I have a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to public service. My track record in community leadership, policy research, and problem-solving uniquely qualifies me to serve as your next County Commissioner. Discover the core strengths that set me apart as a champion for every resident of Washington County. Extensive Community Leadership My leadership experience includes serving as President, Vice President, Secretary, Legal Redress Chair, and Political Action Chair of the Washington County NAACP. My commitment to justice extends to roles with the ACLU Western Maryland Advocacy Team and the MD Immigrant Justice Table. ✓ Proven experience in grassroots organizing ✓ Advocates for community-driven solutions ✓ Trusted by local organizations Collaborative, Active, & Engaged I actively work to strengthen our local area through participation on various boards and committees. ✓ Friends of Halfway African American Cemetery (Current Board Member) ✓ Hub City Chapter of National Railway Historical Society (Current Board Secretary) ✓ Rising to Learn (Current Advisory Board Member) ✓ Representative McClain-Delaney's African American Advisory Board (Current) ✓ Habitat for Humanity of Washington County (Previous Board Member) Transparent and Accountable Leadership With a strong belief in open government, I am committed to transparency, fiscal responsibility, and regular public engagement. My advocacy experience includes providing written and oral testimony for legislative action. I have experience in policy research to inform effective solutions and successful grant writing to secure essential funding for community initiatives. ✓ Open and accessible to constituents ✓ Regularly seeks public input ✓ Using research to ensure responsible decision-making Community Involvement Joining and actively participating in local organizations is vital for strengthening the fabric of our community and gives me a direct understanding of the needs and opportunities across Washington County. My involvement in these groups and volunteer roles allows me to collaborate with dedicated individuals and organizations to drive positive, meaningful change. ✓ Ending Needless Violence in Youth (ENVY)- Previous Member ✓ Washington County Chamber of Commerce - Current Member ✓ Sunrise Rotary Hagerstown - Current Member ✓ Eliza's House (Current Director of Grant Management) ✓ REACH of Washington County (Volunteer Cold Weather Shelter Coordinator)
1. The Problem When the current Board of Commissioners removed open public comment from regular meetings, they did more than just silence individuals, they severed the essential link between the people and their elected representatives. Restricting public communication to private emails and letters allows tough questions to be quietly ignored and enables major decisions to be made behind closed doors. When local leaders isolate themselves from the public, community trust collapses. 2. The Vision A local government that functions as an open, ongoing dialogue with the community it serves. We envision a Washington County where public participation is treated as a fundamental right, not a bureaucratic privilege. By building an accessible and radically transparent administration, we will harness our community’s collective wisdom to solve local issues openly, honestly, and collaboratively. 3. The Policy As an Independent candidate, my commitment is to ensure that you are never locked out of your own government. I will propose policies to restore community trust and institutional transparency: Guaranteed Citizen Access: Re-establish a permanent, protected space for open public comment during regular county business meetings. Radical Intergovernmental Transparency: Mandate complete public visibility and oversight regarding any county communication or negotiation with federal and state agencies. Proactive Constituent Service: Commit to showing up for difficult public conversations and keeping the community actively informed rather than waiting for crises to occur. 4. The Plan To break down the barriers between the people and the local government, using the formal administrative powers of the Board of Commissioners, I will: Amend BOCC Bylaws to Restore Public Comment: Introduce and vote for an immediate amendment to the Board of County Commissioners' operational rules to permanently reinstate open, uncurated public comment periods during all regularly scheduled voting sessions. Enact Federal Liaison Disclosure Rules: Pass a local transparency resolution requiring that any official meeting or brief between county leadership and federal entities, such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding local facility projects, must be backed by published agendas, public notes, and timely community briefings. Launch "Commissioners in the Community" Town Halls: Establish rotating, evening public forums across the county's distinct municipalities (including Boonsboro, Williamsport, Smithsburg, and Clear Spring) to ensure working families who cannot attend morning meetings in Hagerstown can speak directly with their commissioners. Implement a Public Constituent Tracking Portal: Upgrade the county’s digital infrastructure to feature a transparent constituent service portal, allowing residents to publicly track submitted neighborhood issues and see exactly when and how their concerns are being addressed by county staff.
