Rocky Rowland is running for County Commissioner President, Rocky is a real down to earth approachable guy who is not a politician but a long time resident of the County and recent retiree from the Government after over 30 years of service, Rocky is also a volunteer on several County commission boards. Visit his website at www.voterocky.com
St. Marys county Commisioner President position
- Thread starter mdemt
- Start date
I understand your fullhearted support of Rocky Rowland but I would also like to convey my strong support of Julie Randal's reelection. Mrs. Randall is a great individual who cares about people and the less fortunate. As commissioner president, she was able to form concensus and provided smart growth policies that have caused Lexington Park to flourish. Look at how advanced the area looks compared to four years ago. Mrs. Randall is evidently doing something right.
Remember the last board president? Barabara Thompson, a Republican, represented the epitome of what is wrong with St. Mary's County politics. She was such a disagreeable person that the board could not accomplish anything. All this occurred while all the commissioners were members of the same party. I am very lukewarm to the idea of ever electing another Republican to the board. There are too many factions within the party thus causing serious in-fighting as the last board displayed.
Mrs. Randall has helped St. Mary's services to become better and has allowed our county to move forward. No Republican, except maybe Shelby Quazo, can provide the forward thinking that Mrs. Randall does.
Remember the last board president? Barabara Thompson, a Republican, represented the epitome of what is wrong with St. Mary's County politics. She was such a disagreeable person that the board could not accomplish anything. All this occurred while all the commissioners were members of the same party. I am very lukewarm to the idea of ever electing another Republican to the board. There are too many factions within the party thus causing serious in-fighting as the last board displayed.
Mrs. Randall has helped St. Mary's services to become better and has allowed our county to move forward. No Republican, except maybe Shelby Quazo, can provide the forward thinking that Mrs. Randall does.
If you consider a bunch of tacky strip malls "advanced", then I guess you're right - Julie Randall did a great job.
She is a frightening little person, isn't she? But, hey! She looks good!
chris brugman
New Member
Obviously uninformed
The person saying all these positive things about Julie Randall is obviously misinformed or so blindly loyal that they wouldn't know the truth if it bit them on the rear. Why not ask Ms. Randall about the illegal $15,000 contract she gave to one of her friends to build the county's website in 1999, a contract that was not competed but given to her pal. Why not ask Ms. Randall about spending millions of dollars to pay off her campaign contributors with sweetheart land deals? Why not ask Ms. Randall about blowing a $13.8 million surplus, then leading the efforts to raise taxes at record levels? Why not ask Ms. Randall why she eliminated public forums on the first Tuesday of every month to silence her critics? I think you need to do your homework or just come clean as a blind, loyal follower of the democratic party.
The person saying all these positive things about Julie Randall is obviously misinformed or so blindly loyal that they wouldn't know the truth if it bit them on the rear. Why not ask Ms. Randall about the illegal $15,000 contract she gave to one of her friends to build the county's website in 1999, a contract that was not competed but given to her pal. Why not ask Ms. Randall about spending millions of dollars to pay off her campaign contributors with sweetheart land deals? Why not ask Ms. Randall about blowing a $13.8 million surplus, then leading the efforts to raise taxes at record levels? Why not ask Ms. Randall why she eliminated public forums on the first Tuesday of every month to silence her critics? I think you need to do your homework or just come clean as a blind, loyal follower of the democratic party.
Mrs. Randall has done a great job the past four years. Lexington Park is not tacky. The defense contractor bulidings and infusion of other commerical developments mark a step in the right direction for this county.
I have done my homework and do you know where the deficit is coming from Mr. Brugman? The national debt that has been spurned by this Republican Administration that cuts taxes (exactly the way that the GOP candidates want to) and raises spending. How could you ask me to do my homework after your awful tenure as a county commissioner. Do you remember saying soon into your tenure as commissioner: "I didn't think there was this much reading involved?" As for ethics violations, they always arise when a person in the power. She is on top of the mountain and everyone wants her down. If a Republican was on the board it would be the same. Politics is corrupt and you know it. As for the backroom deals, Mr. Brugman, didn't the executive sessions begin during your tenure? The essence of politics is backroom deals, deal with it.
