With the election in the history books and dust from campaign season starting to settle, Aberdeen’s candidates have finally found the time to reflect on their victories, defeats, and futures.
After 6 years on the city council, Mike Hiob considered leaving elected office altogether, but some chance conversations (with Gov. Martin O’Malley, several prominent local elected officials, and his wife, Barb, among others) convinced him to go all-or-nothing – taking the chance of losing his council seat with a run for mayor.
Hiob was defeated by incumbent Mayor Mike Bennett by about 150 votes, but said he was not angry or upset by his loss. Even though he was disappointed with the results, Hiob is excited about the opportunities it will open up for spending more time with his family, completing long-overdue projects around the house, and strumming his guitar more frequently.
Here are Hiob’s farewell comments as read, with some additional improvisation, ...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.
Interview with Aberdeen City Council candidate Zenobia Todd:
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 successful in your election bid, what do you hope your legacy will be when you leave public office? How do you want to be remembered?
I want to be remembered for having a legacy that consists of the following:
Having educated constituents by making more public resources and information to help them live their lives daily (as it relates to public services).
Increasing term limits for City Council members.
Supporting initiatives of “green” development of entertainment investments such as:
A movie theatre
A dinner theatre
A skating rink
Tourism related ...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.
