There are plenty of great local feuds in Harford County, but my personal favorite is the long-running war waged between Aberdeen City Council President Mike Hiob and the local media.
In the last skirmish in this age-old battle, we saw Hiob recommending The Record newspaper be used as “a classic method of wrapping fresh fish,” and 11 other uses.
Now the two combatants are at it again. During a recent Aberdeen City Council meeting, Hiob read aloud from a letter he penned in which he criticizes the newspaper’s rhetoric regarding annexation.
Specifically, Hiob alleges the paper’s publisher and executive editor are using their editorials as a “soapbox to speak out against a project in their own backyards.” Hiob claims both live adjacent to the proposed Glengarry annexation site.
Here is Hiob’s initial letter – a slightly different version than what he read during the city council meeting:
Dear Mr. John Worthington, Mr. Ted Hendricks and Editorial Staff of “The Record” Publication
The Record Newspaper continues to spew its same old rhetoric in the December 19, 2008 and January 23, 2009 issues of your publication with editorials titled “Aberdeen Annexation Should be DOA” and “It Just Won’t Go Away.” In both, you rehash your personal explanation that my former colleagues were “tossed out of office” because of their support for the “The Wetlands” annexation.
In fact, you like to throw the term “ousted” around when referring to them. Once again, you are just plain wrong! I have tried to explain again and again that their vote in favor of the annexation was not the primary deciding factor to their demise in seeking a second term to serve in Aberdeen. It’s no secret that Mayor Fred Simmons, as well as Councilpersons Dave Yensan, Ron Kupferman, Ruth Elliott and Myself voted in favor of “The Wetlands” annexation in June of 2006, and that shortly afterwards, Councilwoman Elliott changed her mind and decided to not support it. That being said, two out of the four elected officials who supported the annexation were re-elected. Obviously, the vote in favor of annexation was NOT the primary deciding factor during the City election of 2007. What WAS the primary deciding factor in the election that year was the necessary property tax rate increase that Mayor Fred Simmons, Councilman Dave Yensan and Myself voted in favor of.
That decision was a very tough decision for me to make, knowing full well that it could be political “suicide”. But I made my decision based upon what I know to be in the best interest of our City. I did it because I thought it was about time the City started paying their annual expenses with annual revenue. (Not by borrowing money and selling off “surplus” real estate, as had been done many times in the past) And “suicide” it almost was for me. But thanks to the continued support of my established voter base, I was re-elected (but by a much smaller margin).
The oath I took was that “I will, to the best of my skills and judgment, diligently and faithfully, without partiality or prejudice execute the office of Council Person.” The current economic climate of this country, state, county, and our City demands that I look at every option available to The City of Aberdeen such as those mentioned by ACT at the last meeting, so I do not have vote to increase taxes again. One of those options happens to be increasing the tax base of our city, whether it is new development within the City, or expanding our boundaries to help facilitate not only more tax revenue, but spur retail growth and more customers for our existing businesses. One obstacle the City of Aberdeen has regarding new development and revitalization within the existing City limits is that the entire City is in the Enterprise Zone, and those commercial projects will not pay their full tax bill for ten years.
As I mentioned earlier, I firmly believe that Mr. Worthington and Mr. Hendricks continue to attempt to perpetuate the lies regarding the past administration in order to use “The Record” and the anonymity of the editorial section as their soapbox to speak out against a project in their own backyards. Since Mr. Worthington and Mr. Hendricks both live adjacent to the proposed Glengarry development, one can only assume, based on the writings in their newspaper and veiled threats spoken, that their motives are personal, and smack of influence peddling. I can only hope “The Record” has not fallen to that new low.
In closing, (and possibly to the dismay of “The Record”) our City leaders will continue to uphold their oath of office, and at the same time not allow local “news” publications to usurp or undermine the Great City of Aberdeen.