I have done my homework and do you know where the deficit is coming from Mr. Brugman? The national debt that has been spurned by this Republican Administration that cuts taxes (exactly the way that the GOP candidates want to) and raises spending. How could you ask me to do my homework after your awful tenure as a county commissioner. Do you remember saying soon into your tenure as commissioner: "I didn't think there was this much reading involved?" As for ethics violations, they always arise when a person in the power. She is on top of the mountain and everyone wants her down. If a Republican was on the board it would be the same. Politics is corrupt and you know it. As for the backroom deals, Mr. Brugman, didn't the executive sessions begin during your tenure? The essence of politics is backroom deals, deal with it.
I must come to the defense of Chris Brugman. I voted for him (and Larry Jarboe) in the election he won and I was very pleased with my choice. Chris, you never did one thing to EVER make me feel embarrassed to say I voted for you. Some of your co-Commissioners were another story...
As for you, Dems, way to promote your candidate: "Yes, she did unethical things but it comes with the territory of being in power."
Care to "defend" any other Democrats while you're at it?
As for you, Dems, way to promote your candidate: "Yes, she did unethical things but it comes with the territory of being in power."
Care to "defend" any other Democrats while you're at it?
Christy
b*tch rocket
My personal opinion of Chris Brugman is that he has more integrity in his little finger than ANY of the current commissioners. If he ever ran for commissioner again he'd have my vote. I have a great deal of respect for Mr. Brugman and agree with his opinion of Shelby Guazzo.
chris brugman
New Member
ELECTIONS REPLY--PART 1
PART ONE
First, let me thank the folks that had kind words to say about me and the job I did as county commissioner. I sincerely appreciate it. Secondly, let me respond to Demsformd's comments, as soon as I stop laughing hysterically. OK, that took some time but here goes!
Dems, since when does the national deficit control local government spending? It doesn't!
Dems, if tax cuts increase government debt, how do you explain THE FACT that from 1994 to 1998, St. Mary's County had 4 consecutive years of tax cuts, funded education and public safety at record levels, yet still managed to end up with a $13.8 million surplus ($19 million if you count the 5% reserve set aside for bond ratings), all under Republican control. The answer is simple but something you try your hardest to ignore. (Some) Republicans can cut taxes and spend responsibly. We prioritized our budget, funded those priorities, and cut spending on frivolous waste. Did we miss a beat? Did any government services get interrupted? NO!
As far as my "awful tenure" as county commissioner, that is a matter of opinion and I'm sure you're not alone with yours. However, for those that don't rely on the local (Good ol' Boy) controlled media to spoon feed them their mis-information, for those that know the truth, they realize the enormous accomplishments we made in such a short time, one of which was to eliminate the corruption that was so rampant in county government.
To borrow a phrase from your beloved Bill and Hillary Clinton, "I don't recall" saying that I didn't realize there would be a lot of reading involved. But considering the absolute mess we inherited...multi-million dollar lawsuits against the county, a Comprehensive Land Use Plan, zoning ordinances, illegal land deals that we discovered and had to be cleaned up, the fiasco at the Nursing Home and the tax fraud that past boards had committed, and on...and on...and on... it is possible I said those words. However, at least I DID MY HOMEWORK and read what I needed to be an informed county commissioner. I'm not sure you can say that about this board.
You state, "ethics violations, they always arise when a person in the power. She (Randall) is on top of the mountain and everyone wants her down. If a Republican was on the board it would be the same." This statement is factually incorrect. Under the all Republican board, there WAS NEVER ONE DECISION MADE BY ANY COURT OF LAW THAT STATED WE VIOLATED THE ETHICS ORDINANCE. In fact, the ethics commission, all of whom were appointed by previous Democratic boards of county commissioners, never once had to warn us of even the most remote possibility of an ethics violation. The same can't be said about this board. They were found guilty by a court of law, so you deal with it. Again, you need to do your homework before making such ridiculous claims.
