I have been a resident of the historic district of Chestertown for almost fifteen years, the past three years full-time.  Chestertown is my only home. It was place that brought me to the Chester River and this historic district in our small town. I vote here, and I answer the summons for jury duty when it arrives in my mail box. I have been a grunt soldier, a clerk, a Congressional staffer, worked in corporate America, and led a nonprofit legal services organization representing LGBTQ service members in our armed forces. I served on corporate and nonprofit boards. I have no credentials or expertise in historic preservation and design, but I can navigate commission and board guidelines and zoning regulations fairly well with eyes wide open.

What little I know about design and architecture I learned from the renowned architect Hugh Newell Jacobsen.  Mr. Jacobsen and I once shared a common brick wall in Washington — his imposing Federal abutting my modest English style cottage. He guided me in adding 300 square feet to my home and small garden.

Hugh Jacobsen began his projects with enthusiasm and high hopes, but invariably his starting point was place, asking if what the client wanted to erect was suitable to the site.  Hugh Jacobsen not only walked the grounds where he was building, he sometimes visited there for days or longer, sitting on the site grounds and fields, and he talked with neighbors nearby.  And he did all this before he began drawing. There are hundreds of his marvelous houses.  And every Hugh Jacobsen building fits where he placed it — a farm house in Maine, homes on our Maryland Eastern Shore –Easton, Oxford, and Trappe — Maryland University library, an addition to the U.S. Capitol, or a new structure on the nation’s mall.

Place, context, and simplicity. Now take a look at the website of Hammond Wilson in Annapolis, the firm engaged by the 206 applicants. On their website you see the firm’s best work, the quality houses they showcase around Annapolis. An even closer examination and you may notice that the very drawings this firm initially submitted for 206 Cannon bear an uncanny resemblance to one of the houses on the Hammond Wilson website. It’s a rather large house placed in a snug and comfortable planned community with other equally large houses, and those well-built fine houses in all their pleasant sameness strike me as perfectly suited for the place.

But can Hammond Wilson and the 206 applicants possibly think they can just modify a house from a nice very upscale development and expect that house will somehow fit in the Chestertown historic district? Unfortunately, the applicants and their architects still think they can pretty much build whatever they would like at 206. And they continue to demonstrate how they approach 206. Site is not important.

Yes, the owners have a right to build a new residential home there, but it is not an ABSOLUTE right. The new owners knew they were buying land in the historic district, and they should have known they would need to gain approval before building. Surely their architects understood that was the case. The fact that the 206 application is still pending before the HDC further underscores that there is no absolute right here.

It is unfortunate this application process got off on the wrong footing from the get go with the HDC, with the best of intentions no doubt, attempting to tweak and retweak the drawings to turn the proposed house into one both parties could accept. What is now needed is a time out with the HDC making clear to the architect that their development application is unacceptable and unsuitable for the 206 site.

It’s time to pivot. Ask the applicant to come back in 180 days with a new set of plans that acknowledges and respects the place where they would like to build and live. It’s time to say plainly a house of that scale, designed for a private and lovely community development, is not suitable for the Chestertown historic district. It doesn’t fit.

We in Chestertown, as caretakers, have an obligation to preserve the evidence of our past — the historic, the beautiful, the good and sometimes the ugly.  Our town leaders and the HDC play a huge role in meeting that responsibility.

I appreciate the applicants are in a hurry for a resolution. They have already spent considerable time and money. The HDC, however, should not rush.  We continue to learn more about this important site, and much more critical research is clearly in order; and research work about to get underway by the Maryland Historic Trust may reveal more.. If the applicants will not agree to a carryover and insist upon a vote, the HDC need only look to their guidelines, rules, and discretion.  Clearly, the HDC has the authority to deny the pending application.
I am not opposed to new residential construction at 206 Cannon. I would welcome the opportunity to sit down with the applicants and learn more about their vision for living on this vacant lot. Some of the neighbors living less than forty yards from 206 have expressed an interest in doing the very same.

The Annapolis firm knows Chestertown. They have done several commercial renovations in and on existing structures in the historic district, nearly all of which I appreciate and patronize.         But this is not another renovation project in an existing building with expansion in the rear. This is new construction on a special site that needs care, more deliberation, and a very different mindset with respect to site.

A pivot here might also begin with all of us being more civil and respectful to each other.  We need not be small or mean-spirited or disagreeable simply because we disagree on what the law and guidelines require. I would welcome a compromise and resolution that recognizes and protects our historic district and enables the applicants to become a part of our community.  Compromise can help make our town and Historic District Commission stronger, and it can signal that we welcome those who want to be a part of this historic and special place.

Aubrey Sarvis
Chestertown

Before I begin, I would like to express my deep appreciation to Mayor Foster and the members of the Town Council for reappointing me to the Chestertown Historic District Commission earlier this week, and for their support throughout this process.

