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 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.