I became a candidate for Cumberland City Council because I want to make a difference.  Now, from a Council position, I intend to do just that.

I care deeply about Cumberland, having been born and raised here. 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.

It is time that we turn our attention back on the community that we know and love. 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. 

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.

As your Councilman, I am working closely with residents to pay closer attention to what is taking place in every Cumberland neighborhood. I will work to preserve the character of Cumberland through Smart Growth and redevelopment of existing infrastructure. I will work to make doing business in the City easier and make government more responsive to citizens’ needs.

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 many more. I regularly attend the meetings of all Cumberland neighborhood associations 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. 

Now that the United States Congress has passed the Federal Economic Recovery package and the City of Cumberland’s list of capital improvement funding requests, according to parameters set by President Obama’s Administration, has been released and submitted to Governor O’Malley’s office for review and approval, it’s time for all residents of Cumberland to get involved.

The list of capital improvements, carefully assembled by department heads in the City of Cumberland, meets the requirements set for federal aid as part of the economic recovery package.  The list can be viewed online at http://www.ci.cumberland.md.us. The projects are all critical infrastructure and they are all “shovel ready,” ranging from 90 days to 2 years before launch.  Many can begin in the immediate future.  The projects range from street repairs to preservation of our water system, including efforts to reduce combined sewage overflows, thereby improving the quality of our streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay.

The list of needed capital project funds will require the support of all Cumberland residents in order to get them approved by our Governor. The old adage that the “squeaky wheel gets the grease” is undoubtedly true. 

Please lend your voice and help to make this recovery funding a reality. Please phone the Office of the Governor (410-974-3901) and relay the message that 100% of the requests should be honored in order to stimulate the economic situation in Western Maryland, to put more people to work, and to maintain our infrastructure. Contact Delegate Kelly (410-841-3404), Delegate Myers (410-841-3321), and Senator Edwards (410-841-3565) and ask them to appeal to the Governor for full funding of Cumberland’s critical needs, to the tune of over $120 million to meet our critical infrastructure needs. Write a letter to the Governor’s Office (100 State Circle, Annapolis, MD 21401) today and encourage full support of the funding in an effort to see President Obama’s plans of a real and true economic recovery that includes creating more jobs and rebuilding our country’s infrastructure come to fruition.

The Governor needs to hear from every resident of Cumberland today, by phone, and by mail, with one voice and one message:  please support the full funding of Cumberland’s requests.

At this important time in our nation and city, it is important that we stand together to bring about this funding that will make a difference in Cumberland, for generations to come.  It is critical that we all stand together and put our desire to see change to work.  We are all in this together; together we will make a difference!