We are a town divided, and like the old question “Is the glass half full, or is it half empty?” We tend to come down on one side or the other. The optimists see the town as still thriving. The pessimists see the town on a downhill slide. At the moment I think it is on the cusp. It can go either way
There are those in Chestertown who don’t want their town to change. They cite the wonderful history of the area, the charm of small town living. How great a town it was to grow up in.
Newcomers see the same thing – that is what draws them to our part of the Eastern Shore and it’s what they love about Chestertown too. But they also see the other side, the many empty storefronts, along with the denials that there might be a problem.
The reality of today’s world is that, as stated by many others, most of us who live here do not shop downtown much, if at all. On any given day (except Farmer’s Market Saturdays) the town is almost empty.
There appears to be a great concern, by those who have lived here a long time, that progress will destroy what we have, but I ask you – does the way we live today allow what we have downtown to thrive? The stores that originally disappeared, in the business center of town, were those that were, originally, essential to daily living before the advent of strip malls and big box stores; the dairy, the clothing store, etc. What we are replacing them with today are stores, not so much related to the necessities of daily life, but to some of the pleasures of life. We too, now reserve most of our essential buying to the strip malls and the major big box stores.
We also have another major problem and that is size. One of our blessings (and one of our curses too) is that we are the smallest of Maryland’s 23 counties, with about 20,000 residents. One quarter of that population live in Chestertown. (1,971 households) with a median household income for the whole county, half the amount of the rest of Maryland (According to 2009 estimates; $31,809 vs. $69,272)
What this means to Chestertown is clearly; the demographics cannot support a successful downtown business environment, sustained solely by the local population.
Chestertown, in order to prosper, needs to be a destination. A place where people can come and enjoy the best of the Eastern Shore, year round, not a destination enjoyed, only once or twice a year, for the Tea Party or for Down-Rigging,
I would propose a new Chestertown, one that gives us what most of us want; A great place to live, to work, to bring up children, to enjoy our retirement, but still a Chestertown with a flourishing business center, and the ability to share our unique and lovely town with others, without sacrificing what we love and cherish about our part of the Eastern Shore.
It can be done, without big box stores, without spoiling our beautiful town center, or our way of life.
But we have to have an open mind, and a willingness to come together, to make it happen.
Frances Barrett-Reed
Chestertown
Petey S. Bestmom says
Don’t think anyone disagrees with what you are saying. The decline of downtown is alarming.
But do you have any specific suggestions on what could be done to create a flourishing business center?
Frances Barrett-Reed says
I do have all kinds of ideas BUT this town evolution is not just a “One Person’s Ideas”. In order for Chestertown to grow and thrive this has to be a community wide undertaking, with input and help from many, along with a willingness on the part of our Town leaders to work with the community to achieve a positive outcome. Keith Thompson who responded with a great list of things we need, and could do, is right on the money. So how do we go about getting the ball rolling? Do you all think there would be enough enthusiasm to get people together to discuss and make a plan? Should the town leaders be asked to spearhead it, or should it be a grassroots undertaking? Or, better yet, a combination of both? It will be of the utmost importance that all of those affected in such an undertaking be involved and/or aware from the get go. We are a diverse population here in Chestertown and it is important that no one be, or feel, ignored or overlooked.
Keith Thompson says
Thank you Frances.
Keith Thompson says
This is a nice view of the dilemma Chestertown faces, but let’s focus on the last three paragraph/sentences.
“I would propose a new Chestertown, one that gives us what most of us want; A great place to live, to work, to bring up children, to enjoy our retirement, but still a Chestertown with a flourishing business center, and the ability to share our unique and lovely town with others, without sacrificing what we love and cherish about our part of the Eastern Shore.
It can be done, without big box stores, without spoiling our beautiful town center, or our way of life.
But we have to have an open mind, and a willingness to come together, to make it happen.”
This is a call to action, but how do we actually do this? Here’s a top 10 list off of the top of our heads up here on Flatland Road.
1. Parking Meters…get rid of them. If you’re begging people to come downtown to do business, don’t make them pay for the privilege.
2. Social media…at least one person affiliated with the town needs to be somewhat active on social media, especially Facebook. If there is anything going on in town, whether its a town sponsored event or simply something going on at a business or non-profit should get a mention on the town’s Facebook page. It’s not necessary to have someone posting things 24-7, but at least once or twice a day rather than once every month. This takes no expense and very little time.
3. Most businesses, especially downtown, should have common hours…especially on the weekends. If you have tourists on Saturday or Sunday afternoons, retail businesses must be open for these tourists to help the local economy. Also, most downtown businesses should be open later in the evenings until 7 or 8pm. If this means that many of these businesses (especially retail) would need to open later in the day, so be it. I would think that 11am to 7pm for a retail outlet would make sense downtown.
4. More town-sponsored events. The town needs to do something more than Tea Party or Downrigging (which is actually run by the Sultana). At least once a month, there should be a big event that the town gets behind with the idea of giving a variety of reasons for people to come back to Chestertown. Think outside the box and be open to ideas from the bottom up rather than from the top down. A “Pirates And Wenches Weekend” would likely not be a fit for Chestertown, but be open to the same kind of thinking that inspired Pirates and Wenches in Rock Hall (or be open to the same kind of thinking that inspired the Tea Party). Of course, this involves rolling up your sleeves and doing some work, but any sort of success involves some effort.
5. To go along with #4, encourage “disruptive thinking”, in other words encourage people to come up and try ideas that the old guard may have either dismissed or would never even think of. Certainly not everything will work, but the last words of any dying organization is “we’ve never tried that before”.
6. As artistic a town Chestertown is, there needs to be a realization that art doesn’t drive commerce. Don’t expect that the arts community will help business any more than it already does because the town has likely maxed out the economic impact of the arts. Help drive commerce and/or recreational opportunities, especially downtown, and the arts will benefit from the people coming downtown for reasons other than art. Certainly a play at the Garfield Center will bring in folks who are drawn to the Garfield Center, but if you have more people downtown in the evenings there’s a good chance the theatre will draw in some of them who otherwise wouldn’t come downtown for a play.
7. Stop “no” from being the standard response to economic activity. This is true of the county as well. Almost any economic opportunity no matter how small (from an increase in hunting days, to more mooring opportunites at marinas, to microbreweries, to ice cream trucks, etc.) that is turned down (or made more difficult) equals less of a reason for people to spend money. The cost of one “no” may be negligible, but multiply the “no’s” many times and you then begin talking about the loss of real revenue opportunities. I say it often; what you don’t say “no” to is often more important than you say “yes” to.
