Triggered by well-known concerns with the Lakeside subdivision, the non-partisan Talbot Integrity Project is focused on land use matters in Talbot County–and on the upcoming County Council election. We do not believe voters want to elect new members from either party who support developers like Rocks Engineering and projects as outrageous as Lakeside, like Messrs. Callahan, Divilio and Pack do. Councilmen even unwilling to hear a citizens’ petition without a lawsuit compelling them to do so. Councilmen who seem to back almost every money-making idea that will hurry Talbot away from the vision in our Comp Plan of a rural community able to prosper and still retain our unique quality of life.
Fifteen candidates are running for Talbot County Council, yet only two incumbents—Pete Lesher and Chuck Callahan—have track records that can really inform voters’ decisions.
The rest, to most of us, are just names on yard signs. No idea. Never heard of them.
But it is dangerous for citizens, and for the future of Talbot County, if we have to cast votes in a state of ignorance. It’s easy to see how, with a small turnout, good candidates not connected to a support group might not make the cut over candidates allied with the county’s influential and well-established political machinery, or even randomly.
So here is what The Talbot integrity Project (“TIP”) has done about it. A few weeks ago, TIP set up an ad-hoc panel of five people to interview all fifteen candidates, focusing particularly, but not exclusively, on the issues most important to TIP supporters: the unique character of Talbot County; integrity in our land approval processes; and fidelity to the values in our Talbot Comprehensive Plan.
The panel consisted of Steve Harris of Trappe, Monica Otte of St. Michaels, Dirck Bartlett of Bloomfield, Kirke Harper of Claiborne, and Dan Watson who lives in Aveley. We are not allied as friends, but all of us have been involved in one sort of County land use issue or another. The panel included two D’s, two R’s and an “unaffiliated” voter–although not one of us believes that “Political Party” is at all meaningful as regards land use and the integrity of our processes, or most other local issues. (Both Republicans and Democrats—and don’t forget Independents!–are equally upset about Lakeside as a harbinger of Talbot’s future.)
Our panel invited each one of the fifteen candidates to have a roughly forty-five-minute conversation with us to talk about his or her candidacy. Nothing recorded, all informal, a general conversation with an emphasis obviously on “our issues.” We were prepared to do this over six evenings spanning two weeks…so plenty of slots were available. The obvious purpose was to learn enough to form our own opinions, for ourselves and to share with everyone in the community.
Here’s what happened: Ten candidates were happy to meet with us, and indeed, we had a series of very informative and revealing conversations. Forty-five minutes was pretty good—not like spending a weekend with someone, but enough time to get into key issues in depth, triangulate a bit, cover a lot more than just smart growth and the Comp Plan.
In addition to the interview, each of us has read up on what little is available about the candidates and expect to learn more from forums and interviews others might hold, from word of mouth and insights offered by others. Learning about candidates is not an event, it is a process.
What’s great about America is that it’s a free country, and five (5) candidates chose not to talk to us: Bruce Corley, Jimmy Jaramillo, Dave Stepp, Wade Strickland….and the County Council President, Mr. Callahan.
Stay posted: Next week we will be offering our recommendations on this critical Primary Election. We continue to review information we gleaned from the interviews, and are thinking about the best path forward for voters who share our opinion about Lakeside and retaining a rural Talbot County. We believe that’s a big majority, and that we should take back our County!
Finally, if you have any interest in helping The Talbot Integrity Project achieve its goals in this election—the important July 19th Primary and in the General Election three months later, please email [email protected]. Just a couple of hours a week will really make a difference!
The Talbot Integrity Project
Dirck Bartlett, R
Monica Otte, D
Steve Harris, R
Kirke Harper, D
Dan Watson, U
Margot McConnel says
Good for you all! I have been wondering how to possibly make an informed decision without some better understanding and now that should be possible.
Sarah Ramsey says
Thank you for working on this. I would like to know the candidates positions on important issues such as the Trappe development and the County’s Comprehensive Plan.
Gerry Early says
This is a much-needed initiative. Since we just received our mail-in ballots for the primary, there is little time to sort out the candidates–other than to know that anyone who declined to meet should be eliminated from consideration.
The list of names of who did and didn’t meet, and if appropriate who is recommended and who is not, should be published at the soonest possible time in The Star Democrat and Talbot Spy.
Suzanne Todd says
Thank you to this group for the time you’ve committed to finding out about the candidates and to share it with us, the voters.
Jane Bollman says
My vote will go to candidates who support our rural countryside and clean water. Earlier this year the County Council voted illegally to allow 125 Lakeside homes to be hooked up to the FAILING Trappe sewage system. President Chuck Callahan voted for the hook up; Pete Lesher voted against. If you feel as I do, keep this in mind when you vote on July 19.
J.T. Smith says
This strikes me as a very worthwhile effort by the Talbot Integrity Project. I eagerly await their resulting recommendations for a much needed “ refresh” of our County Council.
Joan wetmore says
Dan, that was a terrific idea. I’m eager to see what the five of you have to say next week.
Hugh (Jock) Beebe says
All residents of Talbot County have a gratefully-received debt of gratitude owed to you Dan and the others who have been recruited to do important work providing a basis for voters concerned about the future of where we live.
Thanks can be forcefully expressed at the polls.
Barbara Perry says
You might want to look at the Voters Guide organized by the League of Women Voters that came today in the Star Democrat. I have not yet read it, but all candidates are listed with any information that the League received from them. There might be some good responses there.
Barbara Denton says
I would respectfully say it is a little early to be endorsing candidates solely on one issue. Over and above that there is no mention as to why the candidates did not attend this forum. The forum would certainly have more weight after the primary so we can find out how the candidates feel about the Lakeside subdivision and the problem of waste water disposal for Trappe and the Comprehensive plan. I realize the Spy swings left. This article is worded to make the public think that 5 candidates support unbridled growth and new sub-divisions everywhere. No so.
Jane Hawkey says
Thank you TIP! I would like to know the candidates’ positions on short-term rentals. The regulations are in need of a review. I look forward to your recommendations.