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 been there for 10 years. I served on the fourth of July committee as a rep from the fire department. I would like to be a town commissioner for a couple reasons the budget is the most important finding way to trim the budget that makes good business sense. Another reason that I am running is that Bel Air Police Department needs some upgrades to their building not 5 million dollars worth but some upgrades are long overdue. I believe that the reason that the 5 million dollar project to town hall was put on the back burner till the election is over to save a couple peoples position.
2.) The town budget has more than doubled this decade. How do you feel this has benefited the town, and how would you handle the budget as commissioner?
The budget is a problem I don’t have the numbers in front of me but the two people that are on there now have seen the number double and have done nothing about it. I would spend the town of Bel Air money like it was our last dollar and we needed to save as much as possible.
3.) The commissioners recently voted to table plans to renovate the town hall. Do you support renovations, and how can the town manage costs and facility shortcomings?
I support renavevotions but not spending 5 million dollars I believe that we can make town hall look like the library and not spend the proposed amount. We need to sit down and figure out the budget most of Bel Air citizens are on a fixed income and don’t need their taxes to go up anymore. Stop the raising of taxes!!!!!!!!!!
4.) The town recently completed a renovation of Main Street. Do you feel this has benefited the community, and how should the town handle the logistical problems or improve the town economy in the future?
Main street looks great the project cost small business owners on main street a lot of money but the project looks great. We need to keep the business open on main street and fill the vacant buildings with some type of business. The first step is down make main street look good the second step is to bring in the people.
5.) Why do you think you are a better choice for town commissioner than either of the incumbents?
I believe that I would be a better commissioner for the town of Bel Air because I have a vested interest in Bel Air. My kids are going to grow up and live in Bel Air I want to make sure that they can afford to live in Bel Air. I want to be sure that the public is protected by the best police and fire department in the country. We as commissioners need to support the police and fire department not cut their budget. In closing vote Davis on November 3 for town commissioner, Thank You.
I support renavevotions, too!!! And excessive exclamation points!!!
I like ti idea that he is going to spend my tax dollars as if they were his own. That in itself gets my vote. Carey and Preston have been there too long and don’t see things objectively anymore nor have they cared how they sppend my money.
Candidate Davis makes a lot of sense. It’s refreshing to see and hear a down-to-earth, common sense approach. He appears to have integrity and a solid ethical core values. He gets my vote.
So if Ricky Davis is elected will the Bel Air Police still respond to 3 or 4 loud party complaints a day coming from his residence during the summer months? Or does being a commissioner grant him full immunity?
During The Summer 3 or 4 complaints a day would be over 280 parties…This man works sometimes over 80 hours a week, he goes to all his boys summer activities and responds to an exuberent number of emergency calls each and every month. If you really beleive that Labor day, 4th of July and memoral day are not a reason for parties maybe you should get a life and maybe you should volunteer your time doing something constructive and mind your own business.Ricky is very considerate of other people and their feelings…he always has been and always will be…I should know…He’s my son..and I very proud to tell you so!
Ms. Catherine: I think your son did an outstanding job at the forum last night. I had never met him previous to last night and only knew of him from this website but he completely won me over with his enthusiasm, genuineness and it is quite apparent that he has put a lot of his heart and soul into his quest to be elected a Town Commissioner. Not only does he have charisma, he is completely aware of the issues facing Bel Air and he provides real solutions to some of the problems. Irish and Trojans34 are obviously disgruntled neighbors who have a personal grudge against your son. People like that are idiots and you just have to take what they say for what it is—nonsense. Your son has my vote and I really believe him when he says he can make our town better. You did a great job raising your son!
thank you, I think so too!!!!
Sandy is now living in Bel Air.
Not to mention that obnoxiously loud truck that wakes up the entire neighborhood every morning at 5:30 sharp. Vote Preston!
J. Zorz
USC Alum ’73
at least he is a working man unlike Preston who has never worked a day in his life
I respect work ethic greatly and admire his commitment to the fire and police services, I just don’t believe he has the experience necessary to make the best decisions for our town.
J.Zorz
USC Alum ’73
That is debatable but look at where the supposedly “experienced” candidates have left the Town budget. I’ll take a fresh look at things every time. Another 4 years of Carey and Preston is just going to cost TOO MUCH!!
You need to get used to the eastern time zone. After last night, as bad as the format was, you saw just how badly Preston and Carey are looking for votes. They changed most of their positions to win votes, Carey on the same issue during the “forum”. Vote Davis and Adolph.
Why do you think the format was bad? I thought it went as it was supposed to go–no back and forth between candidates and constituents, no bickering, just an equal opportunity for the candidates to answer the questions. I thought the format was on target. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have gotten to as many questions as they did had it be formatted otherwise.
I like Davis and Adolph but the format didn’t give anyone an opportunity to question Carey and Preston on the stuff they said that was only half true, typical political double talk.
if he was responding to an emergency at your home or the home of one of your loved ones whould it be too loud then?
Dear Catherine,
You were certainly right about your son. You have a lot to be proud of and I hope my letter that I am trying to send about Rick gets through.
Sincerely,
Dee Roday-Simms
THIS IS THE LETTER I AM HAVING TROUBLE SENDING…
It has been almost two years since I wrote a long blog about my relationship with Rick Davis, who was then running for Town Commissioner. I’d like to take this opportunity to update and modify my comments about him.
Within the last two weeks I have had the opportunity to REALLY talk to Rick. The catalyst for our talk was our dogs getting out of our respective yards. I recently received 2 citations from Animal Control because my extremely smart 14 month old Labs work diligently to get out of the yard the moment I leave no matter how hard I try to reinforce the existing chain link fence. (These are rescue dogs. No good deed goes unpunished.)