As far as Julie Randall being on top of the mountain and that being the reason people want to knock her down, that is such a childish claim I don't know where to begin. The fact is that I offered my support to Ms. Randall when she decided to run against Barbara Thompson. In fact, I am now ashamed to admit that I supported Ms. Randall when she ran for school board. However, when she decided to run a campaign of lies, distortions, personal attacks, and aligned herself with the same corrupt good ol' boys that have ran this county for generations, that is all the warning I needed to change my position and withdraw my support of her. After Ms. Randall was elected, she rewarded that support with illegal, non-competed contracts for her friends, she voted to spend millions of dollars to buy land from the same Democratic land developers who bankrolled her campaign, and she led the efforts to rid county government of honest, hard-working, ethical department heads whose only motives were to make county government honest and more efficient. So you see, my criticisms are NOT motivated by blind party loyalty nor by personal political agendas, as yours appear to be. I'm simply speaking the truth and you can't seem to deal with it.
You also state, "Politics is corrupt, and you know it." I don't disagree with you at all. In fact, that is the main reason I ran for office in the first place. I never ran for ego, for power, for influence in the community, or for any of the reasons that so many people do. Have you ever stopped to think for one second why our Republican board was so severely criticized in the media and why the past and current Democratic boards seem to get a free ride with the press? Sure, we made mistakes, but so does every board. The truth is ugly, and I am ashamed to say this about Southern Maryland, but the fact is that our newspapers are corrupt. They are funded and controlled by the same good ol' boy network that fund the commissioner races, the same people who get sweetheart land deals, the same people who spend tens of thousands of dollars in advertising in the papers, and who sell hundreds if not thousands of these same newspapers every week in their establishments. There is in fact a collaborated effort to control who runs things down here. With our board, they could not control us, they could not influence us, and they could not call us and ask us for favors, and that drove them crazy. So they did the only thing they had the power to do...slam, slander and libel us every week. They created a perception that we were too busy fighting to get anything accomplished and I'm sorry to say it stuck with some of you.
In order to understand the deeper motivation here, please open your mind and think about this. How is major money made in St. Mary's County? We don't have oil, we don't have manufacturing plants, we don't have nuclear power plants, and we don't mine for natural resources. So how is it that the rich and "influential" people make all their money? LAND! Who controls the land controls the money. How do you control the land? Land use regulations. How and where a parcel of land is zoned can mean the difference between a few thousand dollars and a few million dollars. You praise Lexington Park and say the new contractor buildings are great for the county. I agree. But did you ever ask yourself who owns the property? Let's put it this way, some of the current and past owners are very influential in Democratic Party politics. Are you getting the picture? Now imagine if the county's zoning ordinance decided to dedicate that property as a non-development or limited commercial zone. Imagine the millions that would be lost. You honestly think that the good ol' boys that own this type of property want people in office who they can't control and risk this possibility? Of course not.
NAVAIR and the influx of new people to the county is St. Mary's (Southern MD's) modern day gold rush. This is the last great opportunity to cash in on the fortunes the base has brought us. With all the new people coming to the area, most of whom are registering Republican by the way, they will not be able to control and influence the elections much longer. This is their last great effort to cask in while they are still able to get away with it.
How do they cash in? Land! Sorry, but these are the facts my friend. They couldn't risk the Republican board passing a land ordinance that didn't benefit them, so they stalled it, they created a bad image through their newspapers, and they put their people in office to write an ordinance that would take care of the them...not the county, not rural character, not our farmers, not Joe Six Pack homeowner...them and only them! I'm sorry, but if these rascals were Republicans I would be saying the same thing. I don't blame all Democrats for this corruption; in fact, you are in some aspects the bigger victims because they are using your loyalty and good intentions to keep them in power. All I am asking is that you open your eyes and your mind and don't be so quick to believe everything they tell you whether in person or in the media.
--CONTINUED IN PART TWO--
PART ONE
First, let me thank the folks that had kind words to say about me and the job I did as county commissioner. I sincerely appreciate it. Secondly, let me respond to Demsformd's comments, as soon as I stop laughing hysterically. OK, that took some time but here goes!
Dems, since when does the national deficit control local government spending? It doesn't!
