20060620 KDDC MGA Spec Session June 15 2006 - A review

MGA Spec Session June 15 2006

June 20^th, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff

Unless you have been on vacation for several weeks, by now you are aware that the Maryland General Assembly met in Special Session on June Thursday, June 15^th, 2006 and passed Senate Bill 1: “Public Service Commission - Electric Industry Restructuring.”

The bill was introduced as emergency legislation, by the President of the Senate and the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, with little input from the governor’s administration, the Maryland Public Service Commission or Constellation Energy…

The introduction synopsis for the bill reads:

“Limiting the increase in electricity rates in a specified service territory for a specified period; requiring specified electric companies to obtain electricity supply for extended standard offer service to specified customers in specified manners; authorizing the Public Service Commission (PSC) to take specified actions concerning competitive auctions and implementation of electricity rates; altering the criteria for appointment to the PSC and the method of appointment of the People's Counsel; etc.”

Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. announced on June 15^th, 2006, that he would hold a public hearing on the Maryland General Assembly’s attempt to mitigate rising electricity costs for Baltimore Gas & Electric customers.

I attended the public hearing this evening. All six hours of it. Now I’m trying to make sense out of 34 pages of notes and just as many pages of copies of written testimony.

I thought that I would start with information gathered on the special session and proceed from there. I figured that as long as I was going through this process, I would share it on “kevindayhoff.com.”

Persistently, throughout the testimony of 59 citizens, my thoughts drifted back to several pieces that I had read in recent weeks.

One place in which I started was: “20060614 KDDC Lights Out, the second shoe:”

If you have not had a chance to read Jamie Smith Hopkins' article in the Sun the other day; find time to read it. She covered how this Maryland General Assembly continues to be disastrous for Marylanders.

Jamie Smith Hopkins continues to be one of the Baltimore Sun's best writers.

Much of Maryland's "industry" and employment is government. However, not everyone can work for the government. Government pays no taxes, it only consumes taxes.

So who is left to pay the bills? The answer is you and me. And if Maryland continues to perpetuate its anti-business reputation, "you and me" are going to only have to pay higher and higher taxes as business continues to flee of find somewhere else to establish and grow.

---

Legislature makes businesses uneasy

Business leaders are concerned that lawmakers keep doing things to create an unfriendly climate

By Jamie Smith Hopkins

Sun reporter

Originally published June 14, 2006

Be sure to read the rest of Ms. Hopkins' article here.

The piece in the Wall Street Journal, to which Ms. Hopkins refers has been hard to find for me. However, I did manage to find it on the "Howard County Blog." I have pasted below the Howard County Blog's entry from April 18th, 2006:

_________________

S. A. Miller, who used to write for the Carroll County Times, a number of years ago; wrote another good article on the anti-business aspect of all of this in the Washington Times, on June 5^th, 2006: “Moves on BGE Wal-Mart bad for business.”

_________________

Also see: “20060523 KDDC BE editorial MD legislators fail basic economics.”

_________________

And: “20060405 Omnibus Rolling Blackout Acts of 2006.”

20060405 Omnibus Rolling Blackout Acts of 2006

April 5, 2006 By Kevin Dayhoff

“In my Tentacle columns of April 4^th, 2006 and April 5^th, 2006, I referred to the “recent surge of Maryland General Assembly legislative initiatives in response to the end of the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company’s electric rate price freeze … as the “Omnibus Rolling Blackout Acts of 2006.”

Much is left to be accomplished with the time remaining in the tumultuous 421st legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly - now mercifully measured in days.

Although, for many, the 421st legislative session cannot end soon enough…”

_________________

Hagerstown Herald-Mail Editorial: Questions for Lawmakers

An editorial in the June 8^th, 2006 Hagerstown Herald-Mail correctly aims questions at Senate President Mike Miller, as well as members of the General Assembly, about Mike Miller and the General Assembly's responsibilities for Maryland's deregulation debacle. It begins:

“If the members of the Maryland General Assembly have any sense of responsibility to their constituents, they will answer the following questions before a special session opens next week:

If you were in the legislature in 1999, why did you believe electricity deregulation was a good idea?

And, if you have served in Annapolis since then, why did it take you so long to figure out that deregulation wasn't working out as planned?

The first person who should be called on to answer those questions is Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, who was co-sponsor of his chamber's version of the electricity restructuring bill.”

Read the rest of the Hagerstown Herald-Mail’s editorial "Questions for Lawmakers" here:

_________________

And last, but certainly not least is Barry Rascovar’s column in the Gazette: “What a sham!”

This column appears in the Friday, June 16, 2006 edition of the Gazette.