Rick has a Jack Russell who also is adept at getting out of his well-fenced yard. When that dog gets out, I have called the Bel Air Police ~ not to complain ~ but to ask them to get in touch with him to let him know his dogs are out. Fifteen minutes later he usually pulls up and puts them away. About two weeks ago his Jack Russell got out he was extremely aggressive towards me, confronting me on my driveway advancing with teeth bared and I was using a chair and an umbrella to keep him from getting any closer to me. I again called the BAPD to ask them to get in touch with Rick and after Rick put them away he drove his truck over to my driveway and said, “I’m sorry about the dogs Dee.” and that’s how the dialogue started.
I have to admit that the Rick that I talked with that day is a very different person (to me) then the Rick I first encountered 9 years ago. So in fairness, it has been almost 10 years and things do change with time. And it didn’t occur to me until after our talk that when Rick moved in he was only 27 years old! (I can’t emphasize enough that Rick was only 27! How come I didn’t realize that until this week??? OMG!)
Most 27 year old guys today are still living with and mooching from their parents ~ and Rick, (with his wife Kristine, and 2 toddler boys) moved into a house that needed a lot of work and he has made it into a show place. I have to admit… it is beautiful. The pool is one of the biggest I have ever seen even at public pools! (In hind-sight the noise from those first pool parties was over the top and very hard for a widow {whose bedroom window is in direct line with his pool area} to deal with, but they have long since calmed down to the point where even his July 4th party this year was low-key.)
Even the cars/trucks (some formerly referred to as obnoxious/noisy) are now almost whisper quiet. (My Camry muffler is broken and makes more noise that any of the vehicles they presently have.) Rick apparently listened to the complaints and had acted on them.
As Rick has matured and gotten past the initial proud-new-owner-of-a-fabulous pool that is worthy of showing off, I must admit that it has not been bad at all. (Sometimes as you age, you get so angry over things that you don’t realize that they have improved ~ the old anger wells up and takes over without merit. I stand corrected and I have decided that Rick works hard and if he wants to occasionally play just as hard, and have a loud party, I’ll do my best to ignore it.)
Everything that I, and others, complained about has lessened or stopped and I just wanted to acknowledge that for a many reasons. Most importantly because during the course of our “talk” Rick mentioned that he was never going to run for Town Commissioner again.
I hope he reconsiders. Rick Davis has matured and is now the Assistant Chief of the BAVFD, is a hard-working self-made man that has reached out to me and obviously every one else in the neighborhood. I found Rick to be open and willing to bend over back-wards to improve relations. Rick deserves all the credit for this “healing” which indicates maturity beyond his years. Even after all we’ve been through he actually invited me to a party at this house and really meant it! (That takes a big person because as awkward as it would be for me ~ I know he genuinely wants conditions to improve not only for me, but for everyone.)
I wish I could say I was the “bigger” person in all of this but I can’t. Rick deserves the credit for hanging in there until our discussion became a work in progress. In my grief of watching my husband die a slow painful death by the ounce during his losing battle of lung cancer in October of 2002, I may have still associated the loss with the exuberance of the young Davis family who moved in July 2002 filled with hopes and dreams and the future spread out before them bringing more happy noise than I could handle in my unhappy grief. I didn’t realize that this has contributed to the chasm between Rick and I since the very beginning. (The fact that my house, which wasn’t in great shape before my husband died, continues to deteriorate without the income to improve anything adds to the chasm but I never stop doing the best I can.)
When our discussion began I incorrectly accused Rick of being out of touch. Rick told me that he was not “spoon fed”, and that everything he has built up he has done on his own. (I can relate to that. I am one of six kids, and my parents did not give any of us any help once we were old enough to get out and get a job. In fact, we were required to hand over any money we earned while still living at home!) The bottom line is that I have no one to help me. I live on a fixed low income and I am doing the best I can and I am getting older by the minute. The amount of upkeep on my aging house is too much for me to handle but I can’t move ~ no one would want to buy my house.
In conclusion I’d like to say that his mother and father have a wonderful son, his wife has a wonderful husband, and his boys have a wonderful father and WE have a wonderful neighbor who risks his life and his very own skin every time he answers a fire call ~ which is every single time it goes off. Even when the siren doesn’t go off ~ I have a front row seat to the number of times I see Rick run out of his house and jump into a vehicle and is a first responder. It can be brutally hot or brutally cold, in howling wind, in the middle of the night or during a must see Raven’s game, and he is out the door and on his way in mere minutes. He may have just returned but if the call goes out, Rick responds.
He is a credit to his family, the BAVFD and the town… which brings me to: if you are a friend of Rick, ask him to consider running for Town Commissioner at least one more time. If he does I hope he will consider my front lawn worthy to be the recipient of his biggest sign. Rick has demonstrated maturity and as a hard working self-made man, knows the value of a hard earned dollar and is the kind of man we need in this county. He can certainly count on my support in any way.
Sincerely,
Dolores (Dee) Roday-Simms
J Zo: That sound you hear isn’t Ricky’s truck–it’s Dave “Wienie Boy” Mitchell firin’ up the rotisserie getting ready to grill himself some breakfast snausages for him and Rob Preston to nibble on.
Its the guys work truck, leave him alone
HCC Alum ’84
I wonder if the loud truck at 530 am every morning is not Mitchell heading to retrieve additional hotdogs for the next loud party at the Davis Residence during the summer months, or is it Davis himself running from his residence is anticipation of the Bel Air Police Reponse, after hearing of such on his fire scanner.