Dems, if tax cuts increase government debt, how do you explain THE FACT that from 1994 to 1998, St. Mary's County had 4 consecutive years of tax cuts, funded education and public safety at record levels, yet still managed to end up with a $13.8 million surplus ($19 million if you count the 5% reserve set aside for bond ratings), all under Republican control. The answer is simple but something you try your hardest to ignore. (Some) Republicans can cut taxes and spend responsibly. We prioritized our budget, funded those priorities, and cut spending on frivolous waste. Did we miss a beat? Did any government services get interrupted? NO!
As far as my "awful tenure" as county commissioner, that is a matter of opinion and I'm sure you're not alone with yours. However, for those that don't rely on the local (Good ol' Boy) controlled media to spoon feed them their mis-information, for those that know the truth, they realize the enormous accomplishments we made in such a short time, one of which was to eliminate the corruption that was so rampant in county government.
To borrow a phrase from your beloved Bill and Hillary Clinton, "I don't recall" saying that I didn't realize there would be a lot of reading involved. But considering the absolute mess we inherited...multi-million dollar lawsuits against the county, a Comprehensive Land Use Plan, zoning ordinances, illegal land deals that we discovered and had to be cleaned up, the fiasco at the Nursing Home and the tax fraud that past boards had committed, and on...and on...and on... it is possible I said those words. However, at least I DID MY HOMEWORK and read what I needed to be an informed county commissioner. I'm not sure you can say that about this board.
You state, "ethics violations, they always arise when a person in the power. She (Randall) is on top of the mountain and everyone wants her down. If a Republican was on the board it would be the same." This statement is factually incorrect. Under the all Republican board, there WAS NEVER ONE DECISION MADE BY ANY COURT OF LAW THAT STATED WE VIOLATED THE ETHICS ORDINANCE. In fact, the ethics commission, all of whom were appointed by previous Democratic boards of county commissioners, never once had to warn us of even the most remote possibility of an ethics violation. The same can't be said about this board. They were found guilty by a court of law, so you deal with it. Again, you need to do your homework before making such ridiculous claims.
As far as Julie Randall being on top of the mountain and that being the reason people want to knock her down, that is such a childish claim I don't know where to begin. The fact is that I offered my support to Ms. Randall when she decided to run against Barbara Thompson. In fact, I am now ashamed to admit that I supported Ms. Randall when she ran for school board. However, when she decided to run a campaign of lies, distortions, personal attacks, and aligned herself with the same corrupt good ol' boys that have ran this county for generations, that is all the warning I needed to change my position and withdraw my support of her. After Ms. Randall was elected, she rewarded that support with illegal, non-competed contracts for her friends, she voted to spend millions of dollars to buy land from the same Democratic land developers who bankrolled her campaign, and she led the efforts to rid county government of honest, hard-working, ethical department heads whose only motives were to make county government honest and more efficient. So you see, my criticisms are NOT motivated by blind party loyalty nor by personal political agendas, as yours appear to be. I'm simply speaking the truth and you can't seem to deal with it.
You also state, "Politics is corrupt, and you know it." I don't disagree with you at all. In fact, that is the main reason I ran for office in the first place. I never ran for ego, for power, for influence in the community, or for any of the reasons that so many people do. Have you ever stopped to think for one second why our Republican board was so severely criticized in the media and why the past and current Democratic boards seem to get a free ride with the press? Sure, we made mistakes, but so does every board. The truth is ugly, and I am ashamed to say this about Southern Maryland, but the fact is that our newspapers are corrupt. They are funded and controlled by the same good ol' boy network that fund the commissioner races, the same people who get sweetheart land deals, the same people who spend tens of thousands of dollars in advertising in the papers, and who sell hundreds if not thousands of these same newspapers every week in their establishments. There is in fact a collaborated effort to control who runs things down here. With our board, they could not control us, they could not influence us, and they could not call us and ask us for favors, and that drove them crazy. So they did the only thing they had the power to do...slam, slander and libel us every week. They created a perception that we were too busy fighting to get anything accomplished and I'm sorry to say it stuck with some of you.