“Legislators patted themselves on the back for a job well done. Yet the flimflam we witnessed this week doesn’t hold up under close inspection. The details and long-range impact of the Democratic legislature’s answer to the electric rate increase controversy show that consumers are being conned.”

Read the rest here.

_________________

I’ve got my work cut out for me…

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org

####

20060619 KDDC The Zurich Television Commercials

The Zurich Television Commercials

I like television commercials. Consistently, some of the best art on TV is found in the commercials.

Recently I have noticed the commercials for Zurich insurance, “Because change happenz,” I finally found a still-detail from the video and I have pasted it above…

(The Zurich web site explains that “Zurich Financial Services Group go back to the 19th century. Founded in 1872…”)

The web site for Zurich reports that the “the theme of Zurich's latest TV and print advertising campaign, centers on Zurich's ability to actively evaluate change. Now and in the future customers know they will get more innovative, relevant, contemporary and secure solutions.”

The visual art is certainly well executed, but what has me really intrigued is the music. Recently I went on the web to see if I could out more about the music.

So far I have not found anything about the music, but I found the commercial in English - - and the German version of the commercial. The German version is even more fascinating visually.

Click here for the English version and click here for the German version. It will take you to a site called "vividas," where you can choose what bandwidth you are on...

The German version brought back memories of many years ago, the Black and Decker annual stockholder meetings were held in Hampstead and one of the highlights of the meeting was when they would play their latest foreign commercials.

“Visit4info.com,” a British web site explains the German ad: “As the narrator talks about what happens about change in different situations the images are show to represent what is happing. First a bizarre product launch is shown going global, then a snowboarder is shown to be an older man. Next cars are shown driving through a junction with out stopping, and avoiding each other all because they use a GPS system, and ends with a shop literally changing it's business model in front of your eyes.”

And the same web site gives some of the commercial’s credits: “Ad location Creative agency Publicis Creative Sacha Moser, Tim Hoppin TV Producer Daniela Berther Production Co Stink, Smuggler (USA) Director Stylewar Producer Mungo Maclagan Photography Mungo Maclagan Post Production Method (California) Uploaded 04 Mar 2006”

Another Zurich commercial for Britain features flying pigs. I kid you not. It is quite a hoot. Go here to view the video. (Oh, once you get to the web page, hit the “Play Ad” button. (There is a “Download button," but they want to charge you “£2 per download.”)

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org

####

20060618 KDDC Mary Cheney Robert Smith and DC Metro Trains

Mary Cheney Robert Smith and DC Metro Trains

June 18^th, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff

What in the world does Mary Cheney, former Washington Area Transit Authority board member Robert J. Smith, the planet Romulax, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and running trains have to do with one another?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Let’s edge into this to bizarre story slowly and ever so carefully. Playing the song, "Sinking," by "The Cure," while you read this, is optional.

First off; “Dick Cheney's daughter (Mary Cheney) was a campaign aide for her father during the 2000 and 2004 elections. The fact that she is a lesbian put a distinctive spin on the experience. She has a new memoir: Now It's My Turn.” (Fresh Air from WHYY, June 13, 2006)

On Sunday, June 11, Robert J. Smith referred to homosexuality as ‘‘social deviancy” during a political round-table discussion on a Montgomery County Channel 21 cable show.

I’m not making this up…

Mr. Smith, an architect from Gaithersburg is a regular panelist for 12 years on the Access Montgomery cable show, “21 This Week.” The show’s producer, Rodney Bryant, identified him as the “Republican activist” representative on the program.

Mr. Smith, (no relation to Ann Coulter, the scream Howard Dean, the Dixie Chicks or the Robert Smith that is in “The Cure,”) is also a Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority board member. (“The Cure” is a band “made up of 5 aliens from the planet Romulax.”)

Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich appointed Mr. Smith to the board in 2003.

The Maryland and Virginia governor and the Washington D.C. mayor each get to appoint two voting members to the Metro board. They are paid $21,000 a year.

According to a published article in the Baltimore Sun, Mr. Smith hid behind his religion as an excuse for his inappropriate outburst: “…Smith said that he stood by his beliefs, which he said stemmed from his Roman Catholic faith, and insisted that he would not resign unless ordered by the governor…”

Ay caramba, hasn’t there been enough intolerance and injustice committed in the name of religion…

Oh, Robert Smith of “The Cure,” was also raised Catholic… I wonder if he shares Robert J. Smith’s views?

Anyway, last Thursday, June 15^th, 2006, Governor Ehrlich fired him. File this under stupid career moves for Mr. Smith, who has in the past, been an “unsuccessful Republican candidate for the General Assembly from Montgomery County,” according to published accounts.