8. Rethink regular events like First Fridays. First of all, I can’t think of a reason why something like First Friday can’t be done every week…or at least every other week, except that it would involve work. As much as First Friday brings people downtown, I certainly hear from some businesses that the traffic doesn’t actually benefit their business because First Friday is seen by many as more of a social event than as a opportunity to either do business or to engage in commerce. That’s not to say to ditch the social element, but there should be more a mindset of using First Friday as a networking opportunity, a marketing opportunity, or a commercial opportunity.
9. Take advantage of your greatest economic resources. Right now Chestertown is a town with a college and not a college town. Chestertown is a town on the river, it’s not a riverfront town. The town has a college and a marina/riverfront…use them to create an economic hub where other businesses can be the spokes.
10. New leadership. There needs to be new people involved in running the town in both elected and unelected capacities. No matter how effective a leader is, at some point the good ideas of the past get stale and the leaders either run out of ideas or are unable to adapt to changing times. Thank the leaders for their past contributions, but encourage them to step aside and allow the next generation to invest their ideas, time and energy into the community.
I’m sure that other specific ideas can be added to the conversations and some of these ideas can either be improved upon or rejected, but action is preferable to words. I am encouraged that some (if not all) of the town council members are being more active in questioning the status quo. This is a positive sign.
Michael Hildebrand says
Keith, I think you are on target. A few things to think about while enacting your plans would include a lot of good PR towards people who would be willing to risk the capital to start businesses here. In the many years of reading the Kent News and other local papers, it seems that there is always a story of someone suing someone else on any number of issues when it comes to doing business here. This, in my opinion, has created a very negative image for the town and county. Whether you are for or against projects, the town and county have fought over Wal-Mart, an incinerator, an asphalt plant, the painting of brick on a hotel front, a micro-brewery and on an on. Business people don’t forget these things and they shouldn’t. Why should anyone want to spend that kind of money to invest in a business to serve this community? Rock Hall is at this very moment beginning a fight with Dollar General and Family Dollar. I agree that we don’t need acres of strip malls and big box stores, but with the media income of $31,800 a year, where do you expect people to shop? When local people travel as far as they do to shop, the locals there always as why we travel so far to shop? When the answer is because it’s to expense to shop local, well as I said before, more bad PR. Once downtown creates an environment where the local people can go and shop, the word will get out and the rest will come with time. Right know, coffee and donuts isn’t going to get the job done.
Bill Leary says
I could not agree more. The question is: HOW?
Kevin Shertz says
I’d argue that a willingness to come together also means proper and relevant representation within our elected government. I do not mean to disparage a single elected or appointed member of our community by saying this, because I believe they’ve all signed up for a pretty thankless job, but the fact that there is not a single African American member on our Town Council, or a citizen who resides in the Coventry Farms section of our Town is pretty appalling.
I’d propose we consider doing some redistricting in Chestertown to reflect our diverse neighborhoods. Here’s the current map:
https://www.chestertown.com/gov/wardmap.php
If that means adding a Council seat or two, so be it. The status quo obviously isn’t working and large sections of this town are disenfranchised as a result.
For example, My current ward boundary, Ward #3, is split halfway down the middle of Mount Vernon Avenue, yet represents all of our historical African American communities as well as all of upper High Street and Coventry Farms. Similarly, The idea that the issues facing the historic downtown and the Manor Avenue area next to the strip malls can be properly expressed by a single citizen representing Ward #2 is laughable.
This all makes no sense whatsoever in a 21st Century Chestertown.
Keith Thompson says
Great observation, Kevin.
Tim O'Brien says
A voice of reason and totally agree. Chestertown has great future if the right choices are made.
Businesses will not open or come here if they can not make it work regardless if the town leadership
is helpful or obstructive. Downtown property owners must also step up as they have huge influence on who can rent space.
I would argue that Chestertown has seen down times and has really comeback strong but has been lucky that because of our early of history and quirk of location that we are not surrounded by suburbs and strip malls like Annapolis. But to keep this wonderful place vibrant there needs to be more than history to hang on to, there needs to be a bright future for those growing up here or relocating. We need to bring and nurture the businesses and individuals that
are craftsmen, writers, graphic designers, etc. people who want the quality of life here but are tapped into the world economy and
not dependent just on the local economy. People with talents or unique products that clients will seek out or buy over the Internet.
People who would raise families here and want to contribute to the future of Chestertown. Other small towns with far less to offer and in less beautiful spots have embraced change and technology and have strong and vibrant main streets. Examples of those that have not changed or adapted for the future can also be found with empty decaying store fronts.
MB Troup says
Great letter Frances!
Fletcher R. Hall says
The letter and the comment dialogue could make a great start for ideas to improve Chestertown. This dialogue needs to continue and action must result from such discussions. No action, no progress.
Progress needs to be Chestertown’s most important product.
Robert Sweetman says
Optimists say the Glass is Half Full…
Pessimists say the Glass is Half Empty…
Engineers say Change the Glass…
Janet Kane says
Thank you Frances for starting this thread. I think an important place to start to revitalize downtown Chestertown is to increase the foot traffic. My husband and I walk through the downtown 3 or 4 times a week. We use the pharmacy, the bank, we buy our groceries at the health food store, we usually have breakfast at the Lemon Leaf Cafe, we stop in at Evergrain for a loaf of bread. We always make a stop at the Book Plate and get a few books there. If we need to get some greetings cards or other things, we stop at Twigs and Things. We see very few people walking downtown when we are there. If the merchants saw foot traffic, they would be encouraged to stay open later and also others would be more willing to open stores. If we had a hardware, kitchen and linen stores, I would never have to go into a big box store again. That is my dream.
The reason I feel so strongly about this is because I come from a town in PA with the same population as Chestertown. About 20 years ago a Walmart moved outside of town and my hometown promptly died. The main street is empty now, there is only a doctor’s office there, the rest is empty boarded up storefronts.
Keith Thompson says
Janet, interesting that you bring up Wal-Mart. Even though I work here in Chestertown, I live in Middletown and have some intimate knowledge of Wal-Mart since my wife works there. Middletown and Wal-Mart are convenient whipping boys when any talk of economic development comes up in Chestertown with the standard response being “we don’t want Chestertown to become Middletown”. Well, there’s no chance that Chestertown will ever become Middletown largely because the two communities are very different, with very different economic circumstances. Middletown had a huge influx of population in the 1990s that necessitated bringing in retail development and the town expanding via annexation to come to grips with the infrastructure caused by the massive population growth. The growth has allowed the town to begin rebuilding its downtown which was not in very good shape prior to the influx of population and the retail growth. Of course, Middletown isn’t blessed with a college or a major waterfront to build economic development around so they had to go the route they did (and the town leaders are deservedly unapologetic about it). Whether or not Wal-Mart is a community killer is largely dependent on the community. It didn’t happen in Middletown, but one may well would kill Chestertown. In a way though, Wal-Mart is already killing Chestertown because so much of the Chestertown/Kent County community spends money in Middletown (and the town leaders there thank you for that, by the way).