Sincerely,
Michael G. Hiob
Aberdeen City Council President
Shortly after reading the letter aloud, Hiob received a phone call and a rebuttal letter from Executive Editor of The Record. Here is that letter, as provided by Hiob:
Dear Mr. Hiob,
It has come to my attention that you made false and defamatory statements
about me during Aberdeen’s City Council meeting Monday night.As a newspaper editor, I expect criticism from those who disagree with our
newspapers. I will not, however, tolerate anyone making false and defamatory
statements about me. I left you a voice mail, which you have not responded
to, on your cell phone. Your comments about my opposition to the proposed
Glen Garry annexation are false.They are not only false, but also I believe you had to have known they were
false. Those are falsehoods whispered repeatedly by those in favor of the
annexation. I have made no secret of where I have lived for the past 25
years. The proposed annexation site is neither in my back yard nor adjacent
to my home. Your other statements, based on that erroneous statement you
made, are also false and defamatory.I look forward to how you propose to correct your false and defamatory
statements about me. As I said in the voice message that you ignored, at the
very least, I expect you to not only correct those statements, but also to
apologize for making them in the same public fashion that you made them.That would be a start.
Sincerely,
Ted Hendricks
Executive Editor
The Aegis
The Record
No word yet on what sort of elaborate apology Hiob has planned as rebuttal.
Maybe Mr. Hendricks needs to look up the definition of adjacent. As a citizen and business owner in the City of Aberdeen, I agree with Hiob and with this current annexation proposal.
Go HIOB, Go DAGGER!
Ted Hendricks wouldn’t know objective reporting if you hit him with it. The picture on the front page of last Friday’s rag was the shot of the sign in Bicycle Bob’s front yard. That yard is owned by a guy who approached the Mayor and me and told us that he will fight any and all development, period! He is a NIMBY of the worst possible type. He wants his pastoral view but not have to pay for it.
Ted and the CAVE (Citizens Against Virtually Everything) people think that because the citizens of Aberdeen were coerced through lies, deceptions and threats to vote against the Wetlands that the subject of annexation has been answered for all time. Aberdeen needs that annexation and the Council needs to do the right thing.
Hendrix has no business slamming anyone about not returning calls. During a recent episode Hendrix ,although opening a dialogue (supposedly in good faith), refused to return calls as did the entire editorial staff. Luckily for me the printed Media cannot compete with real time and more accessible E-MEDIA.
As for slamming, defaming, ……..Our own Dagger heroes and founders were slammed many times, (blamed for non production by K & H ), when an excuse was needed for dragging feet on an article.
Hendrix…Worthington….and the entire editorial staff have exactly no place to claim DEFAMATION.
Go Dagger ! ! ! !
I had a truck freeze up the other day…frozen fuel. The common way to defrost it is to make a torch out of a rolled up newspaper. Ive done this with Newsday, The NYT, The army times, The NY Daily news and a few others over a long career.
The torch I made with the Aegis wouldn’t even stay lit !
THE DAM PAPER ISNT EVEN GOOD FOR BURNING !
Go Dagger !
Go Dagger !
Go Dagger !
Go Dagger !
Hiob owes no one any apology. Hendrix has never hidden the fact that he resides in a house! It just so happens that one of the annexations that came up, and was defeated by this same council, got awfully close to Teddy’s house. He has had a personal interest and became part of the lie spewing nonsense having to do with Aberdeen’s attempts to be self sustaining. Keep on attacking them Mike.
Please remember that jealousy has to play a roll in what the Aegis and Record staff do and write. These folks have reached the pinnacle of their careers to become editors of a third world newspaper. Anyone who is even moderately successful or is able to think their way out of a problem become the object of scorn for these folk.
The Aegis is on a par with “mailers” that are distributed free on Long Island as there is a law that doesnt allow the advertising supliments to be delivered without a publication. In this way the mailers compete head to head with Newsday.
GD GD GD GD ! ! ! !