The governor is to be applauded for swiftly taking action. Hopefully, this moment of dyspepsia will have the shelf-life of a carton of milk.

Mr. Smith’s rights to free speech have not been trampled. The governor merely afforded Mr. Smith the chance to spew his venom as a private citizen, free from the encumbrances of public office.

According to an account by the Washington Post, on the Sunday, June 11 show, Mr. Smith worked hard to be obnoxious with his intolerant views.

“… Smith interrupted another speaker who was talking about federalism and Vice President Cheney's daughter. The speaker said Cheney's daughter, who is a lesbian, would not want the government interfering in her life, according to a recording of that portion of the show… ‘That's fine, that's fine,’ Smith interrupted. ‘But that doesn't mean that government should proffer a special place of entitlement within the laws of the United States for persons of sexual deviancy.’”

Only the Good Lord knows why people need to bring up the vice-president’s daughter. She holds no public office, elected or appointed and she does not make public policy.

And can someone puh-leeze explain to me why I should care that Mary Cheney is gay?

When vice presidential candidate North Caroline Senator John Edwards raised the issue of the vice president’s daughter in the 2004 presidential election debates, many rolled their eyes. The rule of classier political practitioners is leave the family out of it.

But apparently Mary Cheney doesn’t need anyone to chivalrously come to her defense. She can do that quite well on her own. According to May 10, 2006 article in “Canada.com,” Ms. Cheney refers to the “former Vice presidential candidate John Edwards a "total slimeball" for mentioning her sexuality during the vice presidential debates.”

As reported on the blog, “Raw Story,” “According to Canada.com's account of Mary Cheney's book: ‘Sitting in the studio audience when Edwards mentioned her sexual orientation, Cheney said she looked at the vice-presidential candidate and mouthed the words 'Go (*) Yourself' a phrase her father had earlier employed against Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy.’”

Considering the recent racist remarks about MD Lt. Governor Michael Steele and the subsequent profound silence of the Democratic leadership, it’s good to see this governor, stand up for the right thing and state that Mr. Smith’s comments are unacceptable in his administration.

As far as Mary Cheney; it would appear that she can defend herself, perfectly fine.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org

####

For a profile of Mary Cheney by Hank Stuever, Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 19, 2004; Page C01: “What Everybody Doesn't Know About Mary Cheney,” go here.

The entire post from the Raw Story is pasted below:

After Cheney's daughter calls Edwards 'slimeball,' Edwards spokeswoman says Cheneys are 'wonderful role models'

RAW STORY

Published: Wednesday May 10, 2006

After Vice President Cheney's daughter dubbed former Vice presidential candidate John Edwards a "total slimeball" for mentioning her sexuality during the vice presidential debates, Edwards' spokeswoman responded to RAW STORY, calling the Cheneys "wonderful role models."

"Senator Edwards continues to believe, as he said in the vice presidential debate when the issue was raised, that the Cheneys have been wonderful role models for the millions of parents around the country who love their children unconditionally," Kim Rubey, Edwards' spokeswoman for his One America political action committee said.

The scathing comments by Mary Cheney, Dick Cheney's lesbian daughter, were published in a Canada.com article and caught by Washington blogger John Aravosis.

According to Canada.com's account of Mary Cheney's book: "Sitting in the studio audience when Edwards mentioned her sexual orientation, Cheney said she looked at the vice-presidential candidate and mouthed the words 'Go F* Yourself' a phrase her father had earlier employed against Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy."

READ THE FULL CANADA.COM ARTICLE HERE, and ARAVOSIS' COMMENTS HERE.

200060616 KDDC What a sham by Barry Rascovar

What a sham!

This column appears in the Friday, June 16, 2006 edition of the Gazette.

Barry Rascovar

Legislators patted themselves on the back for a job well done. Yet the flimflam we witnessed this week doesn’t hold up under close inspection. The details and long-range impact of the Democratic legislature’s answer to the electric rate increase controversy show that consumers are being conned.

Remember those howls of outrage from Senate President Mike Miller and House Speaker Mike Busch? They were furious at the Republican-appointed Public Service Commission for imposing a 21 percent electric rate rise on 1.2 million Central Maryland residents in July, with gradual monthly increases bringing the total increase by next April to 72 percent.

Miller, Busch & Co. also said a 5 percent interest payment on Baltimore Gas and Electric bills for 15 months was intolerable and could not be allowed to stand.

They assured us the overall 72 percent jump facing BGE customers would be dramatically reduced.