In order to understand the deeper motivation here, please open your mind and think about this. How is major money made in St. Mary's County? We don't have oil, we don't have manufacturing plants, we don't have nuclear power plants, and we don't mine for natural resources. So how is it that the rich and "influential" people make all their money? LAND! Who controls the land controls the money. How do you control the land? Land use regulations. How and where a parcel of land is zoned can mean the difference between a few thousand dollars and a few million dollars. You praise Lexington Park and say the new contractor buildings are great for the county. I agree. But did you ever ask yourself who owns the property? Let's put it this way, some of the current and past owners are very influential in Democratic Party politics. Are you getting the picture? Now imagine if the county's zoning ordinance decided to dedicate that property as a non-development or limited commercial zone. Imagine the millions that would be lost. You honestly think that the good ol' boys that own this type of property want people in office who they can't control and risk this possibility? Of course not.
NAVAIR and the influx of new people to the county is St. Mary's (Southern MD's) modern day gold rush. This is the last great opportunity to cash in on the fortunes the base has brought us. With all the new people coming to the area, most of whom are registering Republican by the way, they will not be able to control and influence the elections much longer. This is their last great effort to cask in while they are still able to get away with it.
How do they cash in? Land! Sorry, but these are the facts my friend. They couldn't risk the Republican board passing a land ordinance that didn't benefit them, so they stalled it, they created a bad image through their newspapers, and they put their people in office to write an ordinance that would take care of the them...not the county, not rural character, not our farmers, not Joe Six Pack homeowner...them and only them! I'm sorry, but if these rascals were Republicans I would be saying the same thing. I don't blame all Democrats for this corruption; in fact, you are in some aspects the bigger victims because they are using your loyalty and good intentions to keep them in power. All I am asking is that you open your eyes and your mind and don't be so quick to believe everything they tell you whether in person or in the media.
--CONTINUED IN PART TWO--
chris brugman
New Member
PART 2--CONTINUED
PART 2
And no Dems, the "backroom deals" and "executive sessions" did not begin with our board. The fact is that executive sessions are necessary and allowed by law for the following reasons: 1) Litigation or lawsuits by/for/against the county. You certainly don't want the other side to know what your legal strategies are; 2) Personnel. You can't discuss personnel issues about county employees in public for fear of violating the Privacy Act of 1973. Other than these two reasons, there would have to be an unusual example to justify a secret meeting away from public when it is the public's business that you are discussing in the first place. Dems, if you check the public records, Larry Jarboe and I voted against more executive sessions than any other commissioner in history. We took a lot of heat from our fellow commissioners and the media for this, but we felt so strongly that the people's business belonged in public, whether it made us look bad or not was not the issue. Answer this question for me: Why would there ever be a need for your elected officials to discuss "land acquisition" in a secret meeting. They are using your tax dollars to buy property for the government. What is there to hide if you are operating in good faith for the county and her citizens? Think about that!
I will admit that our board had many lively discussions, and in some cases (some would argue many cases), those discussions turned into arguments. My position is that I understand why this made people uncomfortable. I understand why some people perceived this to be a weakness or an "embarrassment." However, I would rather have my elected officials honestly discuss the issues in public for the whole world to see, even if it resulted in arguments every now and then, rather than having my elected officials do the same thing only in private. If you honestly believe that this board hasn't yelled and shouted at each other you're dead wrong. I know this for a fact as I heard it first hand from county employees who witnessed it. I sincerely believe that elected officials who hold their disagreements in public force themselves to be honest with themselves and the citizens. Debating the issues in public allows everyone who is watching to learn more about their elected officials and see what their opinions are on the issues. I will never apologize for taking this position, however, I agree that I could have tamed it down a bit on some of the issues. Remember, I was 26 years old and every bit of an idealist when I was first elected, and it was hard for someone like Barbara Thompson to openly criticize and call me names and not stand up for myself. I guess then I would have been criticized for not having any guts!
I'm saddened to hear you say that the essence of politics is backroom deals. With attitudes like that, I am surprised you can be loyal to any political party. The fact is that had backroom deals been part of our administration, I can honestly state that most if not all of the prior board of commissioners would have all been re-elected and we would not be having this discussion. Yes, corruption is rampant but it does not mean that we should give in and tolerate it. That is why I am so adamant about getting rid of this board of commissioners and giving 5 new people a shot at proving themselves. It doesn’t matter whether they are Democrats or Republicans, I will vote for the person I trust the most and with whom I share common ideas and philosophies. I will vote for an honest Democrat who states what they believe and legislates truthfully and with integrity, and who always looks out for the county’s interest rather than their Party’s or their own. I don’t have to agree with a person on all the issues as long as I believe them and respect them. I would rather have a Democrat with these characteristics than a Republican who waivers and crosses ethical boundaries.