I have been reluctant to engage in the public and online conversation concerning the Chestertown Historic District Commission, of which I am a member, having been unanimously reappointed by the Mayor and Town Council at their meeting on January 16, 2024. However, specious and hypocritical attacks leveled against me at the meeting regarding my qualifications for appointment have compelled me to respond.

For the past six months, since discussion began about the fate of the Chestertown Armory, a very vocal group of community members have repeatedly expressed their “concern” not only for the fate of the Armory, but also for the overall state of the Historic District, as well as the expertise and knowledge of the members of the Historic District Commission. These concerns have been expressed in social media, via email, letter, and in public presentations and meetings. To be clear, I have NO objection to the expression of one’s opinion, and I believe that productive discourse and constructive debate is a valuable part of living in a free society.

Not only as a Commission member, but also as a resident of the Historic District, I would assert that Chestertown is a vital, thriving community with a strong sense of place and a commitment to historic preservation. The Historic District has never been more vibrant, and it continues to contribute significantly to our Town’s tax base through renovations and new construction.

Several weeks ago, members of this group decided that they were going to challenge my reappointment to the HDC. One member in particular emailed the group that it was their intention to challenge my appointment “with facts,” as part of their effort to replace me with someone the group considered more qualified and likely to be more supportive of their agenda.

The fact that this group believes that their success requires maligning and disrespecting another talented professional lacks integrity.

There have been, and will certainly be again, ample opportunities for the alternative individual to serve if they so desire.

At Tuesday’s meeting, much was made of the inferiority of my credentials and what was described as a “troubling pattern of recusals,” as the basis for my removal. While credentials can be important, so too are professional experience and diversity of perspective. Most people would agree that both are necessary and valuable.

With respect to recusals; it is standard practice for members of Boards and Commissions to disclose any relationships that they may have, positions they hold, or Boards on which they serve, that could be considered conflicts of interest. It is also generally accepted practice for members to recuse themselves from voting on any proposals related to their disclosures.

The reason for my repeated recusals is really quite simple and completely innocuous; my husband, John Hutchison, is an architect who does a great deal of work in the Town’s Historic District. This work necessitates frequent appearances before the Commission and the aforementioned recusals. To characterize actions that are appropriate to my service, without the context necessary for individuals who are unfamiliar with board service, as troubling, can only be an attempt to cast aspersions on my character and my integrity, nothing more.

Several speakers cited the need for the Commission to be composed of members who meet the criteria of the Council of Local Governments, and at least one member pointed out that there is not a “single current member of the Commission” who meets this criteria. Why then, if this is such a matter of importance, has this issue never been raised at ANY of the 6 prior re/appointments in the last three years, including the most recent ones last summer?

Additionally, It is entirely false to assert that there is no other consideration or duty more important than to that of the buildings and their architecture – more than ever, historic preservation in a community is a complex issue with considerations beyond the architecture and preservation of buildings, chief among these economic development, a point of view strongly supported by both the National Park Service, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, among many authorities. My diverse expertise is an asset to the Commission rather than a liability.

I would strongly suggest that those who opposed my nomination did so for reasons having everything to do with their desire to have a Commission that is lacking in diverse points of view and experience, and representative of a specific agenda. Their actions are a detriment of our community, and are not, I believe, representative of the views, or will, of the majority.

There is much work to be done, and I believe that together we can achieve remarkable results. Considering the context and economic development impact of preservation, along with the buildings and architecture, are a critical part of honoring and preserving our community’s remarkable and beautiful history for generations to come.

Rebecca Murphy
Chestertown

The year 2023 marked a post-covid new beginning for CBEC. With its focus on ‘hands-on, feet-wet’ educational and recreational experiences on and near the Chesapeake Bay, CBEC hosted over 30,000 visitors, including over 4,500 students, teachers, college interns, and adult learners. As one science teacher commented, “CBEC offered a perspective most students had never experienced. It’s a very special place.”

 With over 500 acres of wetlands, natural shoreline, lowland forest, and meadows, CBEC has become a popular spot for area – even international – visitors to explore and engage in environmental education, hands-on restoration, and just-plain enjoying the beauty and bounty that is the Chesapeake Bay. “It’s all about connections,” commented Executive Director, Vicki Paulas. “This reflects our recent efforts to engage our visitors to develop a higher sense of the value and importance of the conservation of the Bay.”

 One of the best examples of CBEC’s success in this area is the fact that over 100 volunteers contributed in excess of 10,000 volunteer hours in 2023. As Executive Director Paulas noted, “With almost 500 species of flora and fauna, including over 250 identified species of birds – making it the #1 birding location in Queen Anne’s County – CBEC’s 5 miles of hiking trails, boardwalks, and easy access to the Bay by kayak, our location has become a premier spot for visitors to come and enjoy nature.”

 In conjunction with the University of Maryland, CBEC has hosted a number of undergraduate and graduate students who are studying wetland ecosystems. According to Andrew Baldwin, professor of Environmental Science & Technology at Maryland, “CBEC has played a key role in enabling my students to carry out immersive, hands-on field research exercises on the