The point here is that Chestertown is not Middletown, in that Chestertown is not facing a massive influx of population that is putting its infrastructure under pressure; Chestertown has the opposite problem in that it needs to attract younger people who will be able to invest in the community to replace the older investors who have retired or passed away. Attract more young investors, whether it is folks buying homes or starting businesses, and you make for a more healthy community.
I think one question that needs to be asked is how Chestertown can get more of its community to spend money here, rather than spending it in Middletown. I think you’re spot on in increasing foot traffic downtown which means giving people a reason to go downtown. Again, I think so many people in Chestertown fear what has happened in Middletown and use Middletown as an excuse to shy away from necessary growth without understanding the vast differences between the communities. This fear of becoming Middletown is unfounded.
D LaMotte says
I agree that the key to this area economic strength lies not in retail growth but in business that can conceivably flourish anywhere….coupled with development that compliment’s our heritage, not diminishes it. These Businesses will most likely employ less people but be more flexible. People choose to live here for a reason and that is what separates us from towns that spawned for commuters….such as the former farmland around Middletown.The nature of business and growth is already in our favor…we need to think creatively and encourage any business that enhances our community.
I think of the tiny Vermont farms that collectively bind together making the world famous Cabot Cheddar Cheese. We here are not only blessed with gorgeous soil for crops but are near three large cities. Let us reach out to techies who have ideas but want a less expensive area to live and work, and who want the benefits of a rural life. Let us make sure that our schools emphasize math so students go on to higher education, perhaps become engineers and move back here to work in a tech business. These same students will be operating the robots that will be eliminating most unskilled jobs in retail and manufacturing.
Keith Thompson says
Good ideas, but I want to focus in on one line…
“People choose to live here for a reason and that is what separates us from towns that spawned for commuters….such as the former farmland around Middletown”
You have cause and effect reversed for Middletown. Middletown didn’t spawn as a commuter town by choice; Middletown simply adapted to what was happening around it that it had little to no control over. If you had a massive number of people moving into development being built on current farmland along Rt. 20, Rt. 213, Rt. 291 or Flatland Rd outside of Chestertown, Chestertown would be forced to go the large retail route in order to keep up with the infrastructure. I think some retail growth is necessary for Chestertown simply to give more reason for Chestertown residents to spend money in town rather than spending it in Middletown. Other things are needed too like light manufacturing (Campbell Soup plant for instance) and for non-retail businesses (Benchworks comes to mind).
D LaMotte says
Gosh, how sad that the community had no say. Of course I cannot imagine a community opting for what has happened
to the farms. Perhaps it is a lesson, as is Kent Island, on what can happen if an area neglects to plan properly. Thank goodness
Kent does have a comprehensive plan that, I would hope, would keep special interests from suburbanizing this county. Leaders
with vision are the key to keeping an area’s integrity.
Keith Thompson says
Here’s another reason why Middletown is different than Chestertown. Chestertown is a small town that happens to be the county seat of a rural county. As the county seat and largest town though, Chestertown has the influence to determine the economic planning of the county. Middletown is a (formerly) small town located in a (formerly) rural area of a rather urbanized county and therefore doesn’t have much of a political influence on the economic planning of the county. New Castle County is dominated by Wilmington. Although Middletown is about 3-4 times the size of Chestertown now, the political influence comparison of the two counties is that Chestertown’s influence in Kent County is similar to that of Wilmington’s influence in New Castle County while Middletown’s influence in New Castle County is roughly equivalent to Galena’s influence in Kent County. Is this sad? Yes, but that was the hand your neighbors to the north were dealt with.
D LaMotte says
It does appear that if you don’t live in Greenville, DE, zoning goes out the door. The rest of the state seems like a haphazard
dumping ground for what ever comes along…
Florence Waterman says
Well, here’s my two cents— Historic Chestertown is a destination—- for day trippers, weekenders and part time residents. That’s part of the problem. Events and arts, etc. are great, but in order for business to really thrive, you need people to actually shop there on a somewhat regular basis. Downtown is a ghost town. We need a way to entice people to move into the historic district on a full time basis. It’s not easy given high real estate prices, but couldn’t something be done about the taxes?? Perhaps a senior discount or a tax abatement. I believe that if more citizens actually resided in the downtown, businesses already there a and hopefully new ones could be supported by a more local population.
Keith Thompson says
Taxes…one of the issues the town is facing is that as more businesses close, it puts more pressure on raising property taxes to keep up with the infrastructure. I’m not sure how the mechanism for this would work or if the idea is even feasible, but a thought starter is to figure out a way to base taxes less on the value of the property and more on how much the property generates revenue for the town. Perhaps as a way to encourage lower prices or lower commercial rents, let commercial property owners discount the business revenue that their property generates for the town. For residential property, perhaps a tax discount on occupied property especially if residents of the property are contributing to paying for utilities and services.
Patsy Hornaday family says
Excuse me, Mr. Thompson, but I believe Middletown is not even in Maryland? Also there’s the appeal of “No Sales Tax” drawing shoppers to Delaware. Have you noticed our “out of downtown” malls on Rt. 213 have about as many empty stores as downtown Chestertown. Have you noticed failing business, banks and retailing in general has been a problem in towns nationwide for the last four years? The several retailers closed in our downtown have been owners who have been in business about 25 years and who are ready to encourage new owners as they seek retirement. I’m sure they would have a lot of constructive advice on what works and what does not. So let’s not talk of ousting any of our hard working leaders who know their territory as to what works and what does not. Chestertown is unique with its own stability and I’m not ready to move out especially to a questionable boom town in neighboring “sales tax free” Delaware. Light manufacturing requires experienced and skilled workers and Maryland’s western shore already has a lot of that seeking employment. Retraining and Community College enrollment might also help. Meanwhile we keep faith and supporting daily dollars in dear old, downtown Chestertown. – Patsy Hornaday
Keith Thompson says
Of course Middletown is located in Delaware, “the home of tax free shopping” which is not only a slogan but is a marketing effort. A marketing effort that is highly effective considering the number of Chestertown and Kent County residents who spend their money in Middletown. As much as you hate the questionable boom town to the north, Chestertown is competing against it and is losing. Yes I’ve noticed everything that you have mentioned (I’ve worked here since 2007 and it’s gotten worse). Whose watch did all of this happen under? When you’re continually losing and you want to win, you need to get better players.