I keep hearing about party’s at the davis residence where is the proof, has anyone filed for that info from Bel Air Police. No I didnt think so, if there is a problem than prove it. If there was a problem my guess is the Aegis or the Dagger would run a story about the amount of calls to his house, and I have not seen this as of yet. These papers have a right to request calls to a residence, it would make a good story if it was true, but it seems pretty far fetched
Whether the police have record of it or not, this guy throws some bangin’ parties. Of course there will be some “disgruntled” neighbors but whats wrong with some fun? In my mind he has secured that ever important 18-24 vote. It’d worked for Obama, hopefully it works for Ricky.
Good luck!
Crimson
I just hope I get invited sometime. Sounds like a great time. If he is that much fun, he gets my vote.
all the calls are from the SAME neighbor. She also put a video recorder in one of her trees to record what goes on at Rick’s house. Invasion of privacy? I should think… but Rick is too busy for such drivel.
Thats a great voting strategy. The candidate with the best party gets your vote? Real logical when choosing people with power…
Would be fine by me. Preston and Carey would have no chance. Adoloh doesn’t look like he could throw a party either. Atleast Mitchell will have some of BA’s best hot dogs. He and Mr. Davis should team up and throw a pre-election party to sway some of the nonbelievers! I’d be there.
If Mr.Davis’s slogan is “serve and protect small town values”, since when have obnoxious parties and loud trucks become good small town qualities? I’m just looking for someone with experience to be in this position. With the amount of political sign’s I see when I travel through the town it almost seems like a popularity contest.
The “experienced” candidates have created a payroll of almost $8 million out of a total budget of $12 million. What exactly are you getting for your tax dollars that makes you think the new guys won’t do as well as the “experienced” ones?
If it becomes a popularity contest, who you rather be around a guy who works hard and likes to have some fun or a lawyer? How wild do you really think Davis is? He has small kids, works ungodly hours for BGE and when he is not working, he volunteers his time as a fireman. I admire the fact that he has any energy left to do anything. Ease up a little, there is always 2 sides to everything. Unless you’ve seen it, don’t believe it.
Okay okay, but another factor, if “there is always 2 sides to everything”, is how is Mr.Davis going to have time to attend meetings and review subjects brought up at these meetings? If he is working 80 hours a week and volunteering his time at the fire house, how much time is left? I’m not degrading the fact Davis is a hard working man and is providing for his family and volunteering his time to protect our town, but if elected commissioner, is his main focus going to be on his duties as a commissioner?
You make the time for what is really important to you. We all do it and this is obviously important to Davis. I admire that. It is what made Davis one of the candidates I’ll vote for. (other is Adolph)
The “new guys” have no idea what is going on. I guess you are expecting an Obama, when what we have is perfectly fine.
Perfectly fine? Carey was just quoted saying the $1.5 million BAHS auditorium was a mistake and that he’d cut the funding for parks and rec and the fire department. (aegis 10/28) Those 2 only get about $200k a year from the Town. I know the new guys are going to look at all the costs and reduce payroll where appropriate, something Carey and Preston will not do. What would a private company do first to cut costs?
It’s closer to $250K for FY ’10.
When you’re dealing with cutbacks and deficits (no deficits in the Town budgets BTW)they SHOULD cut wherever they can. Whether it’s the $153K to the volunteer fire company (no wonder they don’t have to hold pancake breakfasts) or the $92K to P&R.
I don’t agree with Mr Carey on a lot of things, but he’s right on the BAHS Auditorium as well. A boondoggle for as much use as the Town will get out of it…
Agreed but Carey supported the $1.5m auditorium. You’d have thought $10k per seat would have tipped him off but apparently not. Now is not the time for him to admitting what we already knew unless he has resigned himself to defeat on Nov 3.
Look at the Dagger poll. Apparently not everyone thinks things are “perfectly fine”.
First of all, who we have are not perfectly fine. Secondly, if elected, it’s not as though the “new guys” will be on their own–they have the other experienced Commissioners to show them the ropes. I expect now that someone will be critizing the sitting commissioners…..
My hope is that with new members sitting on the board, the members who are fiscally responsible will outnumber those that are not. If I remember correctly there were ALOT of 4-1 votes.
Haha – you guys don’t understand – Carey said yes to EVERYTHING up until now!! It’s not his money, he doesn’t care. He loves the appreciation he gets from the recipients of the money. $3,500 for a town employee Christmas party??? Are you KIDDING ME!!!
Watching the Bel Air Candidate’s forum online. Just woke up – is Adolph still talking?
Seriously, I think he was just nervous, but he’s gotta get better at speaking at these things.
DEAR DAGGERPRESS. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT I HAVE BEEN THROUGH WITH THE CANDIDATE RUNNING FOR TOWN COMMISSIONER ON SMALL TOWN VALUES. UNTIL THEN, ALLOW ME TO VENT AS FOLLOWS:
Dear Daggerpress readers. I’m not hiding behind a user name. My name is Dolores and I live on Irish Road, right around the corner from Rick Davis. I am brand new to this site (went on this site for the first time yesterday looking for voting information and was shocked to see that I was being unfairly written about as making the blog entries re: loud party complaints about Rick Davis.) Remember that I am a private citizen and not running for public office and should be treated with deference.) Therefore I want to go on record that while I support what: bel air resident, irish and the enforcer say, I did NOT make those entries about Rick Davis. I had no idea I had any vocal support from other neighbors so I applaud them. So please note, that it is not just one person doing all the complaining. (Everyone else complains to me but the other women living alone are too afraid to incur his anger. I’m afraid of him too but I have nothing left to lose. The noise and mayhem at his residence for the past 7 years is outrageous and since my yard backs up to his I am the most directly affected.) So please, thanks for the blogs, but have the courage to come forward and start calling and complaining about the total disregard Rick has for those neighbors with no voice. Keep in mind ~ based on the other blog complaints ~ only this complaint is from me but it’s a doozy cause I have a lot to say and now with Rick Davis running publicly, I can go public too.
