From Aberdeen Mayor Patrick McGrady:
The City Council voted to “restructure” the City Government. The voters should get a say on this!
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The City Council voted to significantly change the structure of the City government, and for the voters of the City of Aberdeen to have a say in this, we need to collect 1,990 signatures before June 17.
You can click here to download the petition, print it, and sign it.
Dear Aberdeen Citizen and Neighbor,
The Constitution of the United States is the framework of our government at the federal level, and the Aberdeen City Charter is our local government’s Constitution.
The City Council on May 8, 2017 voted to change the structure of the City government with three votes. Councilwoman Sandra Landbeck, Councilman Melvin Taylor, and Councilman Timothy Lindecamp voted to remove the authority of the Mayor over the City, in effect making the Mayor position powerless—taking away the power of your vote without any input from you.
The people of Aberdeen voted for the form of government that included the Mayor as the Chief Executive Officer of the City of Aberdeen.
This form of government allows you to call me when there is a problem, and I can address it. In the past year, I have received calls about garbage pickup, potholes, taxes, trash stickers, and sewer backups. That’s what I signed up for. That’s why we elect a Mayor.
The City Council voted on May 8, 2017 to remove this authority and they don’t want you to get a say in the matter. It seems crazy to me to change the form of government without the voter’s consent.
Well, I was elected to stand up for you, whether you voted for me or not, and I believe the voters should have a say when we change the City Constitution.
Changing the form of government like this is something that is done in third-world countries, not in America. The voters deserve a say in their government.
For the voters to have a say on this matter, we need to collect signatures on the attached petition. If we can collect 1,990 signatures (20% of the registered voters of the City of Aberdeen) by June 17, then we can put this to a vote on the ballot—so the voters can decide about their government.
It is crucial that we work together to get all the registered voters that we know to sign the petition to get this put on the ballot.
Over the next few weeks, with your help, we will be going door-to-door to collect the signatures needed to get this on the ballot. If you want to help, please email at patrick@patrickmcgrady.com or call anytime at 410.357.1234.
Please print and sign the petition and return it to me immediately. If you have questions, you can call me at 410.357.1234. We need to work together to collect 1,990 signatures by June 17.
Very Respectfully,
Patrick McGrady
Mayor, City of Aberdeen
Cell phone: 410.357.1234
P.S. The voters deserve a say in their government. Please sign the petition enclosed and return to me so we can get a ballot referendum on this radical change in government before June 17, 2017.
Walk with the Mayor
Join me for a neighborly stroll across Aberdeen’s historic downtown every Friday all summer, at 5PM for a 25-35 minute stroll where you can talk about anything you would like. Meet at Festival Park at 5:00PM sharp.
Maryland State Highway Administration is listening
Come to the Aberdeen City Council Meeting on Monday May 22 to tell high-ranking officials from the Maryland State Highway Administration how you feel about the ongoing construction on Route 22 in Aberdeen. The City is trying to get the State to recognize the hardships caused to our community to ask them to get the project done faster!
Do you know any businesses who have suffered? Please invite them to the meeting Monday May 22, 2017 at 60 N Parke Street Aberdeen, MD 21001. See you there!
Aberdeen Farmers Market
First and Third Thursdays from May through September
Aberdeen Festival Park, 60 North Parke Street
4:00 p.m. through 7:00 p.m.
Come shop local produce, vegetables, wines, perennials, herbs, eggs, meats, soaps, lotions and baked items!
Keep Aberdeen Beautiful Saturday June 3
Mark your Calendars– Our last Keep Aberdeen Beautiful day was a huge success on April 1. Next Community Cleanup day is the first Saturday in June, on Saturday June 3. We will meet at Festival Park at 9am to clean up Aberdeen!
Maybe all the elected and appointed officials in Aberdeen should worry more about the businesses suffering from the lack of support from the City from the ongoing State Highway Projects strangling us business owners. The State Highway has been working on Route 22 for YEARS….and we feel no support from the City or any of its elected or appointed officials. I’m speaking for many business owners.
