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September 26, 2021

The Talbot Spy

The nonprofit e-newspaper for the Talbot County Community

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Md. Citizens Redistricting Panel Starts Second Round Of Public Hearings, Draws Draft Map

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The Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission kicked off its second round of public hearings Thursday night, and drew up their first complete draft congressional map.

Commission members reviewed several draft maps of individual congressional districts drawn up by their resident redistricting expert, Nathaniel Persily, for “illustrative, instructional and potential discussion” purposes at the meeting.

Those maps mostly deal with individual regions of the state and are available online, but aren’t meant to reflect the commission’s final plans. Commission members also drew up a draft congressional map and agreed on a few general principles such as not crossing the Chesapeake Bay and creating a western Maryland district that includes Carroll County.

In addition to those principles, the draft map combines the three southern Maryland counties with southern Prince George’s County; combines most of Anne Arundel County with Howard County; keeps Baltimore City whole by combining it with portions of northern Anne Arundel County; and includes part of northern Montgomery County in the western Maryland district.

The draft map, which would add a second Republican-leaning district in western Maryland, generally features fewer county splits than the state’s current congressional maps. Baltimore is currently split between three congressional districts, and in the draft it is entirely contained within one. Anne Arundel County is currently split between four congressional districts, and is split between two in the draft map. Baltimore County also sees less splits in the draft.

The commission is still conducting public hearings and accepting map submissions for the public, so the draft map is likely to change.

The individual congressional districts included in the draft congressional map may be viewed in the pdf below.

2021-0909-individual-district-maps-for-draft-cong-plan

 

Just two speakers from the public testified at last week’s hearing: Zulieka Baysmore, a Baltimore resident who was a candidate in the 2020 Republican mayoral primary, and Reuben Collins, the Democratic president of the Charles County Board of Commissioners.

Collins noted that Charles County was one of the fastest-growing counties in Maryland, according to U.S. Census data, and said commission members should “look at amplifying opportunities for minority representation” in his county.

Baysmore urged commission members to keep districts competitive in their proposed maps rather than “fully red or fully blue.”

The commission has received 10 map submissions from the public to date, Maryland Department of Planning Director of Public Affairs Kristin Fleckenstein said at the meeting. The commission’s next virtual public hearings are set for 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13, and Tuesday, Sept. 14.

The Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission was created via executive order by Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) and includes three Republicans, three Democrats and three unaffiliated voters. The commission is tasked with drawing up congressional and legislative maps that Hogan plans to submit to the General Assembly.

The General Assembly, where Democrats hold a veto-proof majority in both the House of Delegates and the Senate, will have the final say over proposed maps. The Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission announced Friday that it would hold its first public hearing at 6 p.m. Sept. 20 at Prince George’s Community College in Largo as part of its map-making process.

By Bennett Leckrone

It’s Map Drawing Time. Citizens Redistricting Commission Opens Public Submissions

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Marylanders can now submit their own proposals for redistricting to the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission, state officials announced Thursday.

The Maryland Department of Planning’s new submission portal allows users to map their proposals for congressional and state legislative districts, and includes instructions on how to draw districts.

Members of the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission will review maps that are received by noon on Sept. 24, according to the planning department. More submissions will be accepted when that panel begins its third round of hearings in October.

The map submission portal uses redistricting data which counts incarcerated Marylanders as residents of their last known address, as required by Maryland law, according to the release.

The nine-member commission — which includes three Democrats, three Republicans and three unaffiliated voters — is set to start a new round of public hearings on Sept. 9. That hearing will be virtual.

The commission worked with Stanford Law School professor Nathaniel Persily to hash out some rough criteria for maps on Wednesday. Although the commission won’t make its redistricting proposal for some time and will consider citizens’ proposals, members said they hope to have some early drafts ready for public comment by next week.

Commission members also mulled whether to keep the Eastern Shore whole or cross the Chesapeake Bay to create a district consisting of part of Southern Maryland and the Lower Shore. Commission Member Kimberly Rose Cummings (R), a Dorchester County resident, noted that some Lower Shore residents told panelists, during an initial round of public hearings, that they have more in common with Southern Maryland residents than with residents of north and central Maryland.

There is historical precedent for crossing the Chesapeake Bay in a congressional district, as the state’s 1st Congressional District once included portions of Southern Maryland as well as the entire Eastern Shore from the early 1970s to the early 1990s. The 1st District currently includes all of Maryland’s Eastern Shore and portions of Baltimore, Harford and Carroll countries.

Commission Co-chair Alexander Williams Jr. (D), a Prince George’s County resident and retired federal judge, said that rapidly developing Charles County has more in common with parts of Prince George’s County than with other parts of Southern Maryland. Commission members chose to leave both options on the table for public comment and map submissions.

As for drawing a district in Western Maryland, commission Co-chair Walter Olson (R) said the panel should look to include Carroll County with Frederick, Garrett and Allegany counties. Olson and Williams served on an emergency commission to redraw the state’s 6th Congressional District before the Supreme Court reversed a 2018 order to redraw the district. Olson said that, during the emergency commission’s run, Carroll County residents “overwhelmingly” asked to be included in a Western Maryland district.

