Campaign Phone
443-340-5667
In 2022 I retired because I wanted to treat Commissioner as a full time job. I founded Manchester Wrestling and was active in North Carroll Rec Council. During 44 years of being an officer of companies, I stayed active in the community. I served as Pres of NCRC and MJWL and on the Rec & Parks Board. I served on other Carroll County Advisory Boards. I spent four years as a BOE member and served as both V P and Pres. I will bring my love of Carroll and leadership skills to my second term.
Priority one is the taxpayers. We have not raised the tax rate since 1997. Do we increase revenues or limit services? We should not increase the tax rate. We need public safety, great schools, our agriculture identity and quality of life. These control our operating budget. The capital budget, which is one time money, is important also. By law, we cannot exceed our budget. This creates an excess of one time money. We cannot mix ongoing and one time funds to help with ongoing expenses.
We have a great Agricultural Preservation Program. It will take consistent funding to keep it great. It is the best in the state. We need to combine that with controlled growth. We also have a great Department of Economic Development. We need to increase our commercial and industrial base. This includes analyzing zoning to create more areas of opportunity. Without this the burden of revenue is on the residents. We need to attract new businesses without forgetting our existing businesses.
We need to increase our commercial and industrial businesses and maintain controlled growth. Carroll is a bedroom community. Our school system is the largest employer in the county. We have consistently exceeded maintenance of effort in their budget. We need to continue that. Blueprint and declining enrollment are making it hard for CCPS to give educators fair wages. Many of our businesses work with Career and Tech, the Community College and McDaniel to try to keep good employees here.
We need to fight Annapolis and the State concerning their outrageous fees and taxes. They cannot be allowed to take our local control. We need to make sure our county fees for permits and plans are reasonable. And, we need to expedite the process. Time is money. All of these costs are passed to the homeowner. We need smaller lots wherever there is public water and sanitary sewer. Cluster developments are a good way to do that, but we need to allow even smaller lots in that process.
We developed a stronger relationship with both the County Health Dept and the State Health Dept. Communication is strong. We need to learn from the mistakes made during COVID. Many of our public health experts let politics rule over science and others were ignored. In Carroll, we opened schools ahead of the rest of the state. We made masks optional in our schools. We modified quarantine rules to keep kids in school. Our Health Dept rolled out vaccines better than anywhere in the state.
Carroll has a great transit system. It furnishes both door to door and TrailBlazer routes for reasonable prices, within Carroll. We also have great Veterans’ shuttle that takes passengers to VA facilities out of Carroll. I have met with our Transit Advisory Council since I’ve been a Commissioner. They constantly get feedback and evaluate the system. The taxpayers fund this system. Should we spend more taxpayer dollars to increase the service and transport out of the county or maintain as is?
Campaign Phone
443-974-3539
Community Service means giving back to the community that shaped you. As a lifelong Carroll County resident and emergency management professional, I’ve made community service a cornerstone in my daily life through various volunteer activities and my professional work. As Commissioner, I will commit to advocating for our community by showing up every day, ready to work for our residents.
My top priorities are public safety, education, and responsible infrastructure investment. As Commissioner, I will protect these core services during budget shortfalls by implementing a "Core-First" strategy: prioritizing essential services, delaying non-essential capital projects, and aggressively pursuing grants and partnerships. I am committed to fiscal responsibility, ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent transparently to keep our community safe and our schools strong.
My vision is smart, targeted growth that protects what makes Carroll County special. We should preserve farmland and rural character while directing economic development to appropriate areas to support small businesses and good jobs. With thoughtful planning, we can grow responsibly, strengthen our local economy, and ensure Carroll County remains a great place to live and work.
To drive job growth, Carroll County must streamline permitting and invest in infrastructure to attract targeted industries. We should empower our local talent by expanding workforce development training in schools and community colleges. By supporting small businesses and maintaining top-tier public safety, we create a stable environment where residents can transition from entry-level roles to high-paying professional careers.
To tackle affordable housing, we must prioritize housing development in targeted growth areas and streamline permitting to reduce construction costs, while supporting redevelopment where infrastructure already exists to ensure efficiency. By balancing this with the protection of our rural character and farmland, Carroll County can remain accessible and affordable for families, workers, and seniors through responsible, smart planning.
The Commissioners should support public health experts through strong strategic partnerships that leverage existing county infrastructure. By coordinating with health providers, schools, public safety, and community organizations, we can expand outreach, improve vaccine access, address substance abuse, and strengthen preparedness for epidemics while ensuring resources are used efficiently to protect community health.
I strongly support the Carroll Transit System and the essential service it provides to residents. As the county grows, we should look for practical ways to expand transportation by strengthening Carroll Transit and partnering with services like Uber and Lyft to improve mobility, workforce access, and the availability of reliable options for those who need them most.
Not only do local governments thrive when people choose to serve, by encouraging greater civic engagement across all generations we can ensure that Carroll County is a place where people feel connected, valued, and empowered. Through our county boards/commissions or expanding opportunities like the Manchester Town Council’s student representative program, I am passionate about increasing citizen participation.
A county budget must protect its core responsibilities, public safety (including volunteer fire departments), vital infrastructure, and strong schools. Too often local governments react to shortfalls rather than anticipating them. As Commissioner I will lead proactively, constantly exploring state, federal and community partnerships to plan ahead, protect taxpayers and responsibly live within our means.
Balancing growth with the preservation of our rural character requires thoughtful coordination. Responsible growth should be within designated growth areas where infrastructure can support it, while protecting the farmland, open space, and natural resources that make Carroll County such a special place to live. My vision is simple: smart growth where it belongs and preservation where it matters.
Job growth starts with creating an environment where businesses can succeed. As Commissioner I will advocate to keep fees predictable, reduce taxes and unnecessary regulations, and invest in core infrastructure. I will also proactively work with our school system and local employers to strengthen apprenticeships and workforce training so businesses can grow and create opportunities at all levels.
Affordable housing is defined as housing that costs no more than 30% of a household’s gross income. Inflation and state regulations have made building affordable homes increasingly difficult. As Commissioner, I will advocate for regulatory relief, promote state and federal programs that help families with housing costs, and address infrastructure needs in designated growth areas so responsible, planned housing can occur.
The Commissioners serve as the Board of Health and play a vital role in strengthening trust and partnership between residents and public health officials. I would prioritize direct engagement with citizens to hear their health concerns and support a strong focus on education and prevention, from youth vaping awareness in our schools to broader public health outreach across the community.
Our priority should be increasing the number of stops to places that make Carroll County great. Also, increasing partnerships to lower fees and create a new connection between Westminster and Eldersburg which will help more seniors, young adults, and those with disabilities stay engaged. Our focus should remain on serving Carroll residents, not expanding into a regional transit system.
