My family and I have been living in Easton since 2007, when we bought our home in the neighborhood of Matthewstown Run . My wife and I met while attending Salisbury University and have been married since 2002. I received a bachelor’s in History Secondary Education from Salisbury and a Master’s in History, also from Salisbury. My children attend Easton Elementary and Easton Middle School. I have been a History and Government teacher in Wicomico County for the last twenty-one years. I have served the Town of Easton as a member of the Easton Volunteer Fire Department for ten years. The last two years I served as president of our Fire Department. This duty has required me to manage the day-to-day issues that arise in any active fire department, as well as, various personnel issues. One of the highlights of the job has been working with both the Mayor and Town Council to develop a strategic budget to ensure uninterrupted service to the citizens of our town and county.
Primary Focus
If I’m fortunate enough to win the election on May 7th, my primary focus is to represent the people of Ward 2. Many of the households in the ward are made up of hard-working families trying to balance their work responsibilities with meaningful involvement in their children’s lives. My wife and I are right there with them and I feel like they need someone who understands the importance of finding that balance. As Ward two’s Councilperson, I will always be looking for ways to enhance family life by working to provide family-based amenities. My energies need to be directed at not only being accessible to the residents of Ward 2, but to advocate for them as well. I also feel it’s important as a taxpayer in Easton that the government continues to remain prudent in its spending of the residents’ money.
Working with the County
The greatest concerns in working with the county government are internet access, support for the fire department, and Port Street’s waterfront. Many people who live outside of town have difficulty accessing high speed internet. Easton Utilities has been working on this issue and with the support of county funding could extend high speed service further into the county. This will help educate our youth as well as provide internet access to numerous businesses that are outside town. A second concern is the continued support for the Easton Volunteer Fire Department. The county does a tremendous job considering the constraints it is under monetarily, but it needs to keep it mind when it comes to funding, most of the residents and many of the emergency calls fall within the EVFD’s response area and therefore greater financial support at the county level would be extremely beneficial in helping the fire department serve the community. A third concern is the coordination between the town and county related to their respective assets located at Port Street’s waterfront. I want to work with the county government to ensure that there is thoughtful planning regarding the public’s access to the waterfront and amenities such as the boat launching ramp and associated parking.
Affordable Housing
While I wouldn’t advocate for the town council to tell developers what they can and can not build, I think there is an opportunity to work with developers to bring moderate income housing development to the Town of Easton. The council could also incentivize future development to construct the type of housing that the people of Easton need to be able to live close to where they work. Currently many people who work in Easton, can’t afford to live here. Working closely with developers would benefit the town in numerous ways because people who live in the community where they work have a greater interest in seeing that community remain successful.
Easton Point
There must be balance between Easton Point and all other areas in town. There are many examples on the Eastern Shore of downtowns being abandoned in exchange for development in other, newer parts of town with the added promise of greater “tax revenues”. Easton is fortunate that it has maintained a flourishing downtown and therefore the town must balance its hopes for future economic prosperity at Easton Point while continuing to keep the rest of town an important place to live, work, and visit. One mutually beneficial opportunity for both locations is to link them together through a trolley or shuttle system designed to serve both our resident’s and visitor’s interests in shopping and exploring both areas. Both locations have a lot to offer and both are will be important destinations that will complement one another to benefit all of us.
Downtown Shopping
There is an incredible infill opportunity at the former Safeway site. Instead of annexing and developing more land on the edge of our town and contributing to urban sprawl, a multi-functional project could be developed on the site. This project could deal with several issues that people of Easton are concerned with, namely accessibility to a niche grocery store, conveniently accessible to in-town residents and the restoration of a taxable enterprise within the town. With any infill development downtown, there is a natural affinity towards affordable residential opportunities and these are encouraged as mixed-use infill opportunities. Promotion of both the commercial and residential infill models would go a long way to making Easton a more walkable and seemingly accessible town with a positive by-product being an easing of traffic… a benefit I am sure we would all appreciate.
Safety
As someone who takes family very seriously, the need to support the Easton Police Department plus aid in the struggle against drug addiction is of great importance. The Easton Police Department has a difficult job of maintaining the peace and assisting the public in emergencies, all while ensuring the respect of an individual’s rights. They need the tools and financial support to continue to keep Easton a safe place to live, work, and visit. As for the serious epidemic of drug addiction, I’ve seen first hand on emergency calls with the EVFD, the effects of drugs on an individual and a family. If elected, I would support the towns efforts to work with families, communities, law enforcement and other levels of government to try and reduce the hold drugs have on our society.
Kathleen Carroll says
While I appreciate Don Abbatiello’s positions, I do have a couple of items that concern me about the town.
Why is the town even running a utility? I moved here from Montgomery County in 2014. I miss my Verizon FIOS service. I wish there competition here for cable and internet service. Until Easton Utilities can provide reliable 24/7 customer service, I do not think there should be discussion of expanding the service county-wide.
Also, I think the town and county are sometimes penny-wise and pound-foolish. The schools here seem to lack many of the services and items that were routine in Montgomery County. Quality of education is often a key factor in families deciding where to live.
Don Abbatiello says
Ms. Carroll,
Thank you very much for your comments. I apologize it’s taken 3 days to respond, but I don’t get notification from Talbot Spy routinely when they post someone’s comment. As to your concerns I will do my best to address them.
First off as to why we have a utility, my understanding is that historically the town has had the ability to generate electricity in order to provide its citizens with reliable and affordable energy. Even though Easton Utilities doesn’t always generate its own power, it belongs to an energy cooperative and constantly monitors cost per KWH and generates its own when it becomes cost effective for its customers. As a result, Easton Utilities can deliver cheaper energy than Delmarva Power and Choptank Electric.
Second, to clarify my position on broadband availability in the county, I think it would be beneficial to our neighboring county citizens and businesses to work towards expanding. I do not feel that Easton Utilities should take on the responsibility of delivering broadband to the entire county nor do I think it’s even feasible. As far as fiber optic internet, Easton Utilities is in the process making that a reality throughout Easton.
Finally, I can understand concerns about public education I have two children that go to Talbot County Public Schools, but town council really has no impact on the public school budget. One area where the council can impact education is by continuing the numerous programs it sponsors and supports around town that emphasize things such as the arts, theater, and environmental studies.
Thanks again for your post.