Whether the Western Maryland district would draw from portions of northern Montgomery or Howard counties remains an open question for commission members.

None of the commission’s initial criteria are set in stone, rather they are meant to be a baseline for public comment during upcoming public hearings.

Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) created the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission via executive order to draw congressional and legislative maps that he will propose to the General Assembly. Democrats hold a veto-proof majority in both the House of Delegates and the Senate, and lawmakers will have the final say over the state’s next set of maps.

Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) and House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) created their own bipartisan redistricting commission, the Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission, to draw congressional and legislative maps. The legislative commission held its first meeting this week and is set to kick off a statewide round of public hearings on Sept. 20 with a hearing focused on Prince George’s County.

By Bennett Leckrone

Inn Owner Khalil Named to St. Michaels Commission

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The Commissioners of St. Michaels have appointed Aida Khalil to fill the remainder of the term vacated by former Commissioner Jaime Windon who resigned earlier this month. Khalil was sworn in and seated at the start of the commissioners’ Wednesday night meeting.

Khalil has a lifelong history of serving others, including humanitarian missions overseas to aid refugees from the war in Syria. As the owner/operator of Aida’s Victoriana Inn, she has been a successful businesswoman and a booster of civic causes in St. Michaels for the past 16 years.

She currently serves as secretary of the St. Michaels Business Association and previously served on the St. Michaels Planning Commission and the Town of St. Michaels Tourism Board.

Commission President Michael Bibb said he and the other commissioners look forward to working with Khalil as the town adjusts to a post-pandemic economy.

“Her expertise as a businesswoman and her enthusiasm for giving back to the community are a real asset,” Bibb says. “We hope the residents of St. Michaels will welcome her and support her efforts on our behalf. We are lucky to have people of her caliber willing to step forward.”

Khalil’s term will expire in June 2022.

Windon Resigns as St. Michaels Commissioner

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St. Michaels Town Commissioner Jaime Windon has resigned her post effective immediately.

In a statement sent Monday to the interim town manager, Windon wrote:

“For the last seven years I have enjoyed serving the town of Saint Michaels. It is both a privilege and an honor to be a commissioner, and it is a role that I strived to fulfill to the best of my ability with dedication and integrity. However, recent events, conflicts and controversies prove to be a continual challenge to my ability to maintain excellence in governance and create positive change through my position.

“It is not without regret that I have come to the decision that I can no longer serve as part of this commission, and am therefore resigning, effective immediately.

“Thank you to our dedicated public servants: the police department, public works, the office staff and all those who volunteer their time on the many boards and committees, your efforts make this town a wonderful place to live and it has been a pleasure working alongside each of you.

“Best wishes to those that are entrusted with guiding and governing our town. I look forward to finding new ways to serve Saint Michaels in the future.”

Windon’s term expires in 2022.

Residents Raise Funds for Return of K-9 Max, Leading to Questions About Why St. Michaels Police Dog was Retired

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Although he retired June 30, the issue of St. Michaels Police Department K-9 Max is on the agenda for tonight’s town meeting after residents collected donations to fund his continued service and questions were raised about why the dog was retired.

Max retired June 30 — the end of the town’s fiscal year — and was going spend his retirement with his handler, Cpl. Jason Adams, and his family.

In a July 1 Facebook post, the police department said Max had conducted more than 240 narcotics scans, leading to more than 120 arrests, since joining the force in March 2015. Many of those scans and arrests occurred while assisting other law enforcement agencies in Talbot County.

During public comments before a July 7 closed session, Paulette Florio said funds had been donated to pay for Max to return to service as a police dog.

“I just have some good news that I wanted to present to the commission,” Florio said. “And it has to do with the retired canine officer. Apparently it was a budget cut from what I understood from my investigation of the matter.

“And the town came together and we have a group of citizens who want the dog back and have the money to bring him back in full,” she said. “So we just don’t know where to send the money.

“So congratulations, you still have a canine officer to do his job. And he’s apparently good for another three years in canine officer world,” Florio said. (According to the National Police Dog Foundation, police dogs normally retire “around 10 years of age,” depending on health.)

“So where can we send the money? And how do we get him back?” Florio asked July 7.

Commission President Michael Bibb said the commissioners would have to discuss the proposal, but said “(t)he dog was not retired due to budget cuts.”

Bibb’s comment prompted St. Michaels Police Chief Anthony Smith to respond, with Smith saying Florio likely got some of her information from him “because I was led to believe that to some degree.”

The chief said Bibb, in fact, had been the one to tell him that Max would be retired and that one reason for the dog’s retirement “was because it was part of an agreement with the salary increase that we were going to get as police officers.

“So once I learned that information, to me, it became a budget issue,” he said. “And that’s what you informed me in my office about two weeks ago.

“So to me, if if it’s getting around that it’s a budget issue, that’s the impression that I got when you when you informed me that one of the reasons why we got a pay raise or (were) going to get a pay raise, (was) because Max is going to be retired,” Smith said.

