I want to counter the Chestertown Spy endorsement of Chris Cerino on a number of fronts.
“….. the town’s paramount need is for a serious, sustained economic development program in all its manifestations.” This is true. However, I believe that I have the most experience in economic development. MainStreet is a program of economic development through historic preservation. I was its first president. In one year, we wrote goals, and vision statements. We set up the budget, applied successfully for grants, got proper training for leaders, hired an excellent manager, put up artistic banners that hang on the poles in town, provided recycle bins for downtown and ran three successful promotions for the historic district. It was a team effort, and I was the team leader. I am very proud of what the team did.
My first attempt to direct economic growth was as a junior member of a panel concerned with keeping major development away from the Front Range vista in Denver. In the early 1970s, the panel determined that improving infrastructure along Route I-25 would guide growth on a route that angled away from the mountains. It was a great learning experience and the high rise buildings of the Denver Tech Center follow the path the panel established.
Over time I have been a part of and/or lead many committees, task forces, etc. that have lead to positive results. Many of these required the, “ability to develop, articulate, and then execute a plan of action” that you say is necessary to fulfill the job.
You say, “planning commission have not always pleased everyone nor necessarily always produced the most perfect outcomes”. This is too true. Zoning of Park Row and Spring Street is another example of less than even good results. [See my article on zoning for a further explanation.] If the Planning Commission has anything to do with planning parks, the dog park and Gateway park, where Rt 20 becomes High Street, are examples of costly mistakes. The dog park is absolutely wonderful – but incomplete planning meant that the town only applied for grants for some of the total cost of these parks. Instead of the grant covering half of the total cost, it only covers half of the incomplete estimate. All the rest comes out of the taxpayers pocket.
The another problem is that economic development and promotion of town will take close to a full time effort. It is very difficult – if not impossible – for an individual with a full-time job to give the adequate attention to the mayor’s job to meet the on-going town challenges . That means that the job will actually be in the hands of the town government. This is the same government that is pursuing economic growth now, and showing poor results. The same town government that blocked a new brewery from coming to town with good jobs. The same town government that takes fees/taxes from hotels and B&Bs for promotion of events and the town and has no line item in the budget for either. This is the same town government that does not budget for or plan for infrastructure improvements.
Without a thoroughly engaged mayor that has time to be involved daily with the town and its people, the current administration will continue as is, with the mayor as a figurehead and meeting chair.
Paula Ruckelshaus says
Editor,
In the interest of more accurate vetting of the facts on Chestertown’s Main Street initiative, I beg to differ with Ms. Geddes characterization of her “leadership” of that program. In fact, after Ms. Geddes assumed the chairmanship of the Main Street Board, the program budget was depleted after 6 months, no new funding was secured, the person hired as program manager quit and the program – which showed great promise at its outset and today has virtually nothing to show for years of pre-Holly Geddes program organizing, fundraising and implementation efforts – is now fundamentally moribund. A Chestertown Main Street program with visionary, capable leadership remains a great means to enliven and revitalize downtown Chestertown in significant ways. Hopefully, our new mayor will take action necessary to correct the results of Ms. Geddes “leadership” in the years immediately following program implementation and restore the program to life.
Holly Geddes says
Author note”
I was asked to be the president of the MainStreet program by Margo Bailey. I did not assume the “chair” from anyone. I admit we had problems that kept the program from going forward. The biggest was that the mayor changed her priorities and withdrew her support. The young lady that we hired was the unanimous choice of the leadership. She was snagged from the successful program in Cambridge and was far and away most qualified. Her main fault was that she was not from Kent County. I am sorry that you and Bill were disappointed that he was not selected.
I suggest that the list of accomplishments made in one year (stated above) is substantial. My whole team worked very hard. They are smart and capable people who still have the best interest of Chestertown in their hearts. I want to say, again and again, how proud I am of the work that they did.