This is ridiculous that these are the things this City is focused on. No wonder Aberdeen is known as “The City that is hard to do business in” by builders, business owners, property owners and anyone else who wants to improve this community and loves his community. The residents are tired of it also. The lack of leadership in all aspects of the City is disturbing to them and frankly its insulting. As tax payers, we EXPECT leadership that improves the community so businesses will be successful providing goods and services so it’s citizens don’t have to leave Aberdeen.
It’s a shame these are the topic headlines for articles about Aberdeen.
they need to fix the pot holes on Bel Air Ave.THIS IS THE ALL AMERICA CITY!!!!!
The Baglady is right. the Aberdeen Route 40 Intersection on Bel Air Ave looks like a bankrupt town in South Dakota!!!!!!!!! All American Pothole City!!!!! I
Lance Hersh, stop your whining. The City is doing as much as they can regarding the SHA project (which they have no official capacity to do anything about the Rte 22 improvements project).
They have already reached out to the SHA and if you would have read the entire post by Mayor McGrady, you would have known the there will be a representative from SHA at the City Council meeting this evening to hear concerns from residents, business owners, etc.
BTW “Baylady”, there is nothing the City can do (or is allowed to do) regarding potholes on Bel Air Ave (no matter how many exclamation marks you place at the end of your ALL CAPS SENTENCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are as ignorant as your made up name. We know there will be a representative from state highway, we there 2 weeks ago when they gave no answers. We will be there again this week. This post isn’t about the Mayor. You better believe that if this project was being done in Bel Air it would have taken half the time. It also goes far beyond this issue. This is one of many. This is the one that will put some out of business though. But, what do you care, you’re just the sheep trolling around the internet or you would post your name and not hide.
Not so sure that this would have taken half the time to complete in Bel Air. The Bel Air Bypass has been incomplete since the 1960s and there are still no plans to finish it.
Joe,
With all do respect, the intersection of Route 22 and Beards Hill Road in Aberdeen is equivalent to the intersection of Baltimore Pike and Route 24 in Bel Air (The intersection where Harford Mall is). So the analogy really doesn’t hold water.
“Local Yokal”
You obviously have shit for brains. Sure they are going to fix the pot holes on W.Bel Air Avenue. I believe its more than just repaaving, its a whole reconstruction. SIdewalks, et al
Aberdeen is going to be a construction mess.
It is very reasonable for Lance to be upset. Please tell me how the City can be more supportive? We have, in public, and behind the scenes, been advocating for the 22 project to be completed.
I feel your pain, and I understand how painful the terrible SHA project was for you at the old location and now that it has followed you to the new location.
Tell me what I can do, and I will make every effort. As always, my cell phone number is 410.357.1234.
Aberdeen became a one-third world country when McGrady became Mayor with 34% of the vote. He took 5 months to solve the tie-election in the fourth council seat by rigging it for a crony who had not received one vote. Two candidates tied with 655 votes apiece. And he SELECTS a crony with ZERO votes. . His first decision was to rig the tie-vote solution. In a democratic form of government it should only take a week to ten days to resolve the matter. . And in a democracy the only qualified candidates for a tie-vote are the two candidates who tied. Not your political pals. McGrady rigged the vote. He corrupted the democratic process in his very first act as Mayor. He crapped on 655 voters by denying Stephen Smith qualifications because he didn’t like him..
So, instead of challenging the Mayor on his reasoning, the Council decides to strip him of his duly elected duties and completely usurp the powers of his office? Mike, the Democratic rule of the State of Maryland has already turned this State’s government into an Organized Crime Syndicate and a Terrorist Organization thru the passage of illegal and unconstitutional laws via the Annotated Code of Maryland. Now, the Democratic Party simply just strips an elected official’s powers because he is a Republican and not part of their political gang. The system in place is called “Checks and Balances” and the Council of Aberdeen has eliminated that system with their actions. This is not the will of the people and is a vulgar display of an abuse of powers. Everyone needs to drop the political BS of siding with corruption based on a political parties affiliation. Mike, how would you feel if the shoe was on another’s foot and a Republican Council had done the same to a Democratic Mayor? You would have been outraged and called for action. Right is right and wrong is wrong. This was definitely wrong…..