Keith Thompson says
To add…it may be interesting to note that Kent County, MD is considered a part of the Wilmington radio market by Arbitron…or at least it was in the early 2000’s (not sure if it still is). Cecil County is too and Cecil was a major advertising focus for the station I used to work for in Havre de Grace (with owners based out of Wilmington who marketed it as a Wilmington station). When Arbitron added Kent County, MD to the Wilmington market about a decade ago, folks from the radio station I worked for in Havre de Grace had sales folks making treks down to Chestertown to scout the area to see about expanding their advertising territory. Even though I was on the air, I actually made a few trips down here to see for myself (which is how I discovered WCTR where I now work). The verdict from the sales folks at the Havre de Grace station was that there was not enough in Chestertown to make it worth their while to attempt to sell. Whether this is a blessing or a curse for the town is all in the eye of the beholder.
Stephan Sonn says
It strikes me Keith that if the local establishment actually wanted change, it would have happened by now.
The fact is we cannot compete with goods sold cheaper elsewhere. So we have to generate something unique to Chestertown.
So who actually creates anything but hobby businesses here. Something to keep the wife busy or the kid amused.
For all it’s charm Chestertown is the capital of a plantation economy, which is to say feudal by design.
The fellows at the breakfast club just ruminate over scraple and grits. If anything is going to change it will be with imported talent.
Keith Thompson says
“So we have to generate something unique to Chestertown.’
A potential local business owner wanted to start a microbrewery in Chestertown but found that state regulations didn’t allow for one in Kent County. Local delegates go to bat and work to get state regulations changed to allow a microbrewery in Kent County. Potential local business owner puts together a very detailed plan to start a microbrewery in Chestertown, but runs into roadblocks with the planning and zoning. After the microbrewery project stalls, the town passes a brewery ordinance that the microbrewer urges the town to not pass because the ordinance doesn’t mesh with the detailed plan that he developed for his proposed business. The net result is that there will likely not be a microbrewery in Chestertown.
I don’t think there is a shortage of ideas from folks to start something unique to Chestertown but often the town can’t seem to get out of its own way to allow these things to happen.
Rebecca Flora says
My husband and I moved here a year ago, attracted by the walkable community, historic district, sailing nearby and college offerings. What has been most surprising has been the amazing people who are talented, genuine and care. This is Chestertown’s greatest asset!
Interestingly as I read this commentary I am sitting in a plenary session in Kansas City at the New Partners for Smart Growth conference. http://www.newpartnners.org Small towns across the country are all facing the same issues as Chestertown. The keys to success include: bold leadership – both political and grassroots; a common vision and plan for the future that is inclusive; enhancement of place based assets; creative financing and fundraising; leveraging core assets; and at least a few crazy people willing to take it on!
Perhaps I am just inspired as I sit here, or perhaps crazy or just someone with a fresh perspective that wants to make a difference. If you want to join me on Saturday at 11:00 at 213 N Queen street, I will share what I am learning here and facilitate a discussion that leads to an action agenda. There are already many great efforts underway so they must be folded into the discussion to supplement these efforts not undermine them. No rants, just forward looking ideas and solutions. The best is yet to come for Chestertown! If we don’t believe and invest in it who will?
Carol Schroeder says
I’m reading Rebecca Flora’s invitation to her home on the day after the event and am wondering if it occurred. I hope so because emailing can only go so far. People need to get together and talk. I’ve only been in C-town for 6 years . I’m on the board of the Kent County Historical Society and a planner for Chestertown Book Festival (Sept 20 & 21, 2013!) so I’m aware of the enormous amount of time both groups spend in planning events. I know many people hate social media but I’ll be suggesting that both of these groups get onto Facebook as soon as possible.
Is there any way that the commenters on this subject can get together, perhaps at Rebecca Flora’s home at a date further in the future so we can attend? If Ms. Flora would like to extend another invitatiion? These discussions are too wise and pertinent to only be read by a few people.
Are the thoughts expressed here also discussed at the Chamber of Commerce meetings and the Downtown group? Are we going around in circles?? While I’m no town planner or economist ( retired librarian) I’ll be glad to attend any meeting in the future. Or even offer my home, as well which is in the historic district….Carol
Ron Moore says
I agree Patsy! Our local political leaders have shown aptitude and brilliance when dealing with downtown economic development. Look at this great stuff:
1) Rails for Trails (The Downtown Economic Bypass)
2) Ordinances that happer advertising
3) The need to hold events that attract people from out of town in Wilmer Park, far away from downtown retail.
4) Decaying buildings (take a look in the Wright owned part of town, it looks like a Dickens novel)
5) God awful parking – Move social services back by the health department, demolisj the building, build a parking deck, pull the meters, and let downtown merchants validate parking deck tickets.
6) ISign and Wifi that don’t work
7) Not standing up to the college to pay their fair share of the costs associated with the town.
8) Not grasping how to be a college town in general – then again , at this rate, Washington College will own Chestertown in the next 25 years.
9) Having it take threats of litigation to recognize their ordinances are wrong – then taking credit publcly for being spry and open minded about artists.
10) Completely ignoring the 14th ammendment – equal protection under the law. The Garfield sign fiasco makes it glaringly apparent. Enforce one group of laws on your local merchants, but try and ordinance around it the second something palpable comes around.
You can’t ordinance and regulate your way to having a nice place to live. It has to be done organically, through the businesses, and the people who live here. The fact that no one seems to want to admit the town is handicapping itself is just…well, pretty sad.
Stephan Sonn says
Lets go back to Vermont.
We need a regional agricultural product
with a brand name and unique identity
even a designer beer,as is already happening.
So we need to reinvent our local culture
with all due respect to our colonial tradition.
Tes we need a new glass, A beer mug.
M Ries says
For the last 200 or so years we’ve had only 17000 to 20000 residents here in our beautiful Kent County. A few years ago Kent was listed by Progressive Farmer Magazine as the best rural county to live in the entire country! Consider that there are only just so many of us here that can support our local infrastructure, and businesses, then you can start to fix the problem. We are a destination town. If we promote ourselves as such, then we will thrive. Look at what drives our revenues, and then expand those ideas. What’s great about tourist dollars is that the dollars stay but the tourests don’t. We need to promote our town as a place to visit, and to visit regularly! Most of the people that I have met since moving here 12 years ago are Washington College alumni…….they schooled here…and never left!! I do not find that remarkable given the fact that this is a nifty place to live. But to deal with the economics is purely simple ……we need to increase our cash flow, and once that happens, then more entre’panewers will come and try to latch on to that same flow, and maybe invest in some of that high priced retail rent. The wheels on the bus go round ‘n round…………..
