Smooth Transition? Inside the Aberdeen Report

Despite a bitter internal feud, no review of the Aberdeen Police Department is needed. Despite being severely fined and penalized in the past, the city should once again pursue sucking more water from Deer Creek. Despite its being in day-to-day control of the city’s multi-million dollar budget, direct observation of the day-to-day operation of the city’s Finance Department is needed.

These are just a few of the highlights from a report on the City of Aberdeen’s operation and health, as conducted by the 28-member Transition Team formed to help new Mayor Mike Bennett transition into office.

The report was unveiled to the public Monday night - nearly three months after Bennett’s November election to office. Put another way, one-eighth of Bennett’s two-year term in office has already been spent compiling this report and it will probably take the remaining seven-eighths of his term to implement its recommendations.

Continue reading Smooth Transition? Inside the Aberdeen Report

What a Difference a Day Makes

Some final thoughts and field notes on the 2007 Aberdeen Election:

I began the day throwing up in my car on the way to work (how’s that for full disclosure). I’d have taken the bout of sickness as an ill omen if I hadn’t made the same ineffective claim during the last Aberdeen election. In 2005 while campaigning for re-election in Park, Councilman Ron Kupferman was stung at least once by an infuriated yellow jacket. As he swatted at the fleeing insect, I mentioned it probably was something of an ill omen to be stung on Election Day. He agreed and promptly went on to be re-elected in two subsequent elections.

Continue reading What a Difference a Day Makes

Why No One Cares About Bel Air Elections

Here we are with some big choices to be made on the eve of Election Day, or should I say, ‘Elections Day,’ plural, as there is of course a second local municipal contest being held Tuesday.

So why is it that there has scarcely been mention here on The Dagger of the Town of Bel Air election also being held Nov. 6?

We’ve been pondering why the Bel Air town elections always seem quite tepid when compared to the generally heated, dirty and heavily contested municipal races in Aberdeen and Havre de Grace. Continue reading Why No One Cares About Bel Air Elections

Trick or Treat?: A $15 Million Halloween Suit (UPDATED)

The Wetlands annexation group filed a $15 million defamation suit on Halloween Day against Art and Ann Helton, the New Harford Democratic Club and club president John Haggerty.

The suit stems from a flyer the Heltons and the Club allegedly designed and distributed prior to the December 2006 special election on the Wetlands Golf Course property annexation. The flyer purportedly asked residents to “Save Aberdeen” by voting against the Wetlands annexation and went on to claim annexation of the property would bring 7,800 townhouse units to the site, do away with the golf course, remove all open space and significantly increase crime in the area. Continue reading Trick or Treat?: A $15 Million Halloween Suit (UPDATED)

Artfully Done: How To Win An Election The Wrong Way

Like cigarettes, booze or Russian Roulette, it is almost assured that too much of a bad thing will kill you.

At least that’s the hope of Art Helton - political dinosaur, Democratic kingmaker and frequent target of opponents looking to tank the campaigns of candidates with whom he is associated.

Over the weekend, Helton was again the main character in the latest in a string of negative advertisements and vicious smear campaign tactics targeting the candidates he and the New Harford Democratic Club are supporting in the Nov. 6 Aberdeen municipal election. Continue reading Artfully Done: How To Win An Election The Wrong Way

Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off

As of 9 o’clock this morning life is officially back to normal in Aberdeen.

Well, as normal as can be expected in a city where the gun-toting, airplane-flying mayor is being taken on by a 19-year-old college student, the best source of potable water is straight from the Bay and a Hall of Fame baseball player has nearly bankrupt the place.

Ignoring the advice of his lawyer and legal counsel, who still believe his case to be winnable, Steve Johnson, the would-be city council candidate who may or may not live in Aberdeen, has decided to officially abandon his quest to appear on the Nov. 6 election ballot.

That’s right, I said Nov. 6. Because of Johnson’s decision to withdraw his injunction, he believes the election can proceed as originally planned instead of being postponed until February 2008 or later.

“More important than my candidacy is for this election to go off on time,” Johnson said in an interview Sunday afternoon. Continue reading Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off

The Day the Election Stood Still (updated)

Experts say the most important thing to remember in a hostage situation is to not attempt to negotiate or argue with the hostage taker.

They also recommend against making threats, demands or personal attacks as a means to diffuse the situation.

On Thursday, the Aberdeen City Council got about half the guidelines right – avoiding direct confrontation with the man holding its future hostage, but at the same time laying into him with a savage display of public repugnance.

You see, as of Wednesday afternoon, would-be council candidate Steve Johnson and his team of lawyers and political advisors effectively took the Aberdeen election hostage. Continue reading The Day the Election Stood Still (updated)

A Fair Aberdeen Election?

You’ve no doubt heard about it by now, so here it is for your perusal – the full contents of the mysterious letter mailed Saturday to registered voters in the City of Aberdeen.

What’s so curious about the letter is the entity which purportedly mailed it, Concerned Citizens For a Fair Aberdeen Election, used the address for another prominent citizens group, Aberdeen Communities Together.

The letter, as you can see for yourself, asks for Art Helton, a former state senator and member of the New Harford Democratic Club; Steve Johnson, chairman of the city’s Economic Development Commission and a potential city council candidate if the Harford County Circuit Court validates his candidacy; and Steve’s wife, Julie, to be taken off the city voter rolls. The back of the letter contains a petition for citizens to fill out and mail to city elections judge and former city council president Gina Bantum regarding the rights of the trio to participate in Aberdeen elections. Continue reading A Fair Aberdeen Election?

Candidate Zero’s condition upgraded to Candidate Maybe (update)

Forced to keep quiet before the court of public opinion during last week’s Aberdeen candidate forum, Steve Johnson will get a chance to speak out today (Monday) in a much more official court when he makes his plea to be certified as a candidate for city council in the Nov. 6 election.

Johnson, chairman of Aberdeen’s Economic Development Commission, owner of Johnson Family Pharmacy in downtown Aberdeen and, until recently, thought to be a resident of Perryman, was invalidated by the city’s Elections Board last week, but will take the issue today (Monday) before the Harford County Circuit Court.

Under the city charter, candidates for elected office in Aberdeen must have resided within the municipal boundaries of the city for a minimum of two years. It is well known Johnson has been living outside the city (he acknowledged as much before us and a group of exasperated city residents a year or so ago). It is just as well known that this particular piece of election law is easily worked around. Continue reading Candidate Zero’s condition upgraded to Candidate Maybe (update)