20060602 KDDC Chip Boyles Status Report

Chip Boyles Status Report
June 2nd, 2006
Posted by Kevin Dayhoff

I just had the opportunity to check on the welfare of the City of Clemson Assistant City Administrator, Chip Boyles. Many of you remember Chip, he was the very well liked community leader, who served as the Taneytown City Manager for several years - a number of years ago.

Chip has been with Clemson City Government for six years. Wow, how time flies.

Chip and his children are doing well. In addition to the two darling children we got to know when he was with the City of Taneytown, he and his wife, a professor of architecture, have had two more children.

Chips sends his best to his old friends in Carroll County.

As many have heard in the media in the last several days, the Clemson area of South Carolina has received some unwanted national publicity recently as the normally quiet Clemson University area is where a 20-year-old college co-ed was murdered on May 26th, 2006. She was murdered in an apartment complex in the adjoining town to Clemson. The adjacent town is quite small and the Clemson Police Department is lending a helping hand.

Events this traumatic are very trying for a municipal leader as your heart goes out to the friends and family of the victim and one feels a need to pay extra attention to the safety and welfare of your citizens.

Although Chip, Caroline and I mostly talked about Chip's family and career; Chip seemed his cool, professional and confident self - the same personality that we grew to admire when he was in Carroll County. He did share that he was quite busy with having his community in the glare of a national spotlight.

Chip said that he and his family are looking forward to visiting Carroll County this summer.

Chip and I agreed to do a more comprehensive update on his work and his family in the near future - when things aren't quite as hectic.

Keep Chip, the City of Clemson and the friends and loved ones of this crime victim in your thoughts and prayers as they go through this trying period and lets hope that the police catch the perpetrator of this senseless crime as soon as possible.

And we all look forward to seeing Chip and his family soon.

Kevin

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20060602 KDDC Sun reports Court rejects Carroll Co. district settlement

Court rejects Carroll Co. district settlement
Decision maintains status quo on election of 3 commissioners

By A Sun Reporter
Originally published June 2, 2006, 12:30 PM EDT

~Please Note: Both maps above belong to the Baltimore Sun.

"The state's high court rejected this morning a negotiated settlement in the dispute over how to draw boundaries for the Carroll County commissioners and ordered that the county government remain structured the way it is now, with three commissioners elected at large.

"The decision, which the court said it would explain more fully in a later opinion, says only the state legislature can establish the boundaries of the five districts called for in a referendum voters passed in 2004. That referendum called for replacing the three at-large representatives with five commissioners representing five districts. Efforts to draw up a map of districts have bogged down in legal and political squabbling, and the legislature failed to approve a map before adjourning in April.

"The Court of Appeals mandated that the current form of government for the county will continue until the legislature approves a map. The General Assembly is not scheduled to meet again until January, barring a special session being called.

"County commissioners -- who perform the duties of both the legislative and executive branch in the county's government -- are to be elected this fall and candidates must file by July 3 to appear on the ballot."

Hat Tip: Mrs. Owl - Thanks

20060602 KDDC Sun's Article on Je1 MD Court of Appeals hearing

Carroll districts remain in limbo

Md. Court of Appeals indicates reluctance to set boundaries

By Laura McCandlish

Sun Reporter

Originally published June 2, 2006

Judges from the state's highest court adjourned yesterday without resolving Carroll County's political feud over how to elect commissioners this fall, signaling a reluctance to assume responsibilities assigned to the General Assembly.

Read the rest of the article here.