On Monday October 26, 2009 when the town commissioner’s were asked what makes them a good neighbor, Rick Davis’ last response was that he cuts grass and trims trees. What he failed to mention was that in the 7 years that he has been my neighbor that the BAPD calls of complaint to his house for disturbing the peace and excessive noise at yet another of his outdoor parties, have been so numerous that we’ve all lost count. This IS a matter of record but not available to the public and he knows this. Maybe the Daggerpress could help with this.
I write this with fear and trepidation but I feel that it is my civic duty to alert the public to the persona of a person that dares to run under the motto of SMALL TOWN VALUES. The fact that he is running for public office allows me the opportunity to go public about the abuse of power Rick Davis displays as an officer of the BAVFD. I can’t imagine what he would do, with Town Commissioner, added in.
I am a widow, barely surviving on a very low fixed income paying county AND town taxes and 7 years ago (July 2002) as my husband was dying of cancer at our house on Irish Road, Rick Davis moved directly behind me. If the way he treats me is any indication of how he wants to SERVE AND PROTECT SMALL TOWN VALUES…GOD HELP US! The parties at this house started immediately. The first one, BEFORE he built the Olympic size HEATED pool that is open from St. Patty’s day until after Halloween (yes, it is still open… is yours? I can barely afford to heat one hot water heater… where does he get the money to heat that much water? I have witnessed steam rising!!!! I have also seen him in street clothes up on a BGE pole in his yard. The first time was on 11/13/04 @ 14:43 PM, coinciding just about the time when the pool was nearing completion. Hmmm. Is it okay for a BGE employee to do his own work or just another example of his modus operandi, like using official town letterhead and using a phony Fiscal department to advertise and further his own political cause?) I digressed… the very first party had amplified karaoke singing and for good measure, while the guests had the mike, we were treated to amplified cursing and multiple screams of “BUNGHOLE”!!! I remember that word because I had never heard it before! Before it was over, we saw our brand new neighbor (Rick) run across several lawns after a car that was leaving from his party. As it backed up into a driveway he ran up to it and with his fist smashed in the window. We learned later that it was his brother! He then left the glass for others to clean. For the mostly elderly that live on Irish, we knew we were “in for it” but had no idea how bad it would or could get.
With all due respect to Catherine, who it says is Rick’s mother, she does not know what he is like when she is not around. I refer to her entry “all the calls are from the SAME neighbor. She also put a video recorder in one of her trees to record what goes on at Rick’s house. Invasion of privacy? I should think… but Rick is too busy for such drivel.”
My response is: DRIVEL??? What mom doesn’t know is that there was no attempt made by Rick to keep the nudity at the parties he was having at the time, private so the privacy statement doesn’t apply. He does this without fear of impunity because he seems to have total immunity from the BAPD. One summer Friday night several years back, when his wife and kids were out of town and his mom, I hope, was not there ~ about 10 guys lined up at the edge of the pool, and on the ‘count of 3’ took off their swim trunks and dove in followed by some of the women, then as others followed suit, some only bare-breasted, proceeded to parade around and then Rick turned on all the strobe lights and for good measure picked up a spot light and illuminated various women as they walked around. Of course the red-blooded guys were yelling and whooping and screaming at the top of their lungs, each time a new female was illuminated. Who could blame them?
I have no problem with people having fun but keep in mind that this occurred in an older, mostly elderly neighborhood. Rick’s pool sits up very high, and so is highly visible to me and is directly behind my house. His privacy ends when mine is invaded. On the second consecutive Friday night while his wife, I think, was still out of town, it happened again. At the time of the “video” I was advised to get some validation not only about the public nudity but more importantly the excessive noise and music louder than any at Rockfield Park that was occurring at 510 Courtland Place on a regular basis NOT ONLY IN SUMMER! I didn’t go to any great lengths to hide what I was doing and Rick went ballistic, called the BAPD on me, while every guy there proceeded to hang over his fence calling me an f*ing bitch and screaming other degrading names. I am not surprised that Mom heard about the “video” BUT NOT about what prompted it. His guests would not do in their neighborhoods what they do in mine. Yet I don’t blame them, I blame Rick because it’s his residence and he encourages this behavior. He sets the tone.
Five of his initial closest neighbors have moved away since he moved in. Most of the new neighbors are his friends. His wife seems nice, and I’m sure his mother is too, but Rick never made any attempt to be friendly to me. NONE! My husband left me with crushing oncology medical bills because he had lost his job just before being diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and I struggle just to pay my BGE and very high double town/county taxes and my house is in dire need of repairs that I can’t afford; therefore, my house is not in a sellable condition. I wish to God that it were so that I could move too. I am a senior citizen. The noise from his parties infiltrate every room in my small house. I cannot escape the noise. And as for there being a record of the calls to his house… it IS a matter of record IF YOU ARE PRIVY TO IT.
He does get the police calls on his scanner and knows when they are coming but the calls to his house are so numerous that I wouldn’t even venture a guess as to the numbers. When the police come it’s treated as a joke. “Hey everybody, say hi to the POLE-LEE man.” And basically it is, because the police won’t even give him a slap on the wrist which is why when I call them I mention that Rick brags that “they” won’t do anything but I want to go on record and have them come out anyway. Then not only is Rick told who made the call but what I say! How about that for invasion of privacy.
