The Grinch Sneaks Policy Down the Chimney or why the late-stage petition to amend Bill 1622 undermines public trust.
Just when Talbot County thought it was safe to hang the stockings and have a feast, a familiar green shadow crept down the civic chimney. With a sly grin, a bulging sack, and procedural mischief on its mind, the Grinches of Bill 1622 arrive at the eleventh hour with a last-minute petition designed to rewrite the rules in the dark. They must think Talbot County voters are like Cindy Lou Who—small, quiet, and unlikely to notice the noise on the roof.
In Whoville, that kind of misbehavior came from a heart “two sizes too small.” In Talbot County, it appears to come from a belief that the public process is optional—so long as you sneak fast enough and keep the lights low.
After nearly a year of hearings, public testimony, and Planning Commission review, proponents suddenly decided that now—now, at the very edge of a Council vote, was the perfect moment to slip an entirely new zoning restriction under the tree. The wrapping paper was already on. The bows were tied. And yet here comes Mount Crumpit’s finest, dragging a brand-new policy surprise down the chimney.
This isn’t transparency. It’s a smash-and-grab in tinsel.
There is a hard legal reality that no amount of holiday misdirection can disguise: only the version of Bill 1622 that was originally introduced and fully reviewed is eligible for a lawful vote. Any amendment now would require sending the bill back to the Planning Commission—an action Council leadership has already acknowledged would cause the legislation to expire.
And the substance of this Grinch-crafted petition fares no better than its timing. The proposed 2,000-foot separation rule for Town Residential zones is arbitrary, unsupported by data, and in many neighborhoods amounts to a near-total ban. It is zoning by guesswork, not governance.
If this is how policy is made, residents should brace themselves. If you aren’t watching closely, the next thing Grinchy Claus imposes will be a 2026 “Who Feast Roast Beast” tax increase—because after they test the process, they always test the wallet. Even Cindy Lou Who eventually figured that out.
First comes the process.
Then comes the policy.
Then they come for your pocketbook.
Might I remind you that bill 1622 is supposed to be for the public.
Bryan Trautman
Talbot County
Keith Alan Watts says
Down in Talbot’s dear Whoville, by river and tree,
The Whos gathered together as neighborly can be.
With lanterns and cocoa and scarves wrapped up tight,
They laughed and they listened deep into the night.
“Thank you, letter writer,” they called, “For your watchful, true care,
For standing for fairness and open, fresh air!
You reminded us all, with a firm but kind start,
That the strength of a County begins with its heart.”
“And we hope,” sang the Whos as the church bells all rang,
With the docks and the farms in their chorus all sang,
“That this bill finds its way to a gentle retreat,
That it tiptoes politely into softest defeat.
Let no late winter shuffle, no shadowy seam,
Unstitch what was promised in daylight and dream.
For a process in sunshine is how trust is won—
Not a race in the dark when the hard work’s been done.”
“But whatever comes next,” sang the Whos hand in hand,
“Whether up or down be the vote of the land,
Let’s set down any tempers, any spite and any sneers,
And make room at the table for peace and good cheers.
For the best of all lessons the season imparts:
Though bills can be beaten, the truest of genuine changes begins in good hearts.”