The chief said he was opposed to retiring the K-9, but it was ultimately the decision of the town commissioners.

“We had a discussion in several of the meetings and I voiced my opinion that I wanted to keep the canine,” he said. “I think at one meeting, Commissioner DuPont … asked me what my thoughts was on Officer Max and I said he’s a good deterrent. And absolutely he is a deterrent.”

“Now, if the commissioners as a body want to get rid of the canine, that’s fine,” Smith said. “But certainly there should be a process where it should have went through the chief … because I was dead set against it from the very beginning.”

Commissioner David Breimhurst thanked the chief for his comments and the private citizens for offering the funds and asked that the issue be added to the agenda for the July 14 meeting.

Smith said a decision would need to be made soon because Max is required to have a certain amount of training each year.

“I know that’s an issue. I know it’s expensive. And I know that’s an issue with part of wanting to retire him but he’s got to get back and train, he said. “He can’t miss too much training. So thank you very much if you’re going to give us some consideration, but we do not want to go too much past July 14.”

Resident asks four commissioners to resign

Town resident John Garland, speaking before the July 7 closed session, asked for the immediate resignations of Commissioners Bibb, Breimhurst, DuPont, and Harrod.

“Last year, commissioners Bibb, DuPont, Breimhurst, and Harrod, who were collectively supported by St. Michaels Action Committee, known as SMAC, campaigned against two commissioners running for reelection by making unfounded claims,” Garland said. “They defeated those two commissioners by peddling lies and fear.

“Now it seems these same four commissioners did not follow Maryland’s open meeting laws in order to fire long term town manager,” he said. “Regardless of the closed meeting topic, the simple fact that four of our five commissioners sought to disregard open meetings laws is by far their worst behavior to date, in my opinion, and stands in direct irony to their campaign promises.

Garland did not specify how the commissioners may have violated the Maryland Open Meetings Act in connection with the June 24 closed session in which they voted 4-1 to dismiss longtime Town Manager Jean Weisman.

“Accountability is a two-way street,” Garland said July 7. “These four commissioners have broken their trust obligation with residents. And this doesn’t even include their other behaviors such as micromanaging town staff, effectively grinding down operations to a crawl and engaging in day-to-day town management activities which is not a function of their role as commissioners.

“As a town resident, I formally request the immediate resignations of Commissioners Bibb, DuPont, Breimhurst, and Harrod for legal negligence, dereliction of duty, and loss of public trust. I also request the proper process be followed to fill their seats.”

Following the public comments, the town commissioners voted 4-1 to go into closed session July 7 to discuss personnel matters. Commission Vice President Jaime Windon voted against the closed session, saying, “I’m not comfortable without a town attorney here today and I requested that.”

July 9 closed session discussed temporary town manager

The commissioners held a second closed session last week on Friday, July 9, and noted there would be no public comment before that closed session.

Bibb, Breimhurst, and DuPont voted July 9 in favor of a closed session for personnel matters. According to an audio recording of that vote, Windon apparently was attending remotely and her vote on closing the meeting could not be heard by her fellow commissioners and town staff. Harrod apparently was absent.

The written closing statement for the July 9 meeting identifies the reason for the closed session as “temporary town manager” and indicates that four commissioners voted to close the session (it appears the number 3 has been written over as the number 4) and one commissioner was absent.

SM070921closingstatement

The written closing statement for the July 7 meeting identifies the reason for the closed session as “temporary employment and attorney retainment.”

SM070721closingstatement

The town commissioners meet at 6 p.m. tonight for a regular monthly work session. The public may attend using Zoom.

To join the meeting by computer or smart phone, click this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3264261778. The meeting ID is 326 426 1778. To join by phone with audio only, call 1-301-715-8592 and enter meeting ID 326 426 1778.

General Assembly Leaders Announce Legislative Redistricting Commission

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The Maryland General Assembly has launched its own commission to draw new congressional and legislative district maps.

Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) and House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) announced the Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission and its members in a Thursday press release.

The bipartisan commission will be chaired by Karl Aro, the former executive director of the non-partisan Department of Legislative Services. Ferguson and Jones will also sit on the commission, alongside four other lawmakers:

  • Senate President Pro Tempore Melony Griffith (D-Prince George’s County);
  • House Majority Leader Eric Luedtke (D-Montgomery County);
  • Senate Minority Leader Bryan W. Simonaire (R-Anne Arundel County); and
  • House Minority Leader Jason Buckel (R-Allegany County).

Commission members will “focus on developing new map configurations to best account for Maryland’s seven percent population growth,” according to the release.

Jones and Ferguson pledged a bipartisan and transparent redistricting process in Thursday’s release. The commission will hold 10 in-person town hall meetings across the state and two virtual meetings beginning in August. Those meetings will be live-streamed, according to the release.

Jones said in the release that the commission’s goal will be to “ensure that Maryland’s representation reflects its citizens.”

“The General Assembly will pass fair maps based on the robust public engagement and feedback of this Commission,” Jones said.

Ferguson said public input will be a virtual part of the commission’s work.