This is what these lawmakers told us. Now, let’s look at what the Democratic-controlled legislature actually did this week:

*Instead of an immediate 21 percent increase for BGE customers, it will be a 15 percent rise in July — a savings of a mere 6 percent — followed by as much as 57 percent more added to BGE electric bills next June.

*Instead of 15 months of interest payments, BGE consumers face 120 months of interest charges to pay off BGE’s borrowing costs.

*Instead of an overall rate increase for BGE customers of 72 percent, the grand total will be (drum roll, please) ... 72 percent.

That is not a misprint. After denouncing BGE’s rate hike and pledging to bring it down to affordable levels, Democratic leaders did nothing of the kind. They tossed a fig leaf in the form of a delayed rate increase over this embarrassment.

The unkindest blow was a 10-year interest payment plan. It’s bad enough when you pay off your car loan over six years. At the end of the day, at least you have a vehicle that’s worth something. Not so with the Democratic legislature’s BGE deferred interest-rate plan. For the electricity I use over the next 12 months, I’ll be writing checks for interest charges until 2017.

This is not a misprint, either. Unless I opt out of this plan next June, I will be paying off my IOU for 2006 electric power a decade from now. Even the opt-out provision is loaded with dynamite. It gives me the choice of an immediate 57 percent increase in my electric bill or a more gradual phase-in plan with much higher monthly electric rates plus interest charges.

Wow. That really helps consumers.

Even worse, the legislature has set the stage in future years for similar long-term, deferred payment plans. So I could be billed a second set of deferred charges in 2007, and a third in 2008, etc.

There’s more bad news contained in the bill. By moving to re-regulate BGE and other local electric distribution companies, the General Assembly has undercut the credit ratings of Maryland utilities, including Delmarva and Pepco. That could drive up borrowing rates for them with customers ultimately picking up the tab.

By making it far more difficult to consummate the merger of Constellation Energy and Florida Power & Light, the legislature may have killed the deal. This could have dire consequences for utility jobs in Central Maryland.

By moving to micro-manage electric power purchases, the legislature may have chased away power-generating companies that previously bid for business in this state. If that happens, it could mean much higher electric rates throughout Maryland.

By retaining rate caps until 2008, the legislature extends local utility monopolies for 18 more months. That locks the door on efforts to drive down electric prices through competition.

The black eye Maryland is getting nationally means that Aris Melissaratos, the state’s economic development secretary, can forget about wooing large corporations. What CEO is going to choose Maryland after the legislature’s harsh actions against CareFirst, Wal-Mart and now Constellation⁄BGE?

It’s a highly partisan bill designed to punish Republican Gov. Bob Ehrlich and his appointees and give Democrats a big political advantage, especially in the race for governor.

Ehrlich played his hand poorly. Yet given the anti-consumer aspects of this bill, he has an opening if he effectively communicates how Democrats turned consumer relief into a consumer’s nightmare.

The overreach of Democrats in this bill is stunning. In a dangerous precedent, they fired Ehrlich’s PSC and gave themselves appointment power. They fired the People’s Counsel because she was an Ehrlich appointee and gave that appointment power to the Democratic attorney general.

If those provisions are declared illegal by the courts, legislators still mandated the immediate dismissal of the current PSC.

Legislators interfered in the judicial process, too, dictating that any legal challenges must be heard in pro-Democratic Baltimore city — even though the legislation was crafted and approved in Annapolis.

There’s even a preposterous provision forbidding the governor or any state official from spending a dime of state funds to challenge any portion of the bill in court. It’s a power grab in the extreme.

That’s the Democratic legislature’s handiwork. Consumers get a bad deal but legislators will try to spin it the other way. In this case the devil, indeed, is buried in the details.

Barry Rascovar is a communications consultant in the Baltimore area. His Wednesday morning commentaries can be heard on WYPR, 88.1 FM. His e-mail address is brascovar@ hotmail.com.

####

20060617 Malkin's Hot Air Vent on Coultermania

Coultermania
posted June 17, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff

Almost two weeks have gone by since Coultermania began over Ann Coulter's latest number one best selling book, "Godless." Michelle Malkin has a Hot Air Vent on Coultermania that reiterates, to paraphrase one of the commenters on Michelle Malkin's web site - - 'whether you agree or disagree with Ms. Coulter's approach to political discourse, ya gotta love the way she gets liberals all riled up.'

You can find the "Vent" here.

Oh, the image of Ann Coulter as a patriot, I got that off the video. It belongs to "Hot Air," I guess. I just found the image priceless...