Wrong Art! Aberdeen became a third world country when it began to worship at your knee. Only a damned fool would have willingly accepted Steve Smith onto the council. He was a slug in the PD and another Bennett tool on the council.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlUy0tTxgKu
Democracy says Steve Smith was qualified for the fourth council seat because like Sean DeBonis he got 655 votes. Just because Paddy McGrady and Mikey Hiob think a qualified candidate is a “slug” and a “tool;” doesn’t disqualify him.. McGrady disregarded 655 voters in the last election. He substituted a crony with no votes for a qualified candidate backed by 655 voters. McGrady only respects democracy when its on his side. That’s what we call a tin-horn dictator or a third-world tyrant.
You can change the Charter any time a majority wants to , that’s democracy. The State required Aberdeen to change their Charter to deal with tie-vote emergencies. There was no referendum. It was voted on by a mostly democratic Council.
And you can go to referendum every time the Mayor/Council fart. That’s democracy, too. But referendum is usually not used as an extra judicial way around a democratic vote.
McGrady has so little respect for the public input that during the conversation over the tie-vote problem Paddy McGrady said the cheap way to resolve a tie-vote would be to flip-a-coin. No referendum.No Council democratic vote. Just flip-a-coin. His notion was laughed away. But that’s how the man-child thinks.
Art Helton is the guy who has lost too many elections to count. When he did serve a term in the MD Senate, the Harford county democrats ran someone against him so that this embarrassing POS wouldn’t serve a second term. He’s a liar and a thief who thinks he is above the law.
Clone of Hillary?
GO AWAY ART HILTON(aka Mike Callahan). You have no support in Aberdeen. You have run this town down. Thank God McGrady is trying to unravel the mess you and Bennett created.
Aberdeen is pretty much the Third World Country of Harford County. But Mayor McGrady you are being targeted and that’s a shame. The three losers are ruining Aberdeen nothing is getting accomplished. Keep up the fight Sir!
It is utterly ridiculous that the Aberdeen City Council would change the charter. The changes were completely unnecessary. I fail to understand what they are thinking. First let’s introduce some legislation to fine homeless people. Then, we will follow it up with unnecessary changes to the charter which strip the duly elected mayor of all powers rendering him the highest paid gopher holder in Hartford County.
Ryan,
Aberdeen in not in Hartford County. It is in Harford County.
Damn autocorrect.
Back off Welsh….it was simply a typo!
Love Mayor McGrady or not, he is trying his best to let the residents of Aberdeen know how maniacal the City Council members are acting. They are behaving in a bizarre manner. Where does the Harford County Council stand on this usurpation of city control? Mayor McGrady, you must have really effected positive change in your city. That’s the only reason a group such as the City Council members responsible for this junta, so to speak, would wreak havoc on Aberdeen. What does your city lawyer say about this? Or maybe she or he is a part of the problem. Mayor McGrady, you are a testament to persistence, hard work, and a passion for Aberdeen. You shall overcome this politically motivated upheaval. I’m counting on you.
Mayor Patrick McGrady is political clown manipulating the public’s emotions with his bullhorn and bullshit. Charter reform is not tyranny . Its democracy at work . Anti-democracy is tearing up 655 ballots in the tie vote and throwing them away..
I agree that Mayor McGrady has tremendous flaws but the council has acted in an offensive and overbearing manner in voting to approve these charter amendments. Their actions are reprehensible and an anathema to democracy.
Mr. Callahan
Sir,
Your position is a bit awkward to say the least. There were has many votes for Mr. Smith as there were for his opponent. Your premise is that Mayor McGrady should have nominated Mr. Smith for the 4th Council seat, and ignored those who voted against him. Likewise it was appropriated for the Council to vote against the Mayor’s nominee, which is democracy. Why was it not obstruction for the Council to vote against Mayor McGrady’s nominee?