“We believe it is critical to hear from those we represent, and the Legislative Redistricting Advisory Commission serves as the General Assembly’s vehicle to hear from Marylanders across the State in a bipartisan and transparent manner before proposing maps for the Legislature to consider,” Ferguson said in a written statement. “The Commission is an essential step in the redistricting process to ensure fair representation for Maryland’s democracy.”

The commission’s formation comes as the multi-partisan Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission — formed by Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan (R) earlier this year to draw up maps he will propose to the General Assembly — is already conducting a round of public hearings ahead of the release of Census redistricting data.

That nine-member commission, made up of three Republicans, three Democrats and three non-affiliated voters, has held hearings for the Baltimore City and Harford and Anne Arundel Counties, the Eastern Shore and the western, northern and southern regions of the state. During those hearings, residents have repeatedly urged commission members to keep communities whole in proposed maps.

“Governor Hogan has handed over his power to a citizens advisory commission to ensure it’s the people of Maryland who are drawing the maps — not politicians or party bosses in back rooms. The citizens commission has already held several public meetings across the state, gaining direct input from Marylanders,” Hogan spokesman Michael Ricci said Thursday evening.

Former Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman (R) and former state Sen. James Brochin (D-Baltimore County) – who recently formed the group Fair Maps Maryland alongside former Hogan communications strategist Doug Mayer to urge the General Assembly to adopt maps from the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission, criticized the formation of the legislative commission in a Thursday statement.

“This is real simple – politicians shouldn’t be drawing their own districts and picking their own voters, and unfortunately this new commission does exactly that,” the pair said.

Joanne Antoine, the executive director of the fair elections group Common Cause Maryland, said she would’ve liked to see members of the public on the legislative commission, but added that she was encouraged by the General Assembly’s move to hold public hearings.

“I think this is a great opportunity for Marylanders to not only provide input on their communities, but more importantly highlight how the General Assembly has failed them to some extent,” Antoine said.

Antoine had hosted a virtual Tame the Gerrymander event to promote public participation in the redistricting process just before the legislative commission was announced. Tame the Gerrymander — a coalition of advocacy organizations pushing for fair maps in Maryland — is currently mounting a campaign to get the public involved in the process.

At that event, advocates stressed that public input will be key in the state’s redistricting process, and urged Marylanders to participate. Fred McBride, a redistricting and voting rights policy specialist for the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, encouraged residents to use free mapping tools like Districr to draw up their own maps and come up with concrete suggestions.

“It’s no longer something we have to sit back and watch and wait for,” McBride said, “It’s something we should be participating in.”

Antoine said in an interview that the dueling commissions may confuse residents, and said she thinks the work of both commissions will be important in the coming months.

“Ultimately the decision is in the hands of the lawmakers,” Antoine said. “The work of the (Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission) is important, and the feedback they’re collecting is just as important too, but I think the members of the General Assembly need to hear from the public.”

The maps the Citizens Redistricting Commission draws up and Hogan proposes will ultimately be subject to approval from the General Assembly, where Democrats hold a veto-proof majority in both the House of Delegates and the Senate.

Exactly what the maps drawn up by either commission will look like remains to be seen, although Hogan laid out several requirements for maps in his executive order creating the commission, including incorporating single-member districts into their proposed maps to the extent possible.

By Bennett Leckrone

Nonprofit Group Formed to Endorse Md. Redistricting Commission Maps

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A bipartisan pair of former lawmakers that lost narrow elections in 2018 have formed a nonprofit group to pressure the General Assembly to accept new legislative and congressional district maps being drafted by a commission created by Republican Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr.

Fair Maps Maryland is the brainchild of former Hogan communications strategist Doug Mayer, former Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman (R) and former state Sen. James Brochin (D-Baltimore County). The group will push lawmakers to adopt the maps that will eventually be drawn up by the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission.

The commission, a nine-member, multi-partisan panel created by executive order to draw up congressional and legislative maps that Hogan will propose to the General Assembly, is currently conducting public hearings ahead of the release of Census redistricting data later this summer.

The commission is still months away from drawing up maps, but Fair Maps Maryland launched Thursday to support the commission’s work. The group aims to abolish “politically motivated gerrymandering” and push for the full implementation of the commission’s “nonpartisan redistricting plan,” according to a press release.

Mayer will serve as the group’s spokesman, and Kittleman and Brochin will serve as its first two board members. All three men have ties to Hogan: Brochin endorsed the governor in 2018, arguing that challenger Ben Jealous (D) was moving the Democratic party too far to the left; Hogan appointed Kittleman to the Maryland Workers Compensation Commission after he was ousted as county executive by Calvin B. Ball III (D); and Mayer worked in the Hogan administration for years.

And although Mayer departed the Hogan administration in 2018, he has continued to work as a political strategist. He most recently headed up Marylanders for Tax Fairness, a group that opposed the new digital advertising tax and advocated against overriding a Hogan veto of that bill.

The Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission is currently undertaking a round of regional public hearings before untabulated Census redistricting data is released in August. Although the commission’s maps are months away from being drawn, Mayer said he was confident any maps the commission submits will be an improvement over the state’s current configuration.