####

20060617 KDDC Stupid Career Tricks and the Dixie Chicks

The Dixie Chicks and stupid career tricks
Posted by Kevin Dayhoff Saturday, June 17th, 2006 5:45 PM

Does anyone remember the year the Dixie Chicks came to the Carroll County Agriculture Center for the annual Carroll County 4-H FFA Fair?

I could not figure out who did the Photoshop directly above - but I found it here. The top photoshop belongs to "registered@aol.com," whatever that is... If you would like to see a bigger version of the images, and additional photoshops spoofing the Dixies Chicks, go there...

Anyway the Hat Tip goes to: Michelle Malkin and Coalition of the Swilling for finding the article, "How the Chicks survived their scrap with Bush"

Read Ms. Malkin's post here and be sure to read the "TrackBack <26>." section.

How the Chicks survived their scrap with Bush
(Filed: 15/06/2006)

From the UK's Telegraph

Adam Sweeting assesses how the Dixie Chicks have weathered a political storm

An excerpt from Mr. Sweeting's article reads: "... Although they've sold 30 million albums, the company was concerned about their commercial future. When Maines made her comment on March 10 2003, 10 days before Operation Iraqi Freedom unleashed "shock and awe" over Baghdad, the Dixie Chicks were probably the biggest act in country music. Yet within days, their music vanished from the charts and the airwaves, apoplectic rednecks crushed piles of their CDs with tractors..."

In another Snippet from the article, Emily Robison says: "A lot of pandering started going on, and you'd see soldiers and the American flag in every video. It became a sickening display of ultra-patriotism."

Just then Natalie Maines cluelessly waxes on by saying: "The entire country may disagree with me, but I don't understand the necessity for patriotism," Maines resumes, through gritted teeth. "Why do you have to be a patriot? About what? This land is our land? Why? You can like where you live and like your life, but as for loving the whole country… I don't see why people care about patriotism."

Read the rest of the article here.

Ms. Malkin provided a link on her web site to the Department of Defense page on Country Music Stars and the Troops.

####
Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland
e-mail him at kdayhoff@carr.org

20060616 KDDC Red Fridays

Red Fridays

Like many folks, my e-mail inbox is constantly filled with jokes, anecdotes, internet rumors, and e-mails portraying patriotism and support for the troops. I guess I don’t mind. Although some days, I could do without.

Fortunately I don’t get a lot of spam. I use the Carroll County Public Library for my e-mail address and they have an excellent spam blocker in place.

Every now and then, e-mails for products that make me blush appear. Or e-mails for products or services that I have no idea as to why anyone would want or need - get through.

Many of the e-mails about patriotism or friendship are certainly nice; however, I rarely feel the need to forward them so that the world can be saved.

However, I got the e-mail pasted below from a good friend and this one struck a rare cord. To wear a bit of red every Friday in support of our men and women in uniform just seems a great idea.

I was about to keyboard that it also is relatively effortless, and then I thought that whatever effort it may take to find a red garment to don every Friday certainly pales in comparison to the efforts of our troops stationed overseas in 122 countries - - and especially Iraq and Afghanistan.

I recently came across some impressive statistics, that, although they are from a couple of years ago, are no less profound today.

The United States Army, not including the other branches of the service, numbers a force of “more than 480,000 active duty military personnel, 205,000 Army Reserve soldiers, and 350,000 members of the Army National Guard, supported by an additional 230,000 civilian employees. The Army currently has 140,000 soldiers and 20,000 civilians located in 122 countries around the world.”

I certainly hope that the idea of wearing red every Friday catches on. The e-mail is pasted below. If I am not mistaken, the friend (GOPCharlie) that sent me the e-mail reads this blog… Thanks a bunch!

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

E-mail him at: kdayhoff@carr.org

####

Hat Tip: GOPCharlie - Thanks!

_________________

RED FRIDAYS ----- Very soon, you will see a great many people wearing Red every Friday. The reason? Americans who support our troops used to be called the "silent majority". We are no longer silent, and are voicing our love for God, country and home in record breaking numbers. We are not organized, boisterous or ! over- bearing. We get no liberal media coverage on TV, to reflect our message or our opinions.

Many Americans, like you, me and all our friends, simply want to recognize that the vast majority of America supports our troops Our idea of showing solidarity and support for our troops with dignity and respect starts this Friday -and continues each and every Friday until the troops all come home, sending a deafening message that.. Every red-blooded American who supports our men and women afar will wear something red.

By word of mouth, press, -- let's make the United States on every Friday a sea of red much like a homecoming football game in the bleachers. If every one of us who loves this country will share this with acquaintances, co-workers, friends, and family It will not be long before the USA is covered in RED and it will let our troops know the once "silent" majority is on their side more than ever, certainly more than the media lets on.

