Candidiate: Rick Moser

Question: How soon does the county propose to have "city water" run down
as far as Kent Island Estates?  Also, there is a large piece of property
that has been logged recently to the left of Route 8 south past Kent
Island Estates that I am curious to get the details on...are there plans
of developing on this property?  They have logged and just left fallen
trees, etc. to dry and become a serious risk of brush fire. 

As far as the logging down Rt8, I haven't checked into it. I was told by a 
nearby resident it was clearcut logging with no development planned, but I 
haven't confirmed. Again, best bet is ask the County Administrator. 

If you would like to discuss further, please call or email me.

Rick Moser
Candidate for Commissioner at large.

Name: Terrance Kirk

Candidiate: Ben Cassel

Question: The proposed towers on RT8 on the Elks property that have a range of 2 miles. What is your position on putting cell towers in residental communities?

On a recent business trip to Connecticut I read about this same issue in the local papers. There the County passed an ordinance taking control of the cell towers. they did this to make money from them and control where they went.

I really like this approch, even before I read the article.  I think the towers should go on County property, as much as possible away from residential neighborhoods, and then lease space on the towers to the communications companies. This generates income to the county without the citizens being taxed more and maintains the beauty of neighborhoods. 
I have also researched what a Virginia county did in making the towers "fit in" to the communities. They can be on Church Steeples or be made to look like big trees. Also, technology is changing rapidly and in a very short time the towers would only need to be 50 ft high - not the 140 ft high proposed here.

This falls politically, in my opinion, to a leadership issue. George O'Donnel has repeatedly stated he cannot compete with the private sector. I disagree and would provide the leadership to find alternative  solutions instead of the "oh-well" attitude I see too often.

Ben Cassell
Candidate for Commissioner at large.

Candidiate: Ben Cassell

Question: Ben, is it possible for our county commissioners to limit growth, preserve our 'island' quality of life and still enable county residents to enjoy quality county services, education and property values? 

In other words, is it possible to have it all?

Regards,

Steve Kougoures

I beleive growth can be "capped" annually - I have 2 ideas to do this fairly but would want a committee to research other alternatives as I do not claim to know it all. the issue with Caps is fairness to big and small developers and builders. Just like Federal & State contracts - a portion could be set aside for small businesses and/or a formula that says only a % of the cap could be allocated to any single development.  This deals with limiting growth without stopping it - note that Frederick and Howard Counties have moratoriums in place in some locales due to water or school capacities. I do not want to see that here and with proper planning and research it will not be necessary. I beleive one of the reasons the commissioners want rapid growth is to get more taxes to pay off old debt, the problem being that it becomes like a drug and new growth needs more infrastructure and more debt, then more development is needed and so on and so on. I have seen this cycle all over our state and nation - sooner or later it becomes a monster and over all quality of life really suffers.

In other areas it is a matter of challenging staff to sind solutions - that is called leadership.  For example - I have found an organization out of state that beleives they can obtain better results in sewage treatment at a fraction of the cost as an alternative to the $33 million treatment plant expansion North on Rt. 8.  If they are correct we could save $20 mill which could then be spent on other things, even sewage treatment in other areas of the County or better quality of life issues. It is a matter also of budget priority - instead of spending $192,000 per year on new space for Planning & Zoning offices the money could have gone to the Sheriffs' deputy retirement fund - we continually lose deputies after 5 years as they go to other areas where the pensions are better. 

These are but 2 examples.  have heard for years about growth and the related costs, yet the commissioners do not have the political will to make growth pay for itself.

Yes we can have it all- just depends on what we want to pay. I beleive all growth should pay for itself to support all the programs needed to support it. From environmental issues, to traffic, and recreational facilities. I beleive that our structure of "part-time" leadership lends it self to officials looking at personal gain more than gains for the people of the County. 

We can have it all if the voters want it all.

Ben Cassell - candidate for Commissioner at large.