It is clear from your discussion that you dislike Mayor McGrady, and will stoop to any level with your insults. Many people on this venue have advised you that, perhaps, your rants maybe off target in this case. That the Council’s actions on removing the Mayor’s power, not just Mayor McGrady’s power, but all successive Mayors is not appropriate and will not serve the city and its voters well. You have assured all that you will have none of that, and so you continue on, somewhat obsessively, it seems, to berate Mayor McGrady without understanding that you likewise destroy the institution of government for the people of Aberdeen.
Mayors may come and go, some maybe more or less popular. The larger picture for the people of Aberdeen is who should represent them. Who should be held accountable on a daily basis? You? The elected Mayor? Some appointed person?
I should think that the people of Aberdeen would want a say in the matter. I submit that your time would be better spent formulating an argument against the representative form of government, that you are espousing, than berating Mayor McGrady. If a sufficient number of people agree with you, then democracy will have worked. If not then your demagoguery and demonizing will have no place in public discourse.
THNX
John P. Mallamo
JP Mallamo:
You use a lot of words but you have no facts.
McGrady misused his powers as Mayor to rig the tie-election. He is the abuser of democracy. He trashed Aberdeen democracy.
The majority of the Council voted to update or reform the Charter. That’s democracy. Majority rules, minority rights.
If the minority wants to challenge they can go to referendum.They got 22days to get 1990 registered voters to sign up.
Criticizing McGrady for corrupting Aberdeen democracy is defending democracy .not denigrating it. The heart and soul of democracy is questioning arrogant politicians that traffic in chicanery , shenanigans and malarkey..
When you start trying to stifle dissent with your pompous rhetoric you my friend have joined McGrady in trashing the democratic process.
Landbeck and Lindencamp are doing what Art Helton instructs them to do. Art needs his boy Bennett back in and that means cutting McGrady off at the knees. I am especially ashamed of Pastor Taylor. He has been sucked in by the two gangsters. I wonder if we shouldn’t be shooting for a recall vote?
Why doesn’t someone just hire some of those Trump Protestors to visit the homes of the council members?
Seems like that is the thing to do these days…
+Never Hillary
Another great suggestion from the McGrady vigilante Teabaggers in case the referendum goes bad!!!!!!!!!
+ Never Hillary Pt. 2
Another great suggestion by the McGrady vigilante teabaggers just in case the referendum goes bad!!!!!!!!
I’ve lived in Harford County my entire life and Aberdeen for 40 years. I raised my kids here and my grandkids visit here. Aberdeen has become the home of nail salons, barber shops,store front churches, and a host of Helton properties. I suppose it’s better than it was when there were a lot more bars on 40 and cars and people had to drive across the amtrak tracks but we lost our movie theaters, we lost grocery stores, and lost specialty stores. Basically the more things change, the more they stay the same. The old council needed to change with the times and the mayor, city council, city manager model came in to existence, but the more things change the more they stay the same except 2 year terms went to 4 year terms. Petty politics have been around in Aberdeen for as long as I can remember, the elected officials have other jobs and are just part time government. Maybe it’s time for a full time government, maybe a full time mayor that manages the city and a full time council president that manages the council members. I don’t think that Aberdeen really needs a city manager, never really did, but I think now that this place could benefit from a full time mayor that runs for office, gets elected to office, and serves the people. Maybe that’s a charter change that should come up. There can still be checks and balances in place but we need effective government that is held accountable to the citizens. I applaud those that run for office, they put extra time in to serve on top of their everyday jobs and responsibilities, they work their terms as a part time job, some devote many more hours then they would ever be compensated for. They all have to remember, it’s about service to the citizens not about petty politics and popularity contests. This has the smell of petty politics or the smell of schoolyard bully tactics. I believe that there should be discussion and a vote, let the people have their say.