The first thing a soldier says w hen asked "What can we do to make things better for you?" is...We need your support and your prayers. Let's get the word out and lead with class and dignity, by example; and wear something red every Friday.

####

20060615 Dinner at Baughers

"Tinker, Evers to Chance"
(c) Kevn Dayhoff
June 15, 2006

Dinner at Baugher's with Caroline, some good friends and three legendary baseball players
####

20060615 KDDC Heroism on the Home Front

"It's a picture that represents all that the best Americans are fighting for..."
Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin

PHOTO OF THE MORNING

By Michelle Malkin · June 16, 2006 08:35 AM

Time.com: Utah State grad Christina Lakey carries a cardboard cutout of her deployed husband, Army Reserve Spc. Benjamin Lakey, who's in Afghanistan.
Reader Dave C. e-mails:

MM -- Here's a fantastic photo I hope you'll consider for your website (even w/ the best of MSM exposure, it could use more): The grad is my brother's squadmate's wife, and it's powerful to see her hand touching "his" as she carries his memory, current welfare, and future hopes confidently forward. It's a picture that represents all that the best Americans are fighting for, more and more meaningful the more you look at it. Strength & Honor!! Dave Chiu

####

20060615 KDDC The secret life of secret meetings

The secret life of the secretive nature of closed and open meetings

March 16^th, 2006 / June 15, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff

I first began writing this several months ago when issues over “secret meetings” arose in Mt. Airy. It is my view that suggestions that “secret” meetings were taking place were really all about folks disagreeing with the decisions of other community leaders. To charge an elected official with making decisions “secretly” is an attention grabber as this has become a “cause de jour.”

The issue is being brought up again, as some of the very same folks who recklessly engaged in character assassination and accusations that previous elected officials held “secret” meetings are now conducting themselves in a similar manner.

The issue as to whether or not “secret” meetings took place is one matter.

But more importantly, is the matter of why is it that such meetings and methodologies of approach were unacceptable before and now they are. There’s the rub.

When charges of “secret” meetings are bantered about frivolously, it trivializes what is otherwise a very serious issue and does a disservice to citizens.

Making decisions with the utmost of transparency in today’s government is a must. No longer is the paradigm of “Madisonian” representative government, where elected officials are chosen to make decisions for the folks they serve, appropriate.

In today’s’ world of 365/24/7 news and information dissemination, citizens often know as much about the complex issues as the elected officials and constituents these days, often as not, want a say in the decisions and have “hired” elected officials to implement those collective decisions.

It is called “Jeffersonian participatory government” and this columnist happens to feel that it is a better form of government.

Ultimately, as I will touch upon further down in this piece, the hypocrisy of the folks making the claims of “secret” meetings is rancid. The very folks repeating the accusation as often as possible, in an attempt to “make” the charges appear to be true, are smart enough to file a complaint with the “Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board.”

Nevertheless, all of this has a deleterious affect on the quality of government.

The manner in which public officials are treated in today’s slash-and-burn, win at any costs public dialogue continues to fathom new depths.

Why would anyone want to do the job? How many, otherwise capable and competent community leaders, have said to friends, family and colleagues – “you have to be nuts to be an elected official these days.”

If, we as a collective society continue to treat well meaning folks, who leave the comfortable cocoon of their private lives, to take the office of a locally elected official at, perhaps, 75 cents per hour, and all the abuse you can stand; then we are only going to have nuts seek the positions.

Instead of a conversation about what is in the best interests of the greater number of citizens and what can bring us together, the discourse has deteriorated into a series of reactionary conversations and ugly character assassinations; often involving unpleasant public hearings, uninformed, if not childish conspiracy theories, political spinelessness and personal attacks.

One of the latest in a series of personal attacks is where otherwise honorable citizens have been tried and convicted by innuendo in various local publications, for holding “secret” meetings or not bargaining with their constituencies in good faith. Simply because they may have a different approach to what they feel is the best path to the future for Carroll County.

This may work for the uninformed masses, however, the approach is being used by folks who otherwise, should know the law better and should set a better standard for public conversations.

Point of order: in the State of Maryland, a meeting is either “open” or “closed.” The terms “open meeting” or “closed meeting” are legislated terms, governed by state law.

Just as there is no such thing as being partially pregnant, there is no such thing as deliberations being held by decision-making elected or appointed officials in a “secretive nature.” Unless, that is, the term “secretive nature” is being used in an attempt to recklessly accuse persons of wrong doing, by manipulating public opinion.