Stephan Sonn says
Which begs the question, exactly how do we increase cash flow.
What entity would sponsor a task force to engage the issue
and walk the town and county to focus and unity
and toward redevelopment. Quite a morph indeed.
As it stands now is slicing and re-slicing the same pie
with the same players constantly re-positioning.
That is a sure fire recipe for economic inbreeding
Takes a creative force to untie this Gordian knot.
Anyody in?
matthew weir says
This conversation is encouraging and exciting. Seldom have such great ideas come to light. My favorite comment is Keith’s 4th point, stop saying no.
I have been told be an elected official that we will never have franchises downtown. Forgetting the fact that Dunkin Donuts is a franchise, what is wrong with a chain? More Panera franchises are owned by individuals than by the company! So, that means there is no difference between having John Doe from Chestertown open a restaurant downtown and John Doe opening a Panera.
A developer wanted to put a Royal Farms at the end of High Street, on the corner of 291. One of the reasons the planned investment was turned down was because they wanted too many gas pumps and because they wanted to put in a car wash. They were told Chestertown did not need a third car wash! Can you imagine, Chestertown turned away millions in investment money because they felt there were too many car washes in town? So, instead of children being able to (one day) run from the new park at the end of High Street to buy a snack at Royal Farms across the street, everybody gets to drive by that dilapidated corner on fumes looking for the closest gas station.
Chestertown is more than downtown, clearly. However, the downtown is the quaint, historic place that tourists want to come to. Those tourists want to spend their money and have a good time. As was pointed out, though, there are few opportunities to spend your money if your hours do not coincide with the shopkeepers’.
Keith also mentions Facebook and marketing. A few months ago, there was an article on the best festivals around Washington, DC in the Washingtonian Magazine. None of Chestertown’s fabulous events was listed, although St. Michael’s, Easton, Oxford and Cambridge were. I googled the author and emailed her, copying an elected official from Chestertown. I explained to the author that she was missing out on all that Chestertown had to offer and offered to take her to lunch and show her the town. Unfortunately she did not take me up on my offer. I wonder if that elected official has ever followed up with her…
As somebody who is actively looking at investments in downtown Chestertown, I can tell you that it is hard to find a reason to invest. It is an anti-business community and real estate prices are high. Rents, on the other hand, are low. As such, out of 5 properties I have looked at, not a single one can pay for itself. As such, I have not purchased any more property.
On the issue of taxes, I have to say that, as much as I would love to blame the town, I simply do not think the issue is about the town’s tax fees. If you own property in Chestertown, you are going to pay $2.46 per $100 of appraised value. Of that, only .37 goes to Chestertown. That is only 15%. The tax burden on the property owners of Chestertown is the State and County portion, which make up the difference. Per $100,000 of appraised value, taxes are $2,460. Of that, 0nly $370 goes to the Town.
I think a larger community discussion would be wonderful. The Spy did a fantastic service by surveying it’s readers, asking people to vote on what they would like to see downtown. Unfortunately, not everybody in Chestertown reads the Spy. I am not sure how to do it, but it would be fantastic if each member of the Town Council met with their constituents and surveyed them.
Petey S. Bestmom says
All I can say is : Bravo, Mr. Weir ! Every word of your post is sooooo true. It appears you and Ron Moore are some of the very few here who have a real grasp of what is wrong with Chestertown. ( Or, perhaps there are others, but they are too timid to be as outspoken and candid as you two are. Or, perhaps, they submitted views that were rejected by the Spy and never saw the light of day. )
Hey, have you considered a “Weir for Mayor” campaign run next year? Would lay odds that there would be a whole lot of pocketbooks opening up to donate to your campaign…..
Kevin Shertz says
Why not? The College already owns this town.
Might as well be transparent about it.
“Investment Opportunity” — any time you see that phrase, hold on to your wallets.
Stephan Sonn says
I wonder if the college sees the town as anything but a backdrop,
but it is certainly very rude to criticize the giver for his taste in gifts
that may tend to be more cavalier and institutional than corporal
as effecting the daily life of the average Kent County resident.
All gifts accepted but some have deeper impact than just an obigatory tip.
D LaMotte says
I have no idea who Mr. Weir is, my fault I’m sure, but please. I feel like this discussion is going towards being gag-like.
As far as Royal Farms? How much fried chicken and coffee do we need in one town? I can see the resistance towards this, although
I did not hear the reasons. One note: who has the connections with Royal Farms near the bowling alley? Can we ask them to tone down the lights?
You would think they are trying to get aliens from outer space to visit the store…
Stephan Sonn says
I have been here for 18 years retired and tending toll bridges and
running a media conversion business that died in this recession.
I am still an outsider but I am also sure that you are not pleased
with the carpetbaggers that would lay claim to this hidden paradise.
I like the concept of Cabot cheese sources and marketing.
Stephan Sonn says
That would be DRAW bridges.
Keith Thompson says
“How much fried chicken and coffee do we need in one town? I can see the resistance towards this, although I did not hear the reasons.”
Well, “I don’t like Royal Farms!” as told to me on the air by a certain elected town leader is certainly NOT a good reason. Besides, one can also ask how many bookstores or art galleries do we need in one town. You can’t be too choosy and this is precisely the culture of”no” that Matthew is addressing. You had a potential investor that certainly believed there is more room for fried chicken and coffee, so who’s to say they were wrong? I would agree that you wouldn’t want to put a Royal Farms in the historic district (besides a Royal Farms relies on vehicular traffic which is why the banks are leaving downtown), but the new Royal Farms would have been on the upper section of High Street which isn’t exactly in the scenic part of town and would see some vehicular traffic, especially coming in from Rock Hall. So what is currently at the location that Royal Farms was looking to invest in? Nothing! Something, even if it is fried chicken and coffee, beats nothing.
DLaMotte says
I disagree and I like their fried chicken
Stephan Sonn says
What is needed is a common language so that various players in this very serious game will understand each others goals and a few minds might change. An apolitical solution, in a goal conflicted junction of commerce and society, is an oxymoron presenting itself. The first steps are in quicksand. So far all I hear is abstract positioning. As for those asking HOW, the answer is an evolving proposition that is sustained by one guiding principle. We are Capitalists respectful of other considerations but not to be second guessed by them. That is how things get done in this country and right here in Chestertown.
What an absolute thrill to have this kind of challenge before us…to renew
Stephan Sonn says
D. LaMotte
Mathew Weir offers an interesting intellectual essay on small town dynamics maybe as an effort to promote reaction. Noticeably absent is any any input is any comment from the fellows who really run this county, as a preferred condition. Someone might bring that up at the next breakfast. This dialogue should move up a notch.
