Home








Press Room




Join The Team

Contribute


Contact Us

 

 

 

Serving Cumberland as your City Councilman

“As your City Councilman, I welcome and count on your input.  Please get involved in your local government by making your opinion known.”
 

'Tis the Season for goodwill and happy wishes.  But this is also the season to start anew and that means making some changes.  It’s time to begin to make a change in Cumberland. 

Over the past few weeks, since the announcement that Cumberland is reviewing all options to make up for a state budget cut to the tune of $1.33 million, 8% of the City’s budget, I’ve heard from dozens of Cumberland citizens.  I have made it clear that the City must 1) maintain a paid fire department, 2) prevent tax increases and 3) prevent layoffs.  To this point, the City has been able to take steps to support these goals.

“I have made it clear that
the City must
1) maintain a paid fire department, 2) prevent tax increases and
3) prevent layoffs.”

As weather grows cold and citizens turn to creative ways to stay warm at home, Cumberland firefighters will likely be called out to avert tragedies, using the training and skills that come at great cost to city taxpayers, but are invaluable when lives are at risk.  Simultaneously, members of the department have agreed to reduce manpower on shift, to a minimum of 12, and significantly reduce overtime expenditures.

Be a part of the
renewal of Cumberland. 

Support public safety by
supporting my campaign. 
Make a donation of
$25.00 today!

Every department, including public safety services, has made an effort to make reductions.  However, the City’s police and fire departments make up the most significant parts of the budget.  The police and fire departments cost the city almost 100% of the money that the city collects in property taxes ($10 million). 

Public safety service expenditures must be reduced by approximately $800,000.00, and doing so without jeopardizing public safety is challenging for the men and women of public safety and those of us making these tough decisions.  Reorganization is necessary and more drastic changes and reductions are required.

Beyond reorganization necessary to make up for state budget cuts, the City must also make cuts to better meet ongoing infrastructure and public safety needs.  With nearly 100% of tax revenues currently funding public safety, very little is left over to fund all other departments and infrastructure, including our streets.  Reductions and reorganizations are a necessity for the City to continue to provide critical services and meet infrastructure demands.

I have heard the claim that Cumberland does not need a paid fire and police department.  It is true that in the past several decades, the City’s population has fallen by nearly 50%, however, a 50% reduction in population does not mean it takes half as many firefighters to extinguish a blaze or half as many police officers to protect the same geographical area.  The number of structures in Cumberland remains the same and the danger of disaster has not been cut in half, just because the population has fallen.  In fact, calls for public safety services have been increasing.  Cuts must come from more creative ideas.

The City cannot rely on volunteer departments that are already struggling to meet the needs of their own communities.  Volunteer companies are made up of dedicated individuals, but those individuals cannot possibly fulfill the needs of an aging community as Cumberland has.  Calls within the City of Cumberland continue to inch higher each year, placing greater demands on public safety services.

I support maintaining a paid fire department and I do not believe that supplementing the department with volunteers will provide the citizens of Cumberland with the service and safety necessary.  Now is the time for citizens to provide feedback to the Mayor and City Council.

The City of Cumberland runs many EMS and fire calls outside of the city limits, at the expense of city taxpayers, despite an agreement with the County that should prevent such a practice.  This practice is one that must end and requires the County to step up to the plate to take on this responsibility by supporting and working with the highly trained volunteer companies as well as an insufficient number of paid County EMS staff.  Local volunteers are top-notch, but there are too few of them. 

“The County has a responsibility to make a serious commitment to public safety rather than pushing this expense off onto Cumberland citizens.”

The County has a responsibility to make a serious commitment to public safety rather than pushing this expense off onto Cumberland citizens. 

I choose to make the City my home because I recognize all that Cumberland has to offer. But, I also recognize all of the challenges facing our City.  I believe we must change our ways and refocus our energy on what we have and allow Cumberland’s charm and spirit to be the engines that promote our community. 

We must take an aggressive stand against vacant, blighted properties in our community and encourage revitalization or demolition of these structures. We must help those in need, who live in blighted buildings and neighborhoods. We must hold landlords of blighted properties responsible rather than allowing them to prey on the most vulnerable of our citizens.  I encourage all citizens to take an active role in this process by reporting blight, including trash at the curbs, blighted structures, and unkept properties. 

We must do everything we can to eliminate the circumstances that promote drug sales and gang activity. We must support our police force and stand up to report suspicious activities. We must aim to rid our City of the forces that prey on our youth and our vulnerable citizens.  We cannot allow forces that prohibit revitalization or destroy the reputation of neighborhoods to continue to operate.  We must stand together against establishments that continue to foster violence, vandalism, and intimidation.  We cannot allow businesses that prey on vulnerable citizens and serve as magnets for criminal activities to exist, particularly at a time when our community is attempting to undergo revitalization.

As your Councilman, I am working closely with residents to pay closer attention to what is taking place in every Cumberland neighborhood. I will continue to work to preserve the character of Cumberland through Smart Growth and redevelopment of existing infrastructure.  I believe the best way forward for Cumberland is through redevelopment and revitalization; without a strong foundation and good infrastructure, we will not be able to promote our community to new employers.  We must focus our economic development on redeveloping what already exists.

Since taking office, I have joined together with or been appointed to work with many community groups and commissions. I am now serving you and our community in a number of volunteer capacities, including with the Volunteer Team and as Vice Chairman of the Western Potomac Chapter of the American Red Cross. I am an active participant with the City’s NAC (Neighborhood Advisory Council), Cumberland Blight Committee, Historic Preservation Commission, Allegany Museum Board of Directors, South Cumberland Business & Civic Association, Fort Hill High School Scholarship Board, and others. I attend the meetings of all Cumberland neighborhood associations as often as possible, and I hope to see you in attendance and involved.

Cumberland can only change and grow once again if we all work together. Government is not always the answer. Higher taxes and fees are not the answer. The only way to bring about the change we need is to be that change. We must all be a part of the revitalization of our community through community involvement and activism. 

These are tough times and tough decisions must be made.  There is no question that some reorganization of your city government is inevitable.  But the key to making it through this challenge is to focus on coming up with creative solutions.  We must stand together to bring about the real and serious change that we need, to make a difference in Cumberland, for generations to come.  We are indeed all in this challenge together, as one community, and it will take everybody working together, offering solutions and ideas, and putting our hands to work to get through these days.

I count on continuing to hear from you with ideas and suggestions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 
Committee to Elect Brian Grim
PO Box 974, Cumberland, MD 21501-0974
Authority: Committee to Elect Brian Grim