Aberdeen Communities Together (ACT), the grass-roots community action group largely responsible for ushering the current mayor and city council into office, is preparing to ask Aberdeen officials to take specific measures, several drastic, to reduce what they believe is are unfairly high costs of living and conducting business within the city limits.
In an email distributed this week, ACT organizers invited group members and city property owners to a meeting this Friday evening at the Aberdeen Senior Center, during which they plan on finalizing a letter to city officials laying out a plan and recommendations with the goal of “reducing the citizens’ out-of-pocket expenses.”
The letter, currently only in draft form, lists 10 suggested ways the city could reduce its expenses including “eliminating give-away programs for businesses,” reducing the number of city employees, implementing five furlough days, eliminating or restructuring the use of city vehicles, restructuring health insurance coverage and retirement systems, ...Continue Reading
Aberdeen Communities Together (ACT), the community action group which recently saw all four of its endorsed candidates for mayor and city council elected into office, will celebrate the election victory Friday at the Aberdeen Senior Center.
ACT, which originally organized to stop the Wetlands Golf Course annexation and has been actively involved in Aberdeen politics ever since, endorsed incumbent Mike Bennett for mayor and incumbents Ruth Elliott and Ruth Ann Young and challenger Bruce Garner for city council – each of whom was elected in the city’s Nov. 3 election.
Here is the event invitation sent out this week:
Dear Concerned Citizens:
We are holding our public meeting and local election results celebration this Friday evening, at 7 PM, at the Senior Center, 7 Franklin Street and would love to see you there.
We have invited all of our newly elected officials and hope all will be in attendance.
As part of The Dagger’s coverage of the City of Aberdeen’s municipal election on Nov. 3, the following questions were presented to each candidate for mayor and city council.
The five questions (bolded and boxed) were chosen to generate discussion on specific topics. The candidates’ answers have been included verbatim as received by email or reported following an interview.
1) If you are unsuccessful in your re-election bid and never return to office, what will your legacy be? How do you want to be remembered?
“My legacy when I get out of public life? I really don’t care if people remember my name whatsoever, but did I accomplish things for the city and citizens of Aberdeen? Did I make things better for them?”
Bennett said he didn’t get into politics to develop his legacy, in fact, he admitted his original intent two years ago was to run for city ...Continue Reading
With just a few days before Aberdeen voters go to the polls, the mayoral and city council candidates worked hard Wednesday night at the Candidates Night Forum to demonstrate why they would be the best choice to represent the city for the next two years.
Nine of the ten active candidates (all 3 mayoral candidates and 6 of the 7 running for city council) fielded 9 total questions generated by some of the approximately 100 people in attendance and The Dagger, which moderated the event.
Those 9 questions included:
1. Why are you running in this year’s election?
2. How would you position Aberdeen to reap the greatest benefit from BRAC?
3. What is your position on a hotel tax for Aberdeen? If you support it, how would you overcome opposition to the tax?
4. What is your opinion of the city’s current obligations under the Ripken Stadium contract?
5. What is your position on Aberdeen’s water ...Continue Reading
For those who are unable to attend the Aberdeen Mayor and City Council Candidates Night Forum tonight (Wednesday), or may just want to catch the action for the comfort of their own homes, The Dagger will be providing live video of the entire event.
The Dagger is hosting and moderating the forum, which is scheduled be begin at 7 p.m. at American Legion Post 128 in Aberdeen
Doors open at 6 p.m., and the forum will begin at 7 p.m. Questions will concern issues facing Aberdeen, and candidates’ answers will be limited to 90 to 120 seconds.
The forum is sponsored by the Harford County Municipal Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 128.
Whether you show up in person or tune in online, join this important discussion with less than a week remaining until the Tuesday, November 3 City of Aberdeen election.
Just two weeks before the city’s election, Aberdeen is proving once again that when it comes to politics, no tactic is off-limits.
A police report filed earlier this summer against a notable local figure has come to light in what may be an effort to turn a dubious allegation into a political hit.
According to the report, former State Senator and Harford County Councilman Art Helton was not charged earlier this year after a 32-year-old woman who rented one of his properties accused him of harassment.
It’s curious that the report comes to light now, months after authorities dropped their investigation, but just ahead of another tight city election.
Helton dismissed the accusations, which were levied in a police report made public last week, claiming the woman “was either mentally irate or on something.” He said the woman and one of her co-workers admitted to him that the accusations were made in an effort ...Continue Reading
All told, the 10 candidates for Aberdeen mayor and city council have raised nearly $22,000 in campaign contributions, but more than half of that total has been raised by incumbent city council president/mayor candidate Mike Hiob alone.
Hiob’s mayoral campaign has brought in $11,000. The other 9 candidates (2 for mayor and 7 for city council) have raised a combined $10,800 among them – Mayor Mike Bennett ($3,989), mayoral candidate Barbara Kreamer ($525), councilwoman Ruth Elliott ($1,568), council candidate Bruce Garner ($100), councilman Ron Kupferman ($0), council candidate Sandy Landbeck ($3,485), council candidate Trudie Norman ($0), council candidate Zenobia Todd ($75), and councilwoman Ruth Ann Young ($1,157).
Following Hiob’s massive war chest, the next largest campaign account is that of the incumbent mayor Bennett with $3,989, with council candidate Landbeck only $500 behind with $3,485 in her account.
Here are the campaign finance totals – amount raised, amount spent, and amount remaining – ...Continue Reading
With the late addition Monday of two new city council challengers, Trudie Norman and Zenobia Todd, the ballot for Aberdeen’s November 3 municipal election has swelled to 10 candidates – 3 vying for mayor and now 7 for city council.
The race for mayor pits incumbent Mayor Michael E. Bennett against incumbent city council president Michael G. Hiob and former state delegate and county councilwoman Barbara Osborn Kreamer.
In the 7-way race for the 4 seats on the Aberdeen City Council, incumbent city council members Ruth E. Elliott, Ruth Ann Young and Ronald Kupferman face opposition from local businessman Bruce E. Garner, longtime city planning and zoning commissioner Sandra J. Landbeck, and now Trudie Norman and Zenobia Todd.
The City of Aberdeen Municipal Election will be held Tuesday, November 3, 2009 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Aberdeen Senior Center on Franklin Street.
City of Aberdeen partners with County to increase capacity and meet water needs
(Aberdeen, MD) – - Harford County Executive David R. Craig and Mayor Michael Bennett of the City of Aberdeen, have signed the Sixth Amendment to the Harford County – Aberdeen Water Agreement. The agreement was signed Monday, October 5 at City Hall in Aberdeen, and will provide Aberdeen with a plan for current and future water needs.
Joining the County Executive and Mayor Bennett were Congressman C. A. Dutch Ruppersberger, County Councilman Dion Guthrie, Aberdeen Council President Mike Hiob, and Aberdeen council members Ruth Ann Young, Ron Kuperfman and Ruth Elliott.
“Today is a great day for the City of Aberdeen and the people of Harford County,” remarked County Executive Craig. “With the signing of the Sixth Amendment to the existing water agreement, we have helped secure a brighter future for the City of Aberdeen and business ...Continue Reading