TO WHIT: I was not fully aware of the power that Rick Davis had until this past Memorial Day weekend. On the Friday night before Memorial Day, I called the BAPD for a second request for an officer to go to 510 Courtland because the noise was louder than my lawn mower! I look up from mowing my lawn, to see that I am being visited by 3 police cars. One officer has a decibel meter and is on my front lawn. (Not out back where my bed room is and the noise is over-powering.) They tell me they have a new Mediation program and would I be interested in participating. I told them that Officer R. attempted that previously, and Ricky came over, but refused to shake hands and spit tobacco juice on my front patio while lying though his teeth that he has tried to be friends and his wife baked cookies when my husband died. Trust me, this did not occur! Then he went off about how I hated it when he put up his fence! (He’s delusional! I wish it were higher and soundproofed!!) It was a total waste of time.
Officer H. left to deliver the mediation form to Rick Davis and I went into my house to get away from the noise. I heard loud banging on my door and assumed it was Officer H. reporting back. I went outside only to find Ricky on my front lawn waving his arms wildly and yelling loudly: “What’s up D? You’d better stop calling the police and wasting their time. The reason the cops ‘don’t do anything’ is because I haven’t done anything wrong! (PLEASE NOTE: THAT THE POLICE OBVIOUSLY HAVE TOLD RICK NOT ONLY WHEN I CALL BUT WHAT I SAY WHEN I MAKE THE CALL.) So much for privacy when you call to make a complaint about him. This freedom of information disseminated does not apply to me though. They are only protective of him. Let me remind you that I am a widow, living alone with no one to protect me and Ricky (who had obviously been drinking) came over to confront me with absolutely no fear that anyone would stop him, not even BAPD.
He threatened me again and said that if I called the cops on him again that he was going to sue me for harassment and I was going to feel pretty stupid in court! Then he threatened me again and said I shouldn’t be wasting the time of the BAPD by making them answer complaint calls. I looked over and there on my driveway was another man who was a complete stranger to me. (I guess Rick needed “moral” support because he knew what he was doing was not smart.) I asked them both to please leave and they wouldn’t! (Let me see you try that with him. What do you think he would do if you went on his property and/or confronted his wife when he wasn’t there? But because they knew I did not have a man there to protect me he felt entitled to come on my property and yell at me! Are you listening voters?) For some reason, Rick Davis thinks he is above the law…. apparently the same one he wants to serve and protect! The fact that Rick Davis thinks that trespassing, confronting a widow older than his mother, and threatening her on her own property is his idea of small town values, speaks volumes!!! (He is a big bully used to getting his own way. I totally understand a mother defending her son; however, with all due respect, his mother doesn’t see the side of Rick that his neighbors see when she isn’t present.) Read on.
I asked the other man what his name was and he wouldn’t give it to me even though he was trespassing! He began to add his 2 cents (although he doesn’t even know me!) while Rick continued to rant and threaten me until I made the comment that ‘one lies and the other one swears to it’ and they finally left but not before Rick threatened to “FIRE UP HIS LAWNMOWER” and put in by my fence 24/7 if I continued to complain about the noise. Is this threat at vindictiveness at its’ finest, exemplary behavior from an officer in the BAVFD much less one running for Town Commissioner on: SERVE & PROTECT SMALL TOWN VALUES? You make the call.
I immediately called the BAPD and told them that I had been threatened and wanted to report it and wanted a report filed. They declined to do so. I went up to the police station later that night because I was still upset. I asked to speak to the Officer H. and he came back and was polite but used the broken-record technique and continually refused my requests for a written report. I asked to speak to the supervisor, Officer C. who was there, right behind the door where I could see him just standing there during the entire time I was there, and he sent out word that he was too busy to talk to me. I asked three separate times in addition to my request by phone. In the end, they all declined to write a report about Ricky Davis who came onto a widow’s property and threatened her! I have lived in Harford County since my parents moved here in 1957. Do you think this is an example of small town values being protected and served? And how can I depend on the BAPD to ever help me when the person I need protection from is Rick Davis?
Using town letterhead using a phony Fiscal title is an apparent example of his ways of doing business. This guy just seems to have too much gray area in his life. The end justifies the means. He has shot fireworks (illegal rockets) in my yard that have hit my house! (I still have the burned remnants). When he was building his pool area, the BAVFD ambulance was seen delivering supplies! He gave the finger to a neighbor who attempted to get him to slow down when he roared through the stop sign in our residential area. Fact is, I have found his attitude is basically the equivalent of “giving the finger” to anyone who dares to stand up to him so very few do. Would you want to piss off a vindictive high ranking BAVFD member? That’s what all my neighbors say when they complain to me about him but say they are too afraid to go on record. Amen. I’m scared too but I have had it. I have spent 7 awful years as his closest neighbor. Would you incur the wrath of someone who is as high up as he is in the BAVFD? My husband is deceased. I am alone fighting an uphill battle. Please do not give this man any more power than he already has. And if he is elected, I am going on record that other town commissioners and officials govern him from being vindictive to me and others with whom he has a personal vendetta.
I am struggling to keep my property up because I have had extensive water damage in my basement, with more when it rains, and do not have a garage or carport to store what could be salvaged and so use the only thing I could think of to help me cope with my losses: clear plastic boxes. I know it’s not an ideal situation and I work at it constantly when I am not working at my two jobs away from home, but he has called every agency he could to make my life even harder than it has to be. He misuses his power even as a ordinary citizen ~ if he is elected ~ I am afraid for what will surely escalate. In addition to the illegal rocket fireworks, he has thrown decayed animals into my yard, golf balls, etc. and their broken toys so it is clear that he is not about serving. His dislike for me was evident from the first time I tried to say hello. He does not respect women. We’ve heard him talk to his wife with great disrespect and refer to her as his slave, so I am not surprised that he treats me so poorly.