“An overstimulated toddler could draw fairer maps on the back of a cocktail napkin,” Mayer said.

The group’s Thursday launch was accompanied by a 60-second advertisement entitled “Pop Quiz” that takes aim at Maryland’s 3rd Congressional District, comparing the district’s odd shape to a fighting crab and a broken-winged pterodactyl, borrowing a phrase from a federal judge.

A website for the group also highlights the 3rd Congressional District as “a prime example of gerrymandering and the absurdities it creates.”

The Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission is Hogan’s latest bid to reform the state’s redistricting process. His previous attempts to do so through legislation have been rebuffed by the General Assembly, where Democrats hold a veto-proof majority in both the House of Delegates and Senate. Any maps that Hogan eventually proposes can ultimately be redrawn by the General Assembly.

Hogan’s executive order creating the commission laid out a slew of requirements for proposed districts. The commission’s districts must “respect natural boundaries” and, to the extent practical, keep communities whole. The districts must also be compact and comply with state, federal, judicial and constitutional requirements.

Hogan’s order further bars the commission from taking into account where incumbents and potential candidates live and the political affiliation of residents.

The executive order also requires, to the extent practicable, that the commission draw single-member districts for the House of Delegates.

Maryland is one of only a few states that currently uses both single and multi-member legislative districts — a practice that some residents have opposed during the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission’s first round of public hearings.

The commission has conducted public hearings for the northern, southern and western regions of the state, as well as the Eastern Shore since the beginning of June. Residents who have testified at those public hearings have overwhelmingly urged commission members to keep communities whole in their proposed maps, with single-member legislative districts also being a common request.

Other residents have urged the commission to be flexible and consider using both single multi-member districts.

Some have criticized Hogan’s requirements for what the commission can and cannot consider: At the commission’s public hearing for the northern Maryland region, Maryland Legislative Coalition co-leader Edward Johnson said panelists should “think outside the box”  in drawing up proposed maps and consider inviting the General Assembly to participate in the process.

“Unless you invite all stakeholders to participate and give their opinions during meetings of the commission, you are Hogan’s commission and not a bipartisan citizens commission, which should be your intention,” Johnson said.

Information about how Fair Maps Maryland is funded, and exactly how much cash the organization has, was not readily available. Mayer said the group will register as a grassroots lobbying organization in November, at which point more specific funding information will be available. He added that the organization currently has at least “six figures” in financial commitments from Marylanders.

“We’re very confident that we’ll be able to have the resources necessary to make sure Marylanders understand what’s going on with redistricting in Maryland, and why it’s important,” Mayer said.

The nonprofit group RepresentUs found that Maryland and dozens of other states are under “extreme” risk for gerrymandering in a report earlier this year. The Thursday release from Fair Maps Maryland charged that Maryland “is widely regarded as one of the worst offenders in the nation” when it comes to partisan redistricting.

Maryland’s 2012 congressional district map faced multiple court challenges and was addressed by the U.S. Supreme Court three times, ultimately cementing the justices’ stance that it is not the judiciary’s place to settle disputes over partisan gerrymandering in Maryland or other states.

“Gerrymandering not only attempts to silence political opponents, but it also discourages progress and innovation by preventing the free exchange of ideas and deepening political divisions,” Brochin said in the release. “I look forward to being part of Fair Maps Maryland and working hard so that every Marylander, in every corner of our state, can enjoy their right to free and fair elections.”

The group is also pushing for a transparent map-drawing process,  that mapmaking was largely done behind closed doors a decade ago.

“Ensuring fair electoral maps for Marylanders isn’t just about good government and serving the public in the present moment — it’s also about safeguarding our democratic processes for the future,” Kittleman said in a statement. “Over time, gerrymandering has eroded voting rights on both sides of the aisle, across our country. As Marylanders, and as Americans, we must stand up for what is right and set an example for the rest of the nation.”

The map-making process is expected to reach fever pitch in late September, when final U.S. Census bureau figures are released. The release of Census data was delayed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mayer said Fair Maps Maryland’s board will likely expand, and the group hopes to partner with “like-minded organizations” to raise awareness about the redistricting process.

By Bennett Leckrone

Redistricting Commission Urged To Adopt Single-Member Delegate Districts At First Public Hearing

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Eastern Shore residents urged the Maryland Citizens Redistricting Commission to adopt single-member legislative districts at a virtual hearing Wednesday evening, with some charging that the state’s current hybrid model is unfair for voters.

The executive order from Gov Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R) that created the commission requires that, to the extent practicable, commissioners include single-member delegate districts in the proposed maps. The state’s current House of Delegates districts vary between single-member and multi-member districts, a system that some Eastern Shore residents oppose.

Bill Satterfield, a Wicomico County resident, urged members of the commission to adopt single-member districts. He said the state’s current system means that some voters have greater power in the legislature compared to others.

“Everybody should have one vote for one person,” Satterfield said.

Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-Lower Shore) likewise urged members of the commission to move toward single-member districts. Carozza herself was elected in a single member House district, District 38C in Wicomico County, before being elected to the Senate.

