With surprise bridge closings, the threat of reductions of service at the local hospital, and the ongoing struggle with the Maryland Department of the Environment on the management of a decades-old oil leak that could threaten town drinking water, it might be easy for residents to feel like Chestertown is a real underdog in 2016.
While Mayor Chris Cerino doesn’t go that far, he does make the point in his Spy interview yesterday that these “crises” were created by forces outside of Chestertown, and therefore, the community has little formal control on impacting outcomes. Nonetheless, he notes how successful public opinion has been in grabbing the attention of Annapolis lawmakers and health officials. And as a result, he now feels a certain degree of optimism that Chestertown’s complaints are finally being heard.
This video is approximately eight minutes in length
Stephan Sonn says
If in your mind set you view Chestertown’s reality as passive underdog, you make that so.
Carla Massoni says
Thank you Mayor Cerino for your leadership. I agree with your “optimism” there are many “balls” in the air – but with continued community involvement we will accomplish our goals. The SPY interview with President Sheila Bair speaks to numerous initiatives Washington College is exploring that will benefit both Town & Gown. Comptroller Peter Franchot did all of us a favor when he encouraged us to make our voices heard – LOUD AND CLEAR! He may have created a monster but I doubt we will take “no” for an answer in the future without a fight. Our County and Town officials are working together with renewed effectiveness and citizen involvement is at an all time high. Kristen Owen of the Downtown Chestertown Association, Kay MacIntosh our new A&E director, Lani Seikaly of the Greater Chestertown Initiative have all been tireless in their efforts. Let’s keep those “balls” in the air and accomplish great things for
Chestertown.
David Sheets says
My wife and I both retired from our years of work with the Veterans Administration last year for her and six years prior to that for myself; our new home built by Covel Communities is on Radcliff Creek and thus near the intersection with the Chester River. This writer had heard after our move here that this land that is Chester River Landing was once a receiving terminal for several petroleum companies who would have barges deliver their oil (possibly other materials) up the Chester to this piece of land where the storage tanks were located. We were told that there was a clean up prior to construction starting. However, there is not a day that goes by that an oil slick along with the abundance of yellow fertilizer that comes to shore with the tidal changes. But it is the oil slicks that concern my wife and I: at times when planting flowers even 15 to 10 feet from shore I can smell or see the oil present. As it is there doesn’t seem to present a danger to us or the other residents here but there is something of concern that any oil is present at all which may only be a small part of the oil and other petroleum chemicals present esp. in an area where there is the presence of ducks, geese, loons, and other fish and land animals throughout the year. But what can be done at this time?