In actuality, that level of conversation is really much more appropriate for an idle and often uninformed chatter in a local bar and not quite the standard of what we would like to expect from community leaders in a position to mold and shape public policy.

If indeed, the decisions were made in a “secretive nature,” the proper term for that is “illegal nature.”

If there is any question as to whether or not meetings were held inconsistent with Maryland State law, the issue can be brought before the Maryland Open Meetings Compliance Board. The final arbiter of such matters is the compliance board, not a columnist, politician with an axe to grind or an editorial board with an agenda. In situations where individuals disagree with a decision of the compliance board, the matter can be determined in court.

For additional information, the Web site for the Maryland Office of the Attorney general has excellent information available under “Open Government.” The web address is: http://www.oag.state.md.us/opengov/index.htm.

Instead of suggesting that a public body has violated the law and manipulating a trial in the court of public opinion, take the matter to the Open Meetings Compliance Board Complaint and get a formal determination or otherwise, forever hold your peace.

The procedures for asking the compliance board to make a determination if there has, indeed, been a violation of the law, can be found at: http://www.oag.state.md.us/Opengov/Openmeetings/complaint.htm.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

####

20060615 KDDC Mayor Frank Johnson and Deja Vu

Mayor Frank Johnson and Deja Vu all over again

June 15^th, 2006 by Kevin Dayhoff

Several folks have called this to my attention: "Frank Johnson named Senior Assistant County Attorney/Legislative Director," posted on the Carroll County Government Web site on June 13th, 2006. You can go here and read it.

I have also been reminded of an editorial by the Carroll County Times pertaining to the matter of Mayor – then Council President Johnson, holding two public positions concurrently.

I have found the editorial in my archives. The editorial was written on February 9^th, 2003 and it was entitled: “A problem of wearing many hats.”

Since the Carroll County Times does not use permalinks, I will paste the editorial, in its entirety, below.

With respect to the Mt. Airy Ethics Commission; one wonders how it is that the commission was able to make a determination as to whether or not Mayor Johnson holding two positions of public trust and profit simultaneously was an impropriety - and keep matter the confidential.

Although my ear to the ground never indicated that the information was leaked by anyone associated with the commission; it has been persistently alleged to be an open secret that nothing is confidential in Mt. Airy.

In the previous Mt. Airy town administration, it seemed that many confidential memos were alleged to have been immediately leaked to advocacy groups, the Carroll County Board of Commissioners and the press.

Deja vu seems to be the operative word in Mt. Airy government. It has been suggested in many circles, that immediately after taking office, just several weeks ago after the May 1^st, 2006 municipal election; Mt. Airy officials held an unannounced meeting with MDE officials over the status of Mt. Airy's water situation – the Friday before Memorial Day.

Although such meetings may be appropriate, if not necessary, meetings such as this were characterized in the press, among advocacy groups and in the May 1^st, 2006 election as inappropriate.

A community certainly has a right to determine for itself what meetings are to be public and not public as long as such determinations are consistent with current Maryland and municipal law.

So what has changed - except perhaps, the folks involved in the current meetings? Hmmmm?

Back in March 2006, I wrote a piece on the open meetings issue, or rather the suggestion that “secret” meetings were taking place in Mt. Airy and did not post it on my web site or run it as a column. Perhaps there is no better time to dust it off and post it.

As far as Mayor Johnson holding an appointed position in County government and being the mayor of Mt. Airy; I’m not sure that I have a problem with that as long as adequate disclosures are made and Mayor Johnson appropriately recuses himself when matters may arise in which there may be a perception of conflict.

Mayor Johnson’s sense of public service to our greater community is to be admired.

However, I believe that I read where he said that he was going to resign from his county position, if – or upon his election as mayor. I just did a quick search of my archives and I cannot find where it is that I read that information. Perhaps a kind reader may have the cite and forward it to me?

The problem appears to be one of consistency. It is a problem that frequently presents itself with legislative bodies and elected officials. It certainly has raised its ugly head in Westminster in the past year and for the past four years in Annapolis - - and now appears to be an issue in Mt. Airy.

The other challenge called to my attention in Mt Airy seems to be the matter of the “town administrator” position that has quickly been raised since the election. This issue has also been a hot potato in Westminster.

Perhaps, if a candidate for the position of mayor, has in mind that they want to hire a town administrator to do their job after they are elected, maybe they ought to disclose that to the voters before the election and let the voters decide if that is how they want their town run.

In Mt. Airy, the concept of having a town administrator run the town appeared out of nowhere immediately after the election. When folks said, hold on here, let’s talk about it, the mayor and some members of the Mt. Airy replied, what do ya mean, talk about it? We have decided that it is a good idea and now we are going to move forward.

