At least one mailer making the rounds over the last week appears to use the Town of Bel Air’s official seal in violation of the town’s charter, which in Bel Air is what passes for massive campaign scandal.
The flyer uses the seal and town letterhead as part of a notice from the town’s “Department of Fiscal Responsibility.” It goes on to outline a series of campaign pledges by town commissioner candidates Greg Adolph and Ricky Davis, who are challenging incumbents David Carey and Robert Preston in tomorrow’s election.
When The Dagger first got a copy of the Adolph/Davis mailer, we contacted the town to find out whether it was kosher. To be clear: we did this of our own accord as a news-gathering organization. Since it’s news. Kinda.
Attempts to contact the “Department of Fiscal Responsibility” were unsuccessful, as it is fictional.
The initial word from town employees was that the flyer didn’t ...Continue Reading
Interview with Bel Air Town Commissioner Dave Carey:
As part of The Dagger’s coverage of the Town of Bel Air’s municipal election on Nov. 3, the following questions were presented to each candidate for town commissioner.
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.) In short, who are you and why are you running for re-election?
I am an attorney with Brown, Brown and Young on Main Street and have been a Town Commissioner since 1997. I am running for re-election because these are especially difficult times and it is critical that the Town have experienced, proven leadership to guide it.
2.) The town budget has more than doubled this decade. How do you feel this has benefited the town, and how do you handle the budget as commissioner?
The Bel Air Candidates Forum is over, but some of the answers that attendees gave will fuel debate right up until Election Day – one week from today.
Four of the five active candidates for Bel Air Town Commissioner fielded 18 total questions generated by some of the approximately 60 people in attendance; the Bel Air Downtown Alliance, which sponsored the forum; and The Dagger, which moderated the event.
In brief, those questions included:
1. How would you solve downtown parking woes?
2. Have services grown with the town budget?
3. What’s the main area of concern for Bel Air?
4. How would you lure BRAC transplants to town?
5. Thoughts on a new town hall?
6. Do you support a cut-through of MacPhail Road?
7. Would you disband Bel Air Police Department to save money?
8. How would you attract new business to town?
9. Can you do anything about condition of halfway houses?
10. Are town administrators getting ...Continue Reading
Interview with Bel Air Town Commissioner Rob Preston:
As part of The Dagger’s coverage of the Town of Bel Air’s municipal election on Nov. 3, the following questions were presented to each candidate for town commissioner.
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.) In short, who are you and why are you running for re-election?
1. Nobody has a greater interest in the success of our Town than I do. I have lived in Bel Air most of my life, attended Bel Air Schools, been married for 40 years, and have two married children (both live in Town) and two grandchildren. I like to restore old Corvettes, ride motorcycles, and sail Hobe Cats. My family has owned and operated Preston’s Stationery on Main Street for 83 years. ...Continue Reading
Interview with Bel Air Town Commissioner Candidate Dave Mitchell:
As part of The Dagger’s coverage of the Town of Bel Air’s municipal election on Nov. 3, the following questions were presented to each candidate for town commissioner.
The five questions (bolded and boxed) were chosen to generate discussion on specific topics. The candidates’ answers have been included as received by email or reported following an interview.
1. In short, who are you and why are you running for Bel Air Town Commissioner?
My name is Dave Mitchell, I’ve owned my own business for 23 years, and I’ll watch the taxpayers’ money like it was my own. I’m a working man. [Incumbent Town Commissioner Robert] Preston was given everything by his father, his father gave him the business, his house, he works for his father. I’m a working man.
2. The town budget has more than doubled this decade. How do you feel this has benefitted ...Continue Reading
Interview with Bel Air Town Commissioner candidate Ricky Davis:
As part of The Dagger’s coverage of the Town of Bel Air’s municipal election on Nov. 3, the following questions were presented to each candidate for town commissioner.
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.) In short, who are you and why are you running for Bel Air Town Commissioner?
I am Richard (ricky) Davis 35 I live on courtland pl in Bel Air. I have two kids 9 and 8 Steven and Kevin and my wife of 10 years Kristine. I have lived in Bel Air my entire life I have been a member of Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company for 20 years. I work for Baltimore Gas and Electric where I am a lineman I have ...Continue Reading
Interview with Bel Air Town Commissioner candidate Gregory Adolph:
As part of The Dagger’s coverage of the Town of Bel Air’s municipal election on Nov. 3, the following questions were presented to each candidate for town commissioner.
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.) In short, who are you and why are you running for Bel Air Town Commissioner?
1.) I am Gregory Adolph, a 26-year old civil engineer in Belcamp, MD. I have lived my whole life in Bel Air and have been a Town resident for over 5 years. I have quickly found the importance, in my young adult life, for structure and accountability in and organization. I made a resolution this year to become more involved. More involved professionally, socially, and politically. ...Continue Reading
Steven Testerman has withdrawn his candidacy for Bel Air Town Commissioner, leaving five candidates in the race with Election Day three weeks away.
Testerman told The Dagger that he withdrew from the race to support two of the remaining challengers, Greg Adolph and Richard Davis. They, along with challenger David Mitchell, will face incumbents David Carey and Robert Preston on Nov. 3.
“I joined the race because I firmly believed Preston and Carey had done their thing, and I wanted their seat,” Testerman said. “But we’ve got two good candidates with Davis and Adolph and I just thought I’d step back.”
Technically, no candidate can officially remove their name from the ballot once the filing deadline has passed. But Testerman said he would push all support and votes for him to Adolph and Davis.
Testerman said he is “thinking about” the countywide elections next year, but said he had no specific ...Continue Reading
The Dagger will moderate and host a Candidates Forum for Bel Air Town Commissioner candidates, scheduled for Monday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. at Bel Air Town Hall.
Also, video of the forum will be posted after the event on www.daggerpress.com.
The forum, sponsored by the Bel Air Downtown Alliance, will be moderated by The Dagger and will consist of 30-second opening statements by each candidate, followed by 90-second responses by each candidate to the same, pre-determined questions. The candidates will then offer 90-second responses to pre-screened individual questions from the audience, which will be presented by the moderator. Finally, each candidate will have 90 seconds to make a closing statement.
Questions may be submitted at tellus@daggerpress.com, and the doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for questions to be submitted during the forum.
The Forum is neither a debate nor a question/answer exchange with ...Continue Reading
Bel Air Town Commissioners David Carey and Robert Preston both may have their eyes on bigger political prizes, but before they get a chance to move up the elected office food chain in November 2010, they’ll have to defend their town commissioner seats this November.
Bel Air will hold its municipal election on Tuesday, November 3 this year and, while the town’s elections are fairly mundane (especially in comparison to the City of Aberdeen elections, which are traditionally held the same day), they have produced an impressive crop of town commissioners who have quickly worked their way up Harford County’s political ladder.
Del. Susan McComas, County Councilman Jim McMahan, and former County Councilman Robert Cassilly all got their start as town commissioners in Bel Air.
Carey, a 12-year town commissioner, and Preston, in his seventh year, have both been speculated as candidates for various elected offices in Harford County’s 2010 gubernatorial elections, but ...Continue Reading
