Experienced Leadership

• Effective Grassroots Organizer

Founding board member of the 21st Century Republican Club and the Cecil Land Use Alliance. Chairman of the Elected School Board Ballot initiative which garnered 88% of the vote. Organized the first two tea parties in Cecil County.

Vice President of the Board of County Commissioners.

Drug Addiction in Cecil County. Organized Drug Education Forum and workshops with all County agencies. Continue workshops on related issues to educate the public, address effective drug addiction programs, crime prevention, and other related issues. Address drug addiction on state and federal level.

Maryland Toll Authority Issue. Refused to allow increased tolls in Cecil County in exchange for funding State Road Projects. Disbursed information to the public to testify at hearings and result was minimal toll increase for commuters. Continue to pursue remedies for negative impact to toll increases on business community.

Recruitment and Retainment with Volunteer Fire Departments.

Elected twice to the Republican Central Committee. Appointed to the Cecil County Comprehensive Plan Committee (2010). Republican Woman of the Year for the State of Maryland (2002). Voter Registration Coordinator County of the Year for the State of Maryland (2004).

Transparency and Accountability

• Commissioner Work Sessions and Meetings audio recorded
• Complete recording and minutes of commissioner meetings, user friendly and cannot be altered. Changed policy at Commissioner Meetings that commissioners could respond to public comment.
• Same Ethics Disclosure standards for Directors as elected officials, returned to previous disclosure standards for volunteers, and requested disclosures from Ethics Commission members and County attorneys.
• Expose backroom deals - No vote taken on the reimbursement of the Casino infrastructure cost. Questioned closed session discussions on this topic. Over a million dollars handed back over to Hollywood Casino from the VLT funding. Questioned details of the County agreement with Artesian which were not in the County’s best interest. Improper disclosure of vote for extension of Artesian Contract.

Fiscal Responsibility

• Adopted a tax rate below the constant yield for the first time in Cecil County history!
• Supported tax cuts in the budget and increased County fund balance to $12 million.
• Citizen’s Budget Advisory Committee

formed and appointed volunteer economic experts to advise County Commissioners on possible cuts in government spending. Effective recommendations include hiring freeze and elimination of unfilled positions.

Promote partnerships

. Encourage business community to partner with Cecil County Public Schools and Cecil College and make significant monetary donations.

Use VLT Funding to alleviate tax burden

. A majority of the projects on the VLT Plan are capital projects which have been removed from the 2012 Budget.Economic Development

• Restructured Economic Development

. Focus on increasing tax base by attracting new industry, promoting tourism and agricultural industry. Hired new economic development director.

Preserved Funding for Upper Shore Regional Council

. Hired new Director and successfully preserved funding for the Council.

Support Strategic VLT Investment in Water/Sewer Infrastructure

. Close up infrastructure gaps in the growth corridor.

New gas franchise in the County

.

New Cable Franchise Policy

. Cable franchise agreements negotiated individually allowing more opportunity to negotiate effectively.

ARRA and Bay Broadband

. Through Upper Shore Regional Council and Federal Funding, new broadband infrastructure in rural areas.
Protect Individual Property Rights

• Road Code Ordinance

. Current ordinance not being followed and individual property rights are being compromised. Developers are responsible to “bear all costs for the development” by reimbursing property owners for their rights of way. Instead, county improves the road at a later date and takes the right of way by eminent domain with no compensation to the property owner.

Proper Buffers

. Adjacent to mineral extraction operations, proper buffers required to protect health of citizens, individual property values and to protect rural character. Clinic Ordinance. Require adequate parking capacity and buffer yards adjacent to residential district, schools, church or day care.
Promoted & Adopted New Policies/Ordinances Workforce Housing Policy
. Limit the number of Section 8 Housing Vouchers for new housing complexes to a maximum of 20% of the total units. Contracts for housing projects now include agreement that if the amenities promised are not provided or maintained, developer will have to refund the permit fees originally waived by the County. To obtain the County’s letter of support, the developer must agree to utilize the same income selection criteria for Section 8 voucher holding families as they do for all applicants without vouchers which encourages non-working families who desire all the amenities of a new living units to secure employment.

Habitat for Humanity Tax Credit

. Requested tax credit during period of time habitat homes are constructed. When completed, new homes are on the tax rolls.

Sprinkler Ordinance

. Led the effort to exempt single family homes in the rural areas. and require that duplex housing have the same restrictions as town houses.