Janice Dickson says
I’m here to beat the already dead horse again. We have lived here for 41 years. When we first arrived, there was no pediatrician and no ob/gyn, to name just two key medical professions. But there was a hospital that seemed to function well in the community for the community. And soon a pediatrician and an ob/gyn doc arrived.
When we retired we opted to stay in Chestertown, partly because we liked the town, partly because of the community hospital, partly due to inertia. Flash forward: no pediatric unit in the hospital; no maternity unit in the hospital; no more community hospital.
A small town cannot expect young families to settle here when there is no hospital where they can deliver their babies, nor where they can take their sick children to be cared for. This aim of our former community hospital, as stated in their demographic studies, tells us that Chestertown’s population is aging, and therefore Chestertown is destined to become a community of well-healed retirees. This is the UMMS plan: a town of geriatric medical consumers. This is a difficult situation to fight and correct.
Keith Thompson says
I would argue that UMMS is simply reacting to the demographic trends of the area, not setting them.
Stephan Sonn says
Wh0 has the last word in Chestertown?
Janice Dickson says
But how do you reconcile the Town’s desire to attract young families with the egregious lack of health services for them which will make them seek these services and live elsewhere?
Whether you argue that UMMS is evaluating and reacting to demographics solely in Chestertown, Kent County in gutting our hospital, or just counting beans in their entire “service area” of Kent, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, Dorchester and Caroline Counties, they are counting on the fact that people will be forced to drive to their positioned facilities for essential services. After all these 5 Eastern Shore counties probably have less people than the entire population of Baltimore, and our 5 counties are spread over a huge area compared to Baltimore’s. That’s the true art of bean counting: ignore the facts to gain what is desired.
We have already traveled to a superb Colorado hospital for a surgery where our daughter is a nurse, not trusting it to be done locally after experiencing a life-threatening result in our local hospital. If emergent, we plan to go to Christiana.
Keith Thompson says
“But how do you reconcile the Town’s desire to attract young families with the egregious lack of health services for them which will make them seek these services and live elsewhere?”
Simple, I would argue that if the Town was truly trying to attract young families to the area, they would have an economic development program designed to welcome new business opportunites rather than make it difficult to do business. What the town says is far different from the policies they enact.
Janice Dickson says
I recall Kent County had an economic development person who tried and tried to bring companies (i.e. employment) to Kent County. No luck. The position was scraped.
The town can hardly afford to try the same experiment. Maybe I am dense, but I don’t get the attitude that it is difficult to do business locally.
And yes, Mr. Weir, both health care services and an above-average education system in K-12 would make this area more attractive. Sometimes I think the slogan of the educators is “strive for mediocrity.”
matthew weir says
“But how do you reconcile the Town’s desire to attract young families with the egregious lack of health services for them which will make them seek these services and live elsewhere?”
Who says the town (or County) has any desire to attract young families? As you point out, Mrs. Dickson, the hospital does not deliver children and the school system is terrible. Other than jobs, the two most important things to young families (at least to me!) are health and education.
Stephan Sonn says
This town is not about to accept urbanization as a cure but might wind up with it anyway.
What I see in a generation is the Chestertown living museum serving a huge geriatric retirement community dominated by UMM operating theaters and Washington College trappings woven into everyday life.
Somewhere around Church Hill there will be a mini Middletown. Given current politics, another generation of the same families will still prosper and everyday people with reasoning power, will complain about paradise lost.
The reason for all that is inherent by the singularity of purpose dominating ,
and the lack of a reasoning mechanism to create renewal, both being the very nature of the beast.
Keith Thompson says
Stephen Sonn writes, “This town is not about to accept urbanization as a cure but might wind up with it anyway.”
Wow! This might be the most profound sentence written in the comments here. At what point do you accept the amount of change that you can live with versus having change forced upon you out of necessity?
Dominick Braiotta says
I am a soon to be “retiree” and looking for a place my wife and I can move to . It seems that Chestertown is a wonderful place and we are seriously considering it but from what I read in this piece it has some growing pains. I think the home prices are more than reasonable and so are the taxes. We currently live in Long Island where these numbers seem like the biggest bargain. We too live in a small community , quiet and quaint. We do not have a business district in our immediate village but there is one in the adjacent town which is a mere 2 min. drive. The district is very ordinary but does seem to have what the local area needs…dry cleaners , wine store, 711 convenience, service stations , banks and the like. I think the difference between this district and yours is Long Islanders are willing to spend a lot of money to save time because they are all 2 income families and time is important to them, as it should be to us all.
Tourism is not a big draw here however it is in places like Southampton, NY where people spend “stupid money” to keep up with their friends. The same can be said for Martha’s Vineyard. I have spent time in both places and can’t understand why “so much money” but for some reason it works and very very well at that. How do you make Chestertown blossom like those areas is what you all are talking about and I must say for an outsider I am very impressed in the dialogue I see here. It is exciting for someone like me to hear but I am sure very frustrating for those of you who are living there and trying to preserve what is good about the area.
If I could offer some advice it would be keep it beautiful and unspoiled because this is what distinguishes Chesterton from towns that are not. I think young people , unlike me , need to be attracted to the area and that means making it a more sexy destination.. unspoiled and only available to the few. If you make it so they will come and spend “stupid money”. This will take time and forward thinking but from what I read here you seem to have that. Good luck to you all!
Stephan Sonn says
Keith
Virtually everything that happens in this town is at the whim or absence of the breakfast club. Their families have owned the town for kindred centuries. And I say that with no rancor or lament, accepting it as the natural order of a Feudal Agrarian society like Kent’s colony. Addressing corporate persons is another matter and another century. And the canyon edges Churn Creek are timeless and primal, and soothing to the soul. What century would you choose? You can find it or ignore it here.
I hate watching this town petrify in plaques and dry tributes but I am beginning to see a less animated Underground Atlanta, emerge. Just view from some future overpass. And that would be the best future cast.
Nobody seems willing to breathe life back back into this town. Certainly not the breakfast club,who often picks up the tab tab for private sector eyesores. Watching this downtown turn into movie sound stage prop requires a kinder response from the top, sans the real estate values juggling about the tax assessors office.
Ours is the last authentic living colony, loved even by an outsider like me.
matthew weir says
Sorry to not be in the know but who makes up the ‘breakfast club?’
Kevin Shertz says
The first rule of Breakfast Club is you do not talk about Breakfast Club. 😉
Stephan Sonn says
Oops!
Stephan Sonn says
It is not the sort of thing that would be enshrined in the town website.