I hope that most votes feel the same way. The only problem is most voters have a hard time determining whom to trust. That is one of the main reasons I’ve taken the time to post this reply. Please take my advice. Listen to a person who has been on the inside and the outside. Listen to a person who knows most of the candidates and much of their track records and history. I have nothing to gain personally or financially, and I am not actively nor have I ever been active in local party politics. My driving agenda is what is best for St. Mary’s County. And in my (not so humble) opinion, the current board of commissioners, led by Julie Randall, needs to be tossed out on their ears. To use on old cliché, THROW THE BUMS OUT!
For all those close-minded, Party-loyal rabid politicos who I am sure will start the name-calling and attacking, please have the guts to use your real name and stop hiding behind fake names. Have the courage to stand behind your comments opinions as I have. It’s easy to make statements and claims that are untrue when you are anonymous.
I have so much more to say, but this reply is already long enough. I can literally tell you story after story after story that would open your eyes to what is really taking place in Leonardtown and expose this board for what they really are. Believe it or not, I am home sick right now with some sort of bug. I'll be glad to respond to your comments Dems or any questions others might have. In the meantime, think about what I said and don't react emotionally. If you don't believe me, please ask me additional questions and I will respond as soon as I am able to.
PART 2
And no Dems, the "backroom deals" and "executive sessions" did not begin with our board. The fact is that executive sessions are necessary and allowed by law for the following reasons: 1) Litigation or lawsuits by/for/against the county. You certainly don't want the other side to know what your legal strategies are; 2) Personnel. You can't discuss personnel issues about county employees in public for fear of violating the Privacy Act of 1973. Other than these two reasons, there would have to be an unusual example to justify a secret meeting away from public when it is the public's business that you are discussing in the first place. Dems, if you check the public records, Larry Jarboe and I voted against more executive sessions than any other commissioner in history. We took a lot of heat from our fellow commissioners and the media for this, but we felt so strongly that the people's business belonged in public, whether it made us look bad or not was not the issue. Answer this question for me: Why would there ever be a need for your elected officials to discuss "land acquisition" in a secret meeting. They are using your tax dollars to buy property for the government. What is there to hide if you are operating in good faith for the county and her citizens? Think about that!
I will admit that our board had many lively discussions, and in some cases (some would argue many cases), those discussions turned into arguments. My position is that I understand why this made people uncomfortable. I understand why some people perceived this to be a weakness or an "embarrassment." However, I would rather have my elected officials honestly discuss the issues in public for the whole world to see, even if it resulted in arguments every now and then, rather than having my elected officials do the same thing only in private. If you honestly believe that this board hasn't yelled and shouted at each other you're dead wrong. I know this for a fact as I heard it first hand from county employees who witnessed it. I sincerely believe that elected officials who hold their disagreements in public force themselves to be honest with themselves and the citizens. Debating the issues in public allows everyone who is watching to learn more about their elected officials and see what their opinions are on the issues. I will never apologize for taking this position, however, I agree that I could have tamed it down a bit on some of the issues. Remember, I was 26 years old and every bit of an idealist when I was first elected, and it was hard for someone like Barbara Thompson to openly criticize and call me names and not stand up for myself. I guess then I would have been criticized for not having any guts!
I'm saddened to hear you say that the essence of politics is backroom deals. With attitudes like that, I am surprised you can be loyal to any political party. The fact is that had backroom deals been part of our administration, I can honestly state that most if not all of the prior board of commissioners would have all been re-elected and we would not be having this discussion. Yes, corruption is rampant but it does not mean that we should give in and tolerate it. That is why I am so adamant about getting rid of this board of commissioners and giving 5 new people a shot at proving themselves. It doesn’t matter whether they are Democrats or Republicans, I will vote for the person I trust the most and with whom I share common ideas and philosophies. I will vote for an honest Democrat who states what they believe and legislates truthfully and with integrity, and who always looks out for the county’s interest rather than their Party’s or their own. I don’t have to agree with a person on all the issues as long as I believe them and respect them. I would rather have a Democrat with these characteristics than a Republican who waivers and crosses ethical boundaries.