A new neighbor on Irish Road called the BAPD and complained about the noise and said that he wanted to join the BAVFD if that’s all it took to be above the law. (FYI! I am aware that the police and fire department work in tandem and as a result are protective of each other. I totally get that and I apologize to all policemen and volunteer firefighters who legitimately uphold our safety; however, Rick Davis is a man with way too much gray area and should not be aided and abetted by the police. I am very concerned about what he will do to me if elected; therefore, I am going on record that if the Bel Air Police Department continue to look the other way at Davis’ improprieties I am publicly asking the town commissioners to intercede for my safety and peace of mind with the BAPD. He cannot continue to get away with his antics (when the BAPD come out and ask him to turn the music down they do until they leave and then they play games turning it up and down while yelling “BITCH”. How petty and childish but yet another example of Small Town Values in his eyes.) without someone knowing about it.
DID YOU KNOW that as a member of BAVFD Rick is exempt from paying taxes??? Though my house has the least value, his pool has increased my property taxes and in addition to county taxes, I must also pay town taxes! As a tax paying citizen shouldn’t I be entitled to peace, quiet and the protection from the Bel Air Police?
I have lived at 7 Irish Road since 1971. I have never previously had any major problem until Rick Davis moved into the neighborhood in July of 2002. Prior to this I wrote letters of praise for the BAVFD and one for the midnight shift at the BAPD during a period of negative press about them. I still have respect for Chief Matrangala and his force. I believe that his officers are in the middle when they make those calls to Rick Davis. They respect and admire members of the BAVFD but are either not aware (or choose to ignore for fear of getting on Rick Davis’ bad side) that one of those members is an extreme bully that needs reigning in! Rick has power and they know it.
I, on the other hand, am no one: just another old senior citizen making a call about noise and obviously easily dismissed; however, I am not taking this lightly. Based on Rick Davis’ bid to be Town Commissioner on SMALL TOWN VALUES, I will write to whoever I have to write to: TV, letters to the editor, newspaper, County Executive, the Governor, … to get the noise abatement laws changed in Bel Air, to protect us from those who don’t take their personal responsibility of excessive noise levels seriously. I have put up with it for seven long years and I am grateful that he is running for office so that I can publicly denounce his misuse and abuse of power. I will attend every Town Commissioner meeting with an update on any problems from him. I am asking Chief Matrangala to evaluate the double-standard that currently exists for the citizens of Bel Air. I am putting myself in jeopardy, therefore, if he is or isn’t elected, I am asking for protection from any vindictive actions from him, especially after this letter is published. I believe that the real reason Rick is running is to get more power to come down on anyone who thwarts him.
I have been made fun of and put down and lied about as someone who didn’t like them when they moved in. This is completely untrue. I am a very friendly person who is just trying to survive my hardship with a house that is falling apart with a pieced together privacy fence on less than $20,000. take home pay while trying to live month to month and pay off medical bills to boot. (Even his mother is referring to me disdainfully without ever hearing my side of what her son is like when she isn’t present. I feel trapped by the very person who is promising to SERVE and PROTECT SMALL TOWN VALUES.) I just wanted a little peace and tranquility in my waning years.
I didn’t start this. He threw down the gauntlet from day one when he only grunted when I attempted to exchange pleasantries with him. He did the same thing to Mary K. and Jean H. when they lived on the other side of him and they moved because of him. Prior to this, I had nice conversations with his wife, gave her some toy fire truck toys and vintage Hess trucks for her two sons who were just toddlers then. Before the pool was built, when she was having a yard sale out front, I saw her two sons climb the older short fence out back and ran after them and got to them just before being attacked by the Akita next door. I love dogs and asked his wife for permission to pet their puppy as my husband was dying under hospice medication and I needed to just take a minute to do something uplifting without straying too far from the house. She said of course but the very first time I went over, Kristine came out said Rick didn’t want me near their yard! I was crushed. I knew she knew how embarrassed and humiliated I felt because she later came over with some flowers and apologized for Rick’s behavior. He never once tried to be neighborly to me. Not once.
I love dogs. I asked if I could give her dog a treat and she said yes but then later, said that Rick said no and I immediately stopped, yet he never fails to bring up the fact that I gave his dog a treat as though this were the most horrible thing you could do!! I suspect Kristine didn’t tell him that she had said that I could. He’s just mean-spirited. I’m not ever allowed to pet his dogs who are so starved for attention that they try to get mine (though his cat makes my driveway his second home) and are left out in all kinds of weather. When they named their first dog STORM, they meant it. When they are outside, the dogs are inside, and vice-versa. The dogs whine and bark to get in but are ignored for hours and I have to listen to this too.
You must know that I know that I am putting myself in jeopardy. My family is concerned and I am concerned yet, at long last, I will not roll over and play dead because of the outrageous behavior of one person. In addition to the above abuses, you can also add that two years ago on the 4th of July as the fireworks were being set off at Rockfield Park directly across from his house, he and some of his guests were on the roof continuously banging on the metal chimney guard and some of the guys were screaming the “N” word because one black family dared to walk down Courtland! Gratefully, because of the noise from the fireworks an altercation was avoided because, though they were yelling it as loud as they could, only those closest to his house heard the racial slurs. Thank God! He has power, I have none; however, as they say, the pen is mightier than the sword! United we stand therefore, if anyone in the neighborhood hates the noise and aggravation please come forward and complain. This has got to stop and if he is elected we will have a better chance at getting him to comply because we can attend the meetings and openly complain.
As you read this, and you are fortunate enough to still enjoy the peace and tranquility of what living is Harford County used to be like, visualize how it would affect you if a new neighbor moved in, made no attempt to be friendly to any of the neighbors who lived closest to him when he moved in, built a very large heated pool open from St. Patty’s Day til after Halloween, added plenty of free-flowing booze and “X” number (and the corresponding steady stream of coming and going vehicles trying to find parking spots or roaring away) of volunteer fireman*, wives and girlfriends coming to yet another pool party on any given night ~ with a noise level that rivals any public pool in the county and you may begin to understand the dilemma! This is a residential area populated by quiet, law abiding families who are at the mercy of his loud guests who wouldn’t dare have the same kind of party IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS!! (*I don’t fault the other volunteer firemen and guests; however, because only Ricky Davis sets the tone. I’ll bet there is not one other member of the BAVFD who abuses his power like Rick Davis does.)