Needless to say there are no donations taken, n0 dance cards offered.
Doing business here has mostly to do with conduct codes totally native.
But woven to local culture, lore and history from the time of the colonies.
There is a formula to success here that confounds the usual assumptions.
Stephan Sonn says
Oops!
Stephan Sonn says
Actually, my comment is seeking comment.
Janice Dickson says
“But how do you reconcile the Town’s desire to attract young families with the egregious lack of health services for them which will make them seek these services and live elsewhere?” (Dickson 2/11/13)
“Simple, I would argue that if the Town was truly trying to attract young families to the area, they would have an economic development program designed to welcome new business opportunites rather than make it difficult to do business. What the town says is far different from the policies they enact.” (Thompson (2/11/13)
Not so simple, Mr. Thompson. The county with a population 4 times that of the town hired an economic development person, and it ended with insufficient results. There simply wasn’t enough economic development coming into the county to justify the cost. So to think the town could, or even would, try the same plan is unworkable.
I still maintain that to attract young families to Chestertown, there must be medical care targeted to them: maternity and pediatrics at the hospital. And, of course, there must be a public education system which is better than the current one.
Moving on, Mr. Sonn, what does this sentence mean to those of us out of this loop? “Certainly not the breakfast club,who often picks up the tab tab for private sector eyesores.” Again, who or what is the breakfast club? And what and where are the “private sector eyesores” you refer to?
bill arrowood says
@ Matt- factions are at play to improve education, but the first thing we need to improve it is to improve the quality of parents, (and frankly non parents too) that care enough to get involved in the local system. There isn’t a school anywhere in the country, (let alone Kent County), that wouldn’t improve if it had 10 more volunteers that consistently showed up to do whatever it takes to improve the school. We are in search of a new super, and that will impact us certainly, but finding the rudder is only the beginning of getting back on course .
but i am encouraged of late by the culture change that has occurred at KCHS since we have been blessed with a stabilized senior staff, and that KCMS has been in large part a success despite all the initial hullaballoo about school mergers, its shift in the mentality of the county as a unified group starts now at age 12, and as such that change will trickle up as these students shortly become role models for their parents,
its a big boat, and needs all the crew we can muster… for further reading…
https://chestertownspy.com/2013/01/25/op-ed-superintendent-search-a-special-time-to-improve-kent-county-schools-by-stan-salett/
@ Janice- The County does in fact have an economic development office, but that office is also charged with maintaining the tourism department…
to the naive bystander, these two things might seem easy to coincide, as one does help the other, however, both are very difficult and separate job descriptions. The combined office of ED & Tourism in Kent County is doing an outstanding job with the resources and staffing at their disposal and i applaud them for not only their efforts which are considerable, but for their biding commitment and positive attitude towards improvement when most in the area seem to be down on every idea and change. The County officials seem every ready to combine and merge offices in an effort to shave off the shekels of the budget, at the cost of overloading individuals to the point that there is a limit to just how much they can accomplish in the hours in a day. I tend to make baseball analogies, as they work well for me, and asking one office to do both ED & Tourism is like asking your starting pitcher to go out and play shortstop when his arm gets tired. Sure he can play over there if you need him to, but a smart manager knows that if he is focused on being a good pitcher and has someone at short that can turn a double play because its his primary job, the team is more likely to win games….but i digress
No then, if the Town and most populous and destination driven center of the county wants to improve should it not have its own staff for such endeavors. Of course, the town needs a business and tourism czar, or whatever you may wish to call it, whose job it is to work behind the scenes to make real change and inspire folks that business is good in town. Mind you this must encompass all the town, not just downtown, as empty storefronts in the plazas are just as difficult to fill and hurt the economy as much as those on High St, and you cant expect this person to be a volunteer or work for minimum wage, this is a job that matters and you get what you pay for. And for the record, business is good…see the SPY’s article on bullish business in town..https://chestertownspy.com/2013/01/30/downtown-report-chestertown-merchants-bullish-on-2013/…
can it be better, you bet your grandmom’s jewelry… but is not our darkest hour, not by a long shot…but it does require person whose only job it is to get things done, not ask folks that already have 2 or 3 jobs to do this in their spare time.
To your point about healthcare… i couldn’t agree more, but i do not know if it is with the scope or power of Town elected officials to improve this situation at this juncture. This must be done at both the grassroots and working within the medical profession to find creative ways to offer these services. Having done some research on the subject, the woes of the local hospital are indicative of many small health systems, and while it is not merely a matter of volume of patients and costs and insurance and fear of malpractice suits, all these must be addressed and all the wringing of hands over a business decision on the part of the hospital to continue to stay otherwise solvent wont do any good. I have yet to hear or read anyone who complains about this problem offer any real, tangible solution. If one is available, i would like to think the hospital board would welcome any that could be presented for genuine consideration.
@ Keith- keep your thoughts and ideas coming, as an outsider to the town, you offer genuine insights and perspective,
i don’t know if your ideas are actualizable all the time, but there are balanced and honest and welcome, (even if you do shop in Middletown for groceries)
@Stephen..you are right, Chestertown is still very provincial, (but not feudal) and there is a nativist mentality, but there are two things that you are discounting… #1, there are a few natives that know this game and want to make an impact and #2- there is a small, but growing population, as yet not yet fully actualized new comers, and not all retirees or near retirees, that are perched to get involved.. be encouraged…
We are about to head down a downward spiral into oblivion, but we may be coming to a crossroad soon….to continue my former analogy…
true, it is late in the game and the we are down a few runs, but i promise you this, the home team still has yet to bat, our best young prospects are being called up from the minors and are ready to relieve the starters and we will not go up to the plate looking for a walk or go down swinging.
remember, the life of a Town is like the baseball season, it is a marathon, not a sprint, and you have to adjust to the pitches at they come, otherwise your never gonna hit the curve ball when it comes….
Keith Thompson says
Bill, I appreciate the kind comments and I appreciate that you encourage me as an “outsider” to be a part of the dialogue. I like to think of myself as an “informed outsider” in that my job requires me to know what goes on here (and not only in Chestertown but in Rock Hall, Galena, Milligton, Betterton, etc. along with the rest of the county) but that I can also give the perspective of how Chestertown is viewed outside the community, especially by those that may have a reason to visit, take residence in, or invest in Chestertown. I’ll admit that I do miss things because I don’t live here, but I’m invested in what happens here because my paycheck depends on it.
Stephan Sonn says
Bill I rarely disagree with you and I do not in this instance either.