I hope that most votes feel the same way. The only problem is most voters have a hard time determining whom to trust. That is one of the main reasons I’ve taken the time to post this reply. Please take my advice. Listen to a person who has been on the inside and the outside. Listen to a person who knows most of the candidates and much of their track records and history. I have nothing to gain personally or financially, and I am not actively nor have I ever been active in local party politics. My driving agenda is what is best for St. Mary’s County. And in my (not so humble) opinion, the current board of commissioners, led by Julie Randall, needs to be tossed out on their ears. To use on old cliché, THROW THE BUMS OUT!
For all those close-minded, Party-loyal rabid politicos who I am sure will start the name-calling and attacking, please have the guts to use your real name and stop hiding behind fake names. Have the courage to stand behind your comments opinions as I have. It’s easy to make statements and claims that are untrue when you are anonymous.
I have so much more to say, but this reply is already long enough. I can literally tell you story after story after story that would open your eyes to what is really taking place in Leonardtown and expose this board for what they really are. Believe it or not, I am home sick right now with some sort of bug. I'll be glad to respond to your comments Dems or any questions others might have. In the meantime, think about what I said and don't react emotionally. If you don't believe me, please ask me additional questions and I will respond as soon as I am able to.
I am sorry Mr. Brugman concerning my comments. I did react emotionally but these are issues that I am very passionate about. You will naturally be better informed than me concerning these issues due to your experience as commissioner. Let me say that I loved the youth that you provided in your campaign. I have a warm spot for idealism in my heart and while I did not vote for you, I did not vote for Joe Anderson either. I do not have any specific problems with you, I merely reacted due to your statment that I was misinformed. I instead disagree with your endorsement of Larry Jarboe. Mr. Jarboe is an erratic man and I do not feel that he has the required intelligence to run this county. I read his article in the Rag (there's another thing, I don't ever agree with that poor excuse for a newspaper) and I can quote him as saying that to fix the housing crisis in the county organizations such as the Habitat for Humanity and Christmas in April are the most advantageous course of action. Such an incompetent statement is far from the correct course of action. Look Republicans love to tout on ethics and the such but their investigations are purely politically driven. Democrats do not devote so much of their time to personal crucificition as their counterparts. That is a major reason for my disagreement with that party: their lack of ethics when pursuing ethics violations. It's all about slash and burn with them. I watched Larry Jarboe debate Shelby Guazzo and I was terrified at the hostility that he showed towards her. Such a disagreeable man has no purpose in any elected office, I feel that Mrs. Guazzo is a great commissioner who understands her situation and acts accordingly.
Well, I'll say it one more time: I adore Larry Jarboe. There's not another County Commissioner that I've ever held in such high esteem. (Sorry, Chris - you were a close second, if that's any consolation 
) I have never found him to be combative or hostile in the least - he's about as amiable as a person could be, while still getting his point across. I have always found him to be extremely honest and up-front. And accessible! If you want a guy who truly cares about the average citizen and will take the time to listen, this is your man.
THAT, dear lady, is the funniest thing I've ever heard in my whole 38 years of life!
) I have never found him to be combative or hostile in the least - he's about as amiable as a person could be, while still getting his point across. I have always found him to be extremely honest and up-front. And accessible! If you want a guy who truly cares about the average citizen and will take the time to listen, this is your man. THAT, dear lady, is the funniest thing I've ever heard in my whole 38 years of life!
Oz
You're all F'in Mad...
Originally posted by vraiblonde
Well, I'll say it one more time: I adore Larry Jarboe. There's not another County Commissioner that I've ever held in such high esteem. (Sorry, Chris - you were a close second, if that's any consolation
THAT, dear lady, is the funniest thing I've ever heard in my whole 38 years of life!
First of all, VB, you cannot be 38...
Secondly, there is definite hostility between the two candidates. I watched a Republican forum/debate on Channel 10, and they put on quite a show, capped off with "how to quickly avoid eachother without crashing into eachother" at the end of the program. Both, entertaining, and sad.