“I can speak to the effectiveness of serving my constituents in that capacity,” Carozza said.

Muir Boda, a Salisbury City Council member, said multi-member districts often confuse residents over who to contact on legislative issues.

Carozza also urged commissioners to keep the Eastern Shore whole in the redistricting process. The entire region is currently included in Maryland’s 1st Congressional District, which is home to the lone Republican member of Maryland’s congressional delegation, Rep. Andrew P. Harris.

Boda urged commissioners to create “contiguous” districts that keep communities together. He noted the vast difference between Ocean City on the Lower Shore and Taneytown in Carroll County, and said the commission may want to consider creating a district that would include parts of Southern Maryland along with the Eastern Shore.

Community outreach was another prominent topic at the meeting, with some residents urging commission members to better publicize future rounds of public hearings. Demba Ndiaye said he received notice of the meeting just days before it was going to take place.

“This commission, at this time, needs to focus more on outreach and communication to get more people involved in this process,” Ndiaye said.

Moonyene Jackson-Amis, a Talbot County resident, urged the commission to do more intensive outreach to communities on the topic of single-member and multi-member districts. She said each community will be impacted differently by how districts are drawn.

“I don’t know really what the impact would actually be for the population that I’m most concerned about,” Jackson-Amis said. “We need more representation from the African American community.”

Kathleen Hetherington (I), the president of Howard Community College and one of the commission’s co-chairs, said Wednesday that more public hearings will take place as the commission draws up maps.

The multi-partisan commission is tasked with drawing up congressional and state legislative maps for Hogan to submit to the General Assembly, and is currently holding a round of public hearings before the release of 2020 Census redistricting data. The maps that Hogan submits will ultimately be subject to approval and revision by the General Assembly.

By Bennett Leckrone

Spy Interviews: St. Michaels Candidates for Town Commissioner

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St. Michaels voters will go to the polls Monday to choose four town commissioners. Eight candidates are seeking the four seats. Th0se candidates are Michael E. Bibb, William E. Boos, David H. Breimhurst, T. Coleman “Tad” duPont, Dennis F. Glackin, Joyce D. Harrod, William C. Harvey II, and Jefferson C. Knapp. The top three vote-getters will serve four-year terms and the fourth-place finisher will serve a two-year term.

The election is scheduled for 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, July 13, at the town office at 300 Mill St.

A virtual candidate forum, moderated by the League of Women Voters, was held on Tuesday, July 7.  View video of the forum by clicking HERE or HERE; listen to an audio recording by clicking HERE.

The Spy recently spoke with five candidates; all eight were invited to participate in an interview. Biographical information and the interviews are presented below in alphabetical order:

Michael E. Bibb bio:

Born and raised in Maryland I moved to the Eastern Shore in 2006. A job brought me to St. Michaels where I came to know and love the community. I met my wife here and we were married in St. Luke’s Church. We were able to buy and rehab our forever home here in 2011.

My current job as a Program Administrator/Quality Assurance Inspector for the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development primarily keeps me on the Western Shore but we always said “If you love where you live it makes the commute bearable.”

During my term as Commissioner of the Town of St. Michaels I have accomplished many personal goals that
have translated into advanced knowledge, skills and networking that impact my quest for positive change for
the future of St. Michaels.

• Commissioner of St. Michaels 2016 – 2020
• St. Michaels Commission Vice President 2017-2020
• President Eastern Shore Association of Municipalities 2020
• Vice President, District 2, Maryland Municipal League 2020
• Board Member, Executive Board, Maryland Municipal League 2019 – Present
• Academy for Excellence in Local Governance Certificate 2017
• Graduate of Eastern Shore Leadership 2019
• Community Emergency Response Team Certification, Talbot County 2018
• Member of the Board for Risk Management Legit Insurance 2019 – Present
• Commissioner, Maryland Climate Change Commission 2018 – Present
• Member of the Board Bay Hundred Senior Center 2019 – Present
• St. Michaels Police Department Citizens Academy 2019

William E. Boos Bio:

Bill was born and raised in Lockport, a small town in Upstate NY, near Buffalo. After High School, he studied Engineering and found himself in the retail business with companies such as Tandy Corp. After 10 years, he left Tandy as the manager of its computer division and struck out on his own.

He owned and operated driving ranges and Golf courses in several states and after selling them to a large company from NY, he became involved with Wayne Huizenga, the founder of Waste Management. Huizenga was in the process of acquiring a small company in Texas that seemed to have some promise.

They joined forces and over the course of the next few years, he and others built Blockbuster Video into a retail chain of thousands of stores that changed the retail landscape.

He lived in Northern VA for many years and ran a 2,500 home community that embodied many of the same issues and challenges of St. Michaels, which makes him uniquely qualified to serve as Commissioner.

When he and his wife Patty decided to get smaller and retire (sort of) they chose St. Michaels as the place to finish. He was elected Commissioner 4 years ago and has dedicated most of his time to that effort. Bill will tell you that he has been involved in and responsible for many positive things over the past 4 years, but there is more to do. He is running for a second term as Commissioner and wants to keep moving St. Michaels Forward.