Keith Thompson says
“Not so simple, Mr. Thompson. The county with a population 4 times that of the town hired an economic development person, and it ended with insufficient results. There simply wasn’t enough economic development coming into the county to justify the cost. So to think the town could, or even would, try the same plan is unworkable.
I still maintain that to attract young families to Chestertown, there must be medical care targeted to them: maternity and pediatrics at the hospital. And, of course, there must be a public education system which is better than the current one”.
So you’re left with a Catch-22. Yes it would be wonderful to have a quality school system and a hospital that offers maternity and pediatrics in order to attract more younger families, but unless you have the wealthy retirees in the town and county generously funding the hospital and school system via private donations, these things cost taxpayer dollars. Where is the tax money going to come from? There’s only two sources; citizens and business. The less business you have, the greater the burden rests on the citizens. If the determining factor for moving to Chestertown and Kent County is the historic culture and rural setting, then that decision has an economic cost attached to it which is either higher taxes or reduced services. If you accept the notion that economic development is not going to happen in Chestertown, it doesn’t make sense to lament the lack of services available to residents.
I’ll give Rock Hall credit; they’ve gotten tired excuses and are attempting to maximize their resources as Mayor Willis is making it a priority to make Main Street and the downtown as a business center. They’re making is as easy as they can for someone to invest in the town rather than setting up roadblocks. You don’t wait for economic development to come to you, you go out and get it.
Stephan Sonn says
This is not World Cafe.
Stephan Sonn says
@ Janice Dickson
I am always game for good conversation.
I try to be accurate and apologize when not.
but I do not come on cue to defend the obvious.
Wherever there is community there is a breakfast club
or something like it. It is a force of human nature.
I neither fixate over it or deny it but to some
it comes as a shock while others deny it.
Still others ride it like an urban myth.
My advice is not to fan the myth.
DLaMotte says
Wow a breakfast club! I’ve always wanted to meet Molly Ringwald…
Stephan Sonn says
Sir
Please Don’t feed the rural myth further. Keith has a right to his own personal epiphany.
Keith Thompson says
Well, I did like Molly Ringwald in the 80s. 🙂
Pete brocker says
Dear Keith, thank you for your thoughts about downtown. I would respond in detail but after reading your input about a downtown where everyone is working hard to keep the doors open I have realized that your input is as useful as our local holiday celebrity. Solutions and positive messages work better than blame and complaints.
Thanks,
Pete
Play it again Sam
Keith Thompson says
Pete, it’s interesting that you should say that since I see you as one of the downtown Chestertown success stories. I’d love to see more Pete Brockers in town.
As for me being merely a local celebrity…I don’t think of myself as one. The reality is that I work here. I earn my paycheck here and I contribute to the local economy here. I want to continue to work here because I enjoy this job more than any other radio job I’ve ever had, but in order for me to continue to work here there has to be a viable local economy. I’m very invested in what goes on here, even if I sleep elsewhere.
Stephan Sonn says
Keith, please note the tone of comments
from Mssrs Brocker and LaMotte
regarding you as the messenger,
and me in another way.
The writer set the tone for this essay.
You hit a fault line that brought out
petty and protective responses.
in the form of sarcasm and rants.
from unexpected places.
None other than Whoppie Goldberg, like her or not
quit Twitter because of the disrespect.
which given the dynamics is to be expected.
because of the mob friendly format.
Consider the plight of the messenger.
Keith Thompson says
Not only do I consider the plight of the messenger, I share in that plight. Keep in mind, I happen to work for one of these struggling Chestertown businesses.
Stephan Sonn says
There are a lot of facts and fantasies perking around Kent County creating reality baloons.
It must be very easy for some people to set op shop, thrive. and prosper in the right one.
There is a lot of combustible material in last several comments.
DLaMotte says
Ah, your posts appear to be allegorical….and I really cannot understand what the heck you are saying. Sorry.
Stephan Sonn says
Headline: Dogma Saints take down flighty drone in hail of rants.
RD Sweetman says
You Know D, I have to agree with you on that… I’m not the smartest Light buld in the package or the Sharpest shovel in the tool shed, but there are times, I simply cannot understand a thing that he says. Not saying he’s not a bright person, because he appears to be so, but Dude! Speak easy and come back to the Landing strip… Wop Wop Wop Wop Wop Wop said the Helicopter Blades…..
Stephan Sonn says
This may be the wrap-up and what a trip. By far the best cyber town hall I ever experienced. A lot to be learned about what is wrong and a lot of longing for answers or a vehicle with the integrity to find and implement, at least some solutions.
Comments here showed the noble side, visceral compassion,, idealism, frustration, hope, duplicity, petty preferences plus a wider and wiser range of concerns for the well being of this town and community. All and all it was a a tribute to everyday heroes and deeply thought concerns.
There were some surprises for me too; good and bad. Bill Arrowood runs so deep that I am awestruck. He will succeed because he sees the full picture and has no rancor to vent. Another presence here went petty, when presented with the opportunity act out. Previous to that I used to enjoy his lively defenses of fairness. And I coined a new buzzword, Dogma Saint, as a name for a state of mind I could never put to words.
David Wheelan deserves a lot of credit for the noble town hall mantra for this fine vehicle.
D LaMotte says
Please excuse my abrupt post..never meant offense. Perhaps I am completely out of the loop but I really do not understand a lot being said.
Breakfast club making town decisions? I feel a few in top office have a thankless job and care immensely about the town. It becomes so
easy, apparently, for one to take a populous tone of the underdog. Perhaps more inclusion in decisions is what the town needs. Then there will
be less finger pointing, I would hope.
Stephan Sonn says
Good words.
My point would be that
it is time for some action
even token action.
And in fact there is a traditional method
and means to intervene in the free fall here
Stephan Sonn says
My brother Howard in his prime was a Goldwater Republican in the cattle business. The Cuban immigration wave was very helpful to him. His plant manager once owned a plantation in Cuba, He could run rings around my brother when it came to employee relations too.
Howard passed the information on to me.
The secret was all based on rice and beans.
He said hungry workers were not good workers.
And that was where the good works stopped.
What about a town? What starves a town. People talk about economics, sure that’s true.
But I see it another side. It is how people feel when the town has no purpose but as a pit stop.
With no project on the horizon, or few businesses thriving. It is more than rice and beans alone can fix.
if there are people in this town who say they love it, then save it. For pride’s sake alone.
Benign neglect wont work. Not for the town, not for Water Street or Calvert Street,
or Lawyers Row. Not for Wilmer Park or even Heron Point. as they would like it to be.
There are big plans for carpetbaggers to turn Kents colony into a
geriatric warehouse with grid medical services and housing logistics.
Chestertown as an oasis, could be saved
from the dark side of strip development