As the host, and high-ranking member of the BAVFD, he could insist on a modicum of decorum and respect for the rights of others, and it would be immediately complied with ~ but instead he encourages outrageous behavior by doing things like: setting off fireworks in his back yard that fell into my yard and beyond! (I still have the burned remnants of the rockets that flew against my house to remind me that my house could have caught on fire that night.) He feels so above the law that he is not even concerned about the seriousness of a second lieutenant of the Bel Air station firing illegal fireworks in a residential area during an extremely dry period. Again, this speaks volumes.
LET ME ALSO GO RECORD THAT I SUPPORT VOLUNTEER FIREMEN EVERYWHERE… so please don’t write nasty responses just because my beef is WITH ONE (albeit a very high ranking) member. What I have a problem with is one, only one, who thinks (and apparently is) he is above the law. When I went on-line and watched the video of the BAVFD trucks pulling up to the Landmark Drive fire my heart was pounding. I was so proud of them. Volunteers put their own precious skin on the line every day to save total strangers and they have my total respect and admiration; however, WITH APOLOGIES TO VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS WHO LEGITIMATELY RESPOND TO CALLS FOR THE RIGHT REASONS ~ NOT TO RACK UP NUMBERS ~ TO WIN FIRST RESPONDER OF THE YEAR TO BEAT HIS DADDY’S RECORD… LET ME TELL YOU THAT WHEN THAT SIREN OR PAGER GOES OFF YOU’D BETTER GET OUT OF HIS WAY BECAUSE IF YOU ARE AT THE INTERSECTION WHEN HE ROARS THROUGH A 3-WAY STOP SIGN WITHOUT SLOWING DOWN ~ HE WILL KILL YOU TO “SAVE” SOMEONE ELSE. THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN ADRENALINE JUNKIE AND A PERSON WHO TRULY CARES FOR HIS FELLOW MAN.
I’m sure that Rick Davis is not without some redeeming qualities but the side he shown to me is anything like one blogger described him: as having integrity and solid ethical core values. Try living next to him and not being on his favored list. He’ll make you wish you lived anywhere else.
if Rick Davis is or isn’t elected, I am going on record that other town commissioners and officials govern him from being vindictive to me and others with whom he has a personal vendetta ~ which I suspect is the real reason that he is running for Town Commissioner. Is anyone listening to those without power? Are there any citizens or officials out there who can help in our cause? What suggestions can you give us? We are powerless and need help. In conclusion, I can’t emphasize enough, nor ask enough, and so am asking yet again for protection from the wrath of Rick Davis. I’m tired of being his target.
Thank you for sharing Dolores. Ricky Davis is a redneck and has no business being an elected official. The Dagger should post your response on the main page for all to see.
It has been almost two years since I wrote a long blog about my relationship with Rick Davis, who was then running for Town Commissioner. I’d like to take this opportunity to update and modify my comments about him.
Within the last two weeks I have had the opportunity to REALLY talk to Rick. The catalyst for our talk was our dogs getting out of our respective yards. I recently received 2 citations from Animal Control because my extremely smart 14 month old Labs work diligently to get out of the yard the moment I leave no matter how hard I try to reinforce the existing chain link fence. (These are rescue dogs. No good deed goes unpunished.)
Rick has a Jack Russell who also is adept at getting out of his well-fenced yard. When that dog gets out, I have called the Bel Air Police ~ not to complain ~ but to ask them to get in touch with him to let him know his dogs are out. Fifteen minutes later he usually pulls up and puts them away. About two weeks ago his Jack Russell got out he was extremely aggressive towards me, confronting me on my driveway advancing with teeth bared and I was using a chair and an umbrella to keep him from getting any closer to me. I again called the BAPD to ask them to get in touch with Rick and after Rick put them away he drove his truck over to my driveway and said, “I’m sorry about the dogs Dee.” and that’s how the dialogue started.
I have to admit that the Rick that I talked with that day is a very different person (to me) then the Rick I first encountered 9 years ago. So in fairness, it has been almost 10 years and things do change with time. And it didn’t occur to me until after our talk that when Rick moved in he was only 27 years old! (I can’t emphasize enough that Rick was only 27! How come I didn’t realize that until this week??? OMG!)
Most 27 year old guys today are still living with and mooching from their parents ~ and Rick, (with his wife Kristine, and 2 toddler boys) moved into a house that needed a lot of work and he has made it into a show place. I have to admit… it is beautiful. The pool is one of the biggest I have ever seen even at public pools! (In hind-sight the noise from those first pool parties was over the top and very hard for a widow {whose bedroom window is in direct line with his pool area} to deal with, but they have long since calmed down to the point where even his July 4th party this year was low-key.)
Even the cars/trucks (some formerly referred to as obnoxious/noisy) are now almost whisper quiet. (My Camry muffler is broken and makes more noise that any of the vehicles they presently have.) Rick apparently listened to the complaints and had acted on them.
As Rick has matured and gotten past the initial proud-new-owner-of-a-fabulous pool that is worthy of showing off, I must admit that it has not been bad at all. (Sometimes as you age, you get so angry over things that you don’t realize that they have improved ~ the old anger wells up and takes over without merit. I stand corrected and I have decided that Rick works hard and if he wants to occasionally play just as hard, and have a loud party, I’ll do my best to ignore it.)