The very same folks who suggested that this was the approach of the previous administration, are the ones leading the way. What has changed? What is different? It certainly does not meet either the optics test or the smell test and to be perfectly blunt, appears to be situational ethics.

Mayor Johnson said in a letter to the editor in the Carroll County Times, earlier today, June 15^th, 2006: “A few days ago, the Times excoriated me for asking the town council to approve a town administrator at the June council meeting rather than tabling the idea… This decision was not made behind closed doors. The proposal was on the pre-announced public agenda for the council meeting, and it was openly discussed. In fact, I answered more than a dozen specific questions. The town council took public comment on the proposal. Even if one takes umbrage at my request for a decision, this all occurred in an open meeting to which the public was not only invited, but in attendance.”

(For more background: Editorial for Thursday, June 8, 2006: “Campaign promises apparently mean nothing to the newly elected mayor and council members of Mount Airy. At Monday's council meeting, Mayor Frank Johnson refused to postpone a vote on his personal proposal to add a staff position, saying waiting to get...” Read the rest of the editorial here.)

This response, although certainly plausible for this columnist, was not acceptable for issues in the previous administration. There’s the rub. What has changed? What is different? Why were these things unacceptable in the previous administration, but perfectly fine now?

Read the rest of his letter to the editor, “Government is open in Mount Airy,” here.

Things just get curiouser and curiouser in Mt. Airy and there is no end in sight.

Kevin Dayhoff writes from Westminster Maryland USA.

For additional background:

State refuses to help in Mount Airy ethics leak investigation: “The state prosecutor's office has refused to help investigate an alleged leak of confidential information regarding a pending ethics investigation in Mount Airy, and the town's mayor said there are no plans to pursue an investigation…

_________________

Open-government mayor stops taping meeting Publish Date: 06/08/06; By Katie E. Leslie News-Post Staff: “MOUNT AIRY -- Minutes into Monday's public hearing about a new downtown zoning classification, Mount Airy Town Council Secretary Peter Helt realized the meeting was not being recorded.

When he asked newly elected Mayor Frank Johnson why, Mr. Johnson said he made the decision to stop taping after a conversation with town attorney Lynn Board, who was hired by the council following Mr. Johnson's inauguration.

Mr. Helt appeared stunned….”

Read the rest here.

_________________

Mt. Airy council resumes taping, Jun. 9, 2006: “After a two-week hiatus the Mount Airy Town Council will resume tape recording council meetings. When a citizen expressed concern about an unrelated proposed ordinance during a public hearing at Monday night's meeting, councilman Peter Helt asked why...” Read the rest here.

_________________

“Two public hearings not taped” Thursday, June 8, 2006 by Carolynne Fitzpatrick, Gazette Staff Writer “Mayor decides not to record hearings; reverses decision after realizing it violated town code:” “The public will not have a chance to review the tapes of two hearings that took place on Monday, after Mayor Frank Johnson decided not to continue taping public meetings — a decision that was revoked after council members discussed it….” Read more here.

_________________

Carroll County Times Editorial for Feb. 9, 2003

A problem of wearing many hats

Mount Airy Town Councilman Frank Johnson has been wearing a lot of different hats lately, but the time has come for him to step back and make some realistic decisions about where he believes he can do the most good.

The councilman was instrumental in rallying support and bringing together a Council of Governments in Carroll at a time when communication between the county office building and Carroll's municipalities was sorely lacking. He remains a vocal advocate and is actively involved as the organization gets up and running.

Johnson also took a job as assistant to County Commissioner Julia Walsh Gouge. And while he and others have said there is nothing legally wrong with collecting paychecks from both the Town of Mount Airy and the county, there likely is an ethical issue involved.

That issue is compounded by Johnson's other involvement in Mount Airy, where he serves as zoning administrator and is the council's liaison to the planning commission.

At the very least, Johnson has spread himself too thin to be entirely effective in any one of the positions. And because his many positions span from Mount Airy to Carroll's municipalities to county government, that means the impact is being felt everywhere in the county.

Johnson owes it to the people of Mount Airy, owes it to the towns, cities and organizations that make up the Council of Governments and owes it to taxpayers who pay his salary as Gouge's assistant to step back from some of these responsibilities.

He must assess where he believes he can be most effective, and then concentrate on those areas.

Wanting to help out in as many different ways as possible is an admirable trait, but it does no good if the person is running in so many different directions that it takes away from all of his various jobs and duties.

©Carroll County Online 2003

####