I read things all the time that I don’t agree with. The difference is: if I stand up at my local council meeting and trash the editor of The Washington Post, no one gives a shit. The small pond of Aberdeen makes everyone know everybody else, and unfortunately, gives you a certain amount of credibility to bully the editor of a local publication that writes stories that piss you off.
Ted Hendricks has been one of the formative people in my career, and I admire him immensely. He has always treated me fairly and with respect, even though there were political reasons that he may not. You can agree with the paper or not–you can also read it or not. But at the end of the day, base statements about the pinnacle of his career at a “third world newspaper” puts your character into question, not his.
Funny that you use “bully” and hendrix in the same breath like that. Obviously, you didn’t get to know him very well while he was ‘forming’ you.
Council President Hiob is a breath of fresh air on this blog and in the local media recently. Everything he said at the council meeting and in his attached letter is absolutely true. It is interesting that an editor of a paper on its last legs, reknown for front page editorializing, conspiracy theory reporting, name calling and mudslinging could ever say that anyone could defame him. Obviously the last days of the Record and Aegis are close at hand when the editor crawls out of the dark hole of unsigned editorials and sends a cry baby letter that he obviously didn’t run by his legal department and signs it as the editor. As the balance sheet for the Tribune continues to implode, assets are sold off and editors are fired, one can only hope that after the paper is put to bed the night before his farewell article comes out someone creeps into the newsroom and tags his article…EDITOR OUSTED…….and so it goes
Gosh Same Old voices, I am so sorry that I further defamed your hero. The real story is that being misrepresented in the local press hurts like hell. the old saying is that you can’t do battle with the guy who buys ink by the barrel, the truth is that it is high time more of us do. Hendricks is a blow hard who has gotten away with hiding behind his “freedom of the press” while attempting to deny our “freedom of speech.” I do believe this is far from over.
Bless you Al Thong (whoever you are ) Bless you! (and everyone else)
Note: Looks like the only support Ted received so far is from an “entity” that calls itself “same old voices”. Please come out of your anonymity and reveal yourself. ( It won’t hurt a bit! )
P.S. Monday night should prove to be very interesting………………………………………….
Dave…We Do! Ever hear of the Dagger ?
Go Dagger !
The Dagger needs an editorial Cartoon Section. Wouldn’t it be great to see a Kleenex Box and a collapsing castle? I found it interesting that the Record decided to edit Mr. Hiob’s letter before they printed it. Just goes to show you if they are trying to control the truth and never bother to check the facts in their articles. Your request to Mike “I look forward to how you propose to correct your false and defamatory statements about me.” Maybe mike didn’t say this maybe it was put together by his Editorial Staff and Mike had no control. Sound like a familiar excuse?
I don’t remember who said it but obviously this editor never read it but the attempted cover up and the struggle to conceal the truth soon becomes the story. It has to be difficult after so many years of editing and molding and bending the truth to now not be able to stop a story; a story about you. It is my understanding that a similiar cry baby letter was sent to the Comcast folks asking, no pleading for them to edit out comments and a segment of Council President Hiob’s address during a recorded telecast of the Aberdeen City Council meeting. If that letter was signed the same way as the one posted above I suspect that there may be some tribulation at the Tribune.
Well, all everyone is doing here by typing is helping this editor sell more papers. I know I will go out buy one now just to read these editorials. If you really want this editor “out” , don’t buy or read the rag in the first place. That way no one will blog about it and peak the interests of others.
It’s simple, If he can’t sell papers they will eventually replace him. But if everyone keeps blogging about the fued it gives him more job security.
I disagree local. I canceled my subscription today.
I understand that Council President Hiob spent a fair amount of time at Monday’s Council meeting. I’m not too sure that it is the best use of Council time, but what else do they do? Mike has introduced a copy of the DEMAND by the Record editor that Comcast censor the council meeting tape. It sounds to me as though Herr Hendricks did not get the Reichskanzler’s permission before burning the books and breaking all the crystal.
Apparently they don’t do anything, accept bicker among them self’s.