Everything that I, and others, complained about has lessened or stopped and I just wanted to acknowledge that for a many reasons. Most importantly because during the course of our “talk” Rick mentioned that he was never going to run for Town Commissioner again.
I hope he reconsiders. Rick Davis has matured and is now the Assistant Chief of the BAVFD, is a hard-working self-made man that has reached out to me and obviously every one else in the neighborhood. I found Rick to be open and willing to bend over back-wards to improve relations. Rick deserves all the credit for this “healing” which indicates maturity beyond his years. Even after all we’ve been through he actually invited me to a party at this house and really meant it! (That takes a big person because as awkward as it would be for me ~ I know he genuinely wants conditions to improve not only for me, but for everyone.)
I wish I could say I was the “bigger” person in all of this but I can’t. Rick deserves the credit for hanging in there until our discussion became a work in progress. In my grief of watching my husband die a slow painful death by the ounce during his losing battle of lung cancer in October of 2002, I may have still associated the loss with the exuberance of the young Davis family who moved in July 2002 filled with hopes and dreams and the future spread out before them bringing more happy noise than I could handle in my unhappy grief. I didn’t realize that this has contributed to the chasm between Rick and I since the very beginning. (The fact that my house, which wasn’t in great shape before my husband died, continues to deteriorate without the income to improve anything adds to the chasm but I never stop doing the best I can.)
When our discussion began I incorrectly accused Rick of being out of touch. Rick told me that he was not “spoon fed”, and that everything he has built up he has done on his own. (I can relate to that. I am one of six kids, and my parents did not give any of us any help once we were old enough to get out and get a job. In fact, we were required to hand over any money we earned while still living at home!) The bottom line is that I have no one to help me. I live on a fixed low income and I am doing the best I can and I am getting older by the minute. The amount of upkeep on my aging house is too much for me to handle but I can’t move ~ no one would want to buy my house.
In conclusion I’d like to say that his mother and father have a wonderful son, his wife has a wonderful husband, and his boys have a wonderful father and WE have a wonderful neighbor who risks his life and his very own skin every time he answers a fire call ~ which is every single time it goes off. Even when the siren doesn’t go off ~ I have a front row seat to the number of times I see Rick run out of his house and jump into a vehicle and is a first responder. It can be brutally hot or brutally cold, in howling wind, in the middle of the night or during a must see Raven’s game, and he is out the door and on his way in mere minutes. He may have just returned but if the call goes out, Rick responds.
He is a credit to his family, the BAVFD and the town… which brings me to: if you are a friend of Rick, ask him to consider running for Town Commissioner at least one more time. If he does I hope he will consider my front lawn worthy to be the recipient of his biggest sign. Rick has demonstrated maturity and as a hard working self-made man, knows the value of a hard earned dollar and is the kind of man we need in this county. He can certainly count on my support in any way.
Sincerely,
Dolores (Dee) Roday-Simms
What a beautiful letter. I don’t know either you or Mr. Davis but I do live in the Town of Bel Air. It is very heartwarming to read something positive like this during these times of struggle. Ms. Roday-Simms, you have truly humbled yourself by sharing this with The Dagger readers. I hope everyone takes a step back, looks around, and realize that we need each other more than ever. Perhaps some of your neighbors can come together and possibly help you with some chores around your house. And I certainly hope someone sends Mr. Davis a copy of your letter from the heart.
“Friday night several years back, when his wife and kids were out of town and his mom, I hope, was not there ~ about 10 guys lined up at the edge of the pool, and on the ‘count of 3’ took off their swim trunks and dove in followed by some of the women, then as others followed suit, some only bare-breasted, proceeded to parade around and then Rick turned on all the strobe lights and for good measure picked up a spot light and illuminated various women as they walked around.”
Sounds like there is going to be a heck of a victory party.
Wow let me say I feel terrible you are stuck in that situation. I knew Ricky was immature but him trying to intimidate you is horrible. The fact BAPD does not take your calls seriously has made me lose what little respect I had for them to begin with.
Ricky probably had a drunken bet with some of his redneck friends that he could become town commisioner and since he even has mom bs’ing everyone, there must be a lot at stake. Why else would someone like this try to run for a town commish spot.
I am on board. Win or lose, something should be done.
AW
Oh my God, Dolores, I only wish you had found this site earlier to let us all know about the true Ricky Davis. My heart goes out to you. I am not elderly but I can barely stand it when just a small group of neighbors has a party when I’m trying to sleep. I don’t know how you have managed to deal with all of this so far. I certainly hope that others affected by Mr. Davis will now step forward and follow your lead and not be intimidated any longer. Did you know that you can go to the District Court and get something called a Peace order which is similar to a protective order, only it is between persons not living in the same house. Perhaps this is something you should look into as Mr. Davis continually harasses you and this would be a court order signed by a judge so it would be from a higher power than the Bel Air PD. I sincerely hope that you will find some relief from this man or should I say child?
therapy session anyone??
My heart felt apologies go out to you. This is terrible. I have witnessed some of Rickys mayhem from my home on Lee Way, but i had no idea it was that extreme.
The Bel Air Police are cowards. They are too afraid to punish Rick, and they expect this little old lady to sit back in her rocker and fade away. keep fighting. Please.
I think everyone in town will look at Ricky differently now, and he can’t hide behind his good deeds anymore. Thank you for your bravery in coming out and showing the real Rick Davis.
I can’t believe what a NIGHTMARE this whole situation has been!! All of the neighbors need to band together on this and share our thoughts. STOP the insanity!!!
Perhaps this old lady needs to realize that young people will get together and party. I am one of Ricky’s neighbors, and I can say that 80% of this crapola the old bag has spewed is all false. It’s OK though Ricky, I have your back. I can’t wait to testify in court if he ever sues her for libel.