In the summer of 2000 Mike became involved in the fight against the Four Seasons development with other concerned residents.  This lead to the formation of the Kent Island Defense League in November of 2000, with Mike as Vice President, a position he still holds.  The KIDL rallied citizen support and has been successful in reducing the density of the proposed Four Seasons, increasing shoreline buffers, and removing the rental apartments and commercial shopping center. 

In the late summer of 2001 Mike and the Kent Island Defense League mounted a referendum petition drive to put the Four Seasons' "Growth Allocation" on the ballot in November 2002.  The league and its volunteers successfully collected twice the signatures of registered voters as required (4400 collected).  However, the petition was soon challenged, a challenge that has made its way through the court system and now is waiting a decision by the Court of Special Appeals.

Mike runs a residential construction company and believes growth is necessary and healthy for the county, but that it must be responsible growth that pays for itself and does not negatively impact the area and its citizens.  Mike believes the current administration encourages intense growth in the form of numerous proposed massive developments, and does not have enough regard for impacts to the environment, infrastructure, economy and quality of life in Queen Anne's County.  He will work to encourage growth that does not increase county debt service.  He believes in limits on growth and protections for the county's environment and economy.  One such protection for the environment would be to move "growth areas" off Kent Island and out of Critical Areas.

Mike doesn't think "Smart Growth" will really work on the Eastern Shore, as its original intent was as a re-development tool to be used in cities and already- developed areas where transportation and infrastructure are already in place.  "Smart Growth" was also intended to preserve farmland.  Mike believes the use of the term here, where massive proposed developments are to be built on existing farmland, and where the infrastructure is NOT in place, is a misinterpretation of the phrase.

Mike believes in smaller government, not increasing government.  He does not agree with the idea of "regional planning" and its "regional sewer systems" such as used in Prince Georges, Montgomery County and DC, under the Maryland National Park and Planning Comission, and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. 

Mike decided to run for County Commissioner against incumbent John McQueeney in District 4 when no other Republican candidate stepped forward to address the issues he believes in.

Mike will be running a grassroots campaign with very little fundraising or expenditure of personal funds.  He may put up a few signs, but doesn't think littering the landscape gets his message across.  Most of his campaigning will be door to door, person to person contact.

To help with Mike's campaign please call 410-643-3935.

Checks should be made to:
Michael Koval for Commissioner
P. O. Box 459
Chester, MD  21619

Be sure to read theStar Democrat July 24, 2002 interview with Mike Koval.

KIDL will forward your question to the Named Candidate and will post both your question and the Candidate's reply in this section of the site.