1. The Problem Washington County is facing a critical gap in attainable housing. Outdated zoning laws limit where diverse housing can be built, driving up costs for working families, young professionals, and seniors. Local working families are increasingly priced out, and public-private investments are stagnant because our current regulatory framework makes creative housing projects too difficult to launch. 2. The Vision A vibrant Washington County where every resident, regardless of income or stage of life, has access to stable, high-quality, and attainable housing. By modernizing our land-use approach, we will create thriving, walkable communities that seamlessly blend residential, commercial, and recreational spaces while preserving our county’s unique rural and historic character. 3. The Policy As County Commissioner, I will champion a shift toward proactive, smart-growth housing policies: Modernizing Zoning & Land Use: Revise local zoning codes to allow higher-density housing near public transit routes and eliminate unnecessary red tape for Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). Strategic Growth Management: Update the County Comprehensive Plan to incentivize mixed-use developments that blend housing with commercial spaces. Strengthening Local Partnerships: Support the Housing Authority of Washington County to expand locally-funded housing programs and establish maximum income limits that truly reflect our county's economy. 4. The Plan To turn this vision into reality, I will use the specific legislative and budgetary tools of the Board of Commissioners to: Enact Tax Incentives: Implement targeted county property tax credits to attract private developers willing to construct mixed-use and diverse-income housing projects. Leverage Public-Private Partnerships (P3s): Collaborate with local non-profits, developers, and the Community Land Trust model to maximize infrastructure investments without overburdening taxpayers. Coordinate Housing Trust Allocations: Utilize our oversight of state, federal, and locally funded housing programs to establish and manage a dedicated Housing Trust Fund to preserve varied housing solutions.
1. The Problem Washington County’s neighborhood safety and critical infrastructure are facing modern pressures that reactive governance can no longer fix. Our emergency services, including Fire, EMS, and community policing; suffer from recruitment gaps and communication deficits, while aging water infrastructure and unpredictable storm patterns threaten local resilience. For too long, a lack of proactive county-level coordination has left individual municipalities and vulnerable youth to navigate systemic challenges alone. 2. The Vision A secure, cohesive, and resilient Washington County where every neighborhood thrives on reliable infrastructure and strong community ties. By investing heavily in frontline emergency responders, modernizing vital water systems, and engaging our youth early, we will build a proactive foundation of safety and opportunity that spans from our busiest towns to our most rural corners. 3. The Policy As County Commissioner, I will support a comprehensive, proactive strategy to safeguard our communities and elevate core county services: Fully Funded Emergency Services & Utilities: Secure robust budget allocations for community policing, fire, and EMS while aggressively updating water quality, flood control, and communication systems. Grassroots Community Connection: Cultivate deeper bonds across the county by providing municipal grants for localized improvement, community building, and centralized resource sharing. Upstream Youth Empowerment: Break cycles of vulnerability by shifting resources toward active mentorship, job readiness, and giving young residents a direct seat at the local government table. 4. The Plan To turn these policy priorities into concrete action, I will use the formal budgetary and legislative powers of the Board of Commissioners to: Explore Fire & EMS Matching Grants: Consider options for a matching grant program designed to bolster volunteer support, improve recruitment, and upgrade aging inter-agency communications infrastructure. Authorize Water & Resilience Infrastructure Planning: Direct a county-wide utility coordination effort to plan for long-term water availability, storm-water mitigation, and aggressive flood control management. Establish the Neighborhood Connection Fund: Create a localized grant fund to directly finance grassroots community-building events, neighborhood clean-up efforts, and a centralized County-Wide Community Resource Hub. Co-Fund Non-Profit Youth Mentorship & Leadership Pathways: Partner with local non-profits to scale up after-school mentorship and job-readiness programs, while legally chartering a County Youth Advisory Board and a Commissioner Internship Program. Deploy Inter-Jurisdictional Preparedness Grants: Create a formal County-Municipal Preparedness Grant to fund joint training exercises and seamless emergency response coordination between local agencies.
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916 Silver Spur Rd, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274