior Talbot County elections? Just a thought based on what I have learned during our election process.
I have lived in multiple small, rural communities and that is why my wife and I chose Talbot County. We love our small town, rural lifestyle and we do not want it to change. I have visited some rural communities I formerly lived in, and they have been dramatically changed and ruined due to over development. Over development is the last thing I want for Talbot County, and I know that the Talbot County Comprehensive Plan was developed to help prevent that from happening. I am not anti-development but rather I am for slow, controlled growth within the scope of our comprehensive plan.
Take care and if you see me around town, please say hello.
Bruce Corley
Talbot County
Alan Boisvert says
If you “do not want it to change” it will die. The shore is dying thanks to people like you.
Shari Wilcoxon says
Obvious you didn’t read his entire letter. It’s people like you who vote uniformed.
And Talbot Integrity Group, once again, inserted themselves into a Republican election to misrepresent the truth about the other great candidates. And SHAME on David Montgomery and Lynn Meilke for not defending the other excellent Republican candidates when they KNEW TIP didn’t tell the truth about them.
Jerry McConnell says
More accurately, due to people like you.
Michael Pullen says
Here’s a question: if that’s what you believe, why didn’t you say it? Just seems to me that’s what real leaders do, explain themselves before an election so voters are informed and cast their vote accordingly.
Are we to feel sorry for your poor decision to keep important views on development a secret? Are we to blame a group of concerned citizen- volunteers who offered you an opportunity to tell voters who you are?
County-wide development falls directly in the purview of the Country Council. Faith is an individual choice, not up to any government to control, regulate or promote. The County Council derives all its power from the State. It’s authority is circumscribed by State law. “Freedom” is a meaningless catch-phrase as a plank for election to the County Council.
Family decisions are intensely personal, not for the County Council to consider or decide. Face up to the facts, you deliberately withheld critical information from voters, hoping to get through the primary, then after losing you now blame citizen-volunteers who gave you a golden opportunity to get your message out.
And you say you’re not a politician?
Bruce Corley says
Mr. Pullen,
Thank you for your time and response.
I am not looking for sympathy.
I did convey my positions on varying political views to those interested enough to ask me directly, to those who emailed me, to those whose doors I knocked on and to those who went to venues at which I spoke at or made myself available. I did not ask the group of “concerned citizens” aka Talbot Integrity Project to do my work for me nor do I believe that the voters of Talbot County should rely on special interest groups to educate them on who to elect to critical political positions.
I am not looking to get into a Talbot Spy comment section debate with you, but if you would like to meet over a cup of coffee someday, I am sure we would both benefit from the cordial interaction.
Take care,
Bruce
Michael Pullen says
Thank you. Let’s do it, I’ll be in touch, am in quarantine now getting better from a bout of Covid. Later next week will probably work for me.
Bruce Corley says
Mr. Pullen,
That will work for me as well. Best wishes for a speedy recovery and I am looking forward to meeting with you.
Take care,
Bruce
Richard Marks says
Interesting, Mr. Corley. I did send you an email on behalf of Talbot Thrive. I also asked you directly. In both cases you chose not to respond to a questionnaire. Yes, it is true you did agree initially to respond if you won the primary, but then you subsequently said you would not respond at all and actually accused me of “shaming” you. In fact, you seemed very angry when we spoke. Not necessarily with me. Just angry in general. In my 46 years as a Talbot County resident who has interacted with innumerable town and county representatives, I have never felt that before and was quite surprised. Mostly, however, I was disappointed since we were/are looking for input from all the candidates on public safety issues that affect our community. Even if you are not on the Talbot County Council your input matters as does your safety when walking, running or cycling. That is why we created Talbot Thrive which, by the way, is not a special interest group.
Jean Krocheski says
Bruce, I’m disappointed you did not win a seat to be on the November ballot for Talbot County Council. I believe you would have made a positive impact on our community. Seems politics at the county level isn’t much better than at the national level. I hope you will still have a voice in our community and elected officials take advantage of your input.
Bruce Corley says
Thank you for your support Jean!