David H. Breimhurst bio:

My wife Sara and I had been frequent visitors to St. Michaels on our sailboat for decades before
dropping anchor here permanently in 2016.

I retired in 2015 after 30 years as an Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter for the leading newscast in Philadelphia. I helped uncover corruption at the municipal and state levels, including a series of frauds that sent the most prominent Pennsylvania State Senator to jail for five years. I also uncovered a scheme in the Philadelphia Register of Wills office to defraud families of the property of deceased relatives. In addition, my investigations have revealed fraudulent medical practices that have put unscrupulous doctors out of business, sparing hundreds of patients unnecessary pain and suffering.

My television career has also taken me around the world, covering major stories and reporting from two war zones. I was on the ground in Tel Aviv during the Gulf War in 1991 when Iraq was bombing Israel. I also reported from Kuwait City during the Iraq War in 2003, lucky to leave just before my hotel was bombed. I reported live for a week from ground zero after the 9/11 attacks on New York. And I also covered numerous natural disasters from hurricanes to the San Francisco earthquake.

I grew up in Wayne, PA and graduated from Radnor High School and Temple University. I am now a member of the Radnor High School hall of fame, the Klein College of Media and Communications hall of fame at Temple University, and the Philadelphia Broadcast Pioneers hall of fame.

I look forward to applying my extensive experience in reporting on government affairs to serving St. Michaels with transparency, accountability and fiscal responsibility.

T. Coleman “Tad” duPont Bio:

I have been a part of the St. Michaels community for the last forty five years. First as a self employed contractor, then as owner operator of Higgins Yacht Yard, the Two Swan Inn, the St. Michaels Milling Company, and now on the Board of the Classic Motor Museum.

T. Coleman “Tad” duPont

While at Higgins, I was involved in the restoration of four of the active racing Log Canoes and a Cal-40 who represented the Eastern Shore in numerous offshore sailing events. The St. Michaels Milling project has focused around the adaptive use of the only existing industrial complex in town, which houses years of local history.

I have served on the Historic District Commission for a number of years believing our historic building and heritage is vital to our identity and who we are as a community.

I also served as a commissioner for three and half years two of them as town treasurer participating in the Miles Point development settlement, the Riverwoods housing project, public restrooms on Mill Street, the YMCA location, and the removal of the power lines in Muskrat Park, to name a few.

My wife Cathy and I live at 203 Locust Street in a house we moved from Easton circa 1750 in 2004. I have three children, two step daughters, two grandchildren and five step grandchildren.

I have a Bachelors Degree from Nichols College majoring in Marketing and a Masters Degree from American University majoring in economics.

With my history and working knowledge of our community, I feel I have an advantage in being able to help us through these unusual and troubling times and will operate with total transparency.

Dennis F. Glackin Bio:

My name is Dennis Glackin, and I am a candidate to continue as a Commissioner for the Town of St. Michaels. My wife Joyce and I bought our house on N. Harbor Road in 2008 due to our love of sailing and the character of the Town. We retired here in 2016.

I was appointed to the St. Michaels Planning Commission in 2017 and was elected Chairman in 2018. As Chairman, I led the effort to revise our dated zoning ordinance, which is slated for adoption this summer.

I served on the Ad Hoc Committee to make recommendations on the police and municipal buildings.

In May 2019 I was appointed to the Board of Commissioners.

My professional career was as a City Planner and I held the following positions:

  • Director of Planning for Lower Merion Township (PA).
  • Partner in an Architectural, Planning, and Engineering Company in Philadelphia.
  • Founder and President of a Land Planning and Landscape Architecture firm, GTP Inc.

I hold a professional certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners. My bachelor’s degree is from Villanova University in Political Science, and I possess a Master of Regional Planning degree from the Maxwell School at Syracuse University.

For the past few years I have tried to represent the best interests of St. Michaels’ residents and businesses using my experience in municipal government and planning. It would be a privilege to continue as a Commissioner and to make St. Michaels the best it can be.

Joyce D. Harrod bio:

Joyce Harrod serves as a Commissioner, Town of St. Michaels, Maryland. She is the first female African-American elected to the municipal government and has served two four-year terms. Now serves as the treasurer and also served as vice president.

Joyce Harrod

Born and nurtured in the great Prince George’s County, Maryland, where she also received her education, which prepared her for the workforce. Soon after graduation from high school, June 1966, Joyce’s career started as a civil servant for 38 years in various learning capacities.

The latter part of her career, positioned her as an executive correspondence management specialist, which further enhanced her writing and editing skills. She received several awards for her dedication and commitment.

Always continuing her learning experiences, a special accomplishment was the 2013 graduation for Fellows from the Academy for Excellence in Local Government. The ceremony took place at the Memorial Chapel, University of Maryland College Park campus.

December 2008, Joyce and Lawrence (husband) transitioned from the beautiful Western Shore Maryland (Baltimore County) to the beautiful Eastern Shore Maryland (Talbot County) where a new season of her life started.

Very soon became involved in many community events throughout Talbot County. A special highlight was giving the opening prayer for the Mayor, Easton, Maryland, prayer breakfast, October 2014. Furthermore, becoming a member and Lay Servant of Union United Methodist Church, St. Michaels.

Joyce believes that the town leadership should care about the well-being of all people, and that the quintessence to a thriving township is the vision — teaching, job opportunities, unity, respect, and also economic advancement.

Leadership can enrich the soil or rot the soil in any environment — PEOPLE, PEOPLE, and PEOPLE. It has been a pleasing and quite challenging journey — to retire briefly; relocate to a small, rural, and charming Chesapeake Country town along the Miles River; and chosen to serve with high expectations — you never know!

Joyce’s words of inspiration are never stop learning — keep learning from the cradle to the grave!

William C. Harvey II bio:

Community Service

  • Town of St. Michaels’ Board of Zoning Appeals, Chair (2017-Present) & Member (2015-Present)
  • Fairfax County Board of Equalization of Real Estate Assessments, Member (2005-2013)
  • Great Falls Citizens Association, Director (2011-2015)
  • Great Falls Lacrosse Association, Director (2002-Present) & Past Commissioner (2004-2005)
  • Potomac Chapter of US Lacrosse, Director (2005-Present)
  • Washington Area Lacrosse Officials Association, President (2007-2008), Chief Operating Officer (2015-2019) & Member (2006-Present)

Professional

  • President of William C. Harvey & Associates, Inc., an appraisal, brokerage and consulting firm
    serving the mid-Atlantic region (1986-Present)
  • Licensed to practice in the DC, MD, NC, PA, VA & WV
  • Awarded MAI designation from the Appraisal Institute (1986)
  • Awarded CCIM designation from the CCIM Institute (1997)
  • Awarded AQB-Certified USPAP Instructor designation from the Appraisal Foundation (2003)
  • Listed in Best Lawyers Preferred as recognized expert in multiple categories
  • Testified in over 150 cases in local, state and federal courts in DC, MD, NJ, NY, VA & WV
  • Served as a court-appointed expert witness for the U.S. Court of Federal Claims
  • Testified before the U.S. Congress on behalf of the Appraisal Institute
  • Previously employed at Legg Mason and Trustbank FSB

Personal

  • Resides at 348 Perry Cabin Dr., St. Michaels, MD
  • Born Baltimore, MD
  • Attended Calvert Hall High School, Wesley College and University of Maryland
  • Married to Constance L. Campanella and father of Caroline C. Harvey, William C. Harvey, III and
    Joseph C. Harvey
  • Active high school and collegiate lacrosse official and enjoys boating on the Miles River and
    Chesapeake Bay

Jefferson C. Knapp bio:

As chairman of the Town Planning Commission I helped steward the Zoning Code re-write — a great undertaking that was long overdue.

Jefferson Knapp

In the process, I learned a lot about how the Town runs and received great feedback from residents on issues we addressed. Things like the housing shortage we have — we adapted the Code to better fit the existing conditions in Town and made it possible for homeowners to create accessory dwelling units so we can add more housing both for working folks in town and possibly augment retirement/fixed incomes for homeowners. We added a new section in the Code to address design issues.

I recently started a parking committee staffed by two Planning Commission members and members of the community to investigate and hopefully help resolve the parking problem we have.

I want to see our commissioners work together, not against one another.

I want to bring the residents of this great town into the fold and get them more involved in the process. I think we should have town hall meetings for the people in town to be able to ask questions (and get answers) and give input to the commissioners as to what they believe the town should be doing. We should also have some Saturday commissioner meetings so that more may attend.

I have lived in St. Michaels for 16 years. I have donated a great amount of my and my company’s time for projects in the town such as the installation of the flower baskets on the Honeymoon Bridge; planting hundreds of daffodil bulbs all over town; hundreds of man hours on revitalizing the Boy Scouts building that the town owns and helping to decorate the town for the holidays.

Besides being the Chairman of the Planning Commission, I am also part of the ad hoc committee working with local restaurants & businesses to help them through this trying time.

My wife, Melissa, is part of the town Parks & Recs committee and together we both love this town and are committed to helping out in any way we can. I think all commissioners should be out doing more than just showing up for monthly meetings — there is a lot to be done and I want to be a big part of it.

  • Licensed real estate agent
  • Licensed contractor & home builder
  • Licensed instrument rated pilot
  • Trinity College’s MBA program
  • Home inspection instructor at Chesapeake College

St. Michaels Candidates Answer Questions at Virtual Forum Moderated by LWV

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https://www.facebook.com/athomeinstmichaels/videos/2709159285987345/

The League of Women Voters of the Mid-Shore hosted a forum July 7 for the eight candidates for four seats on the St. Michaels Town Commission. The election will be held from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, July 13, at the town 0ffice at 300 Mill Street, St. Michaels. The term of office for the three top vote winners will be four years, expiring in June 2024. The term for the fourth top vote winner will be two years, expiring in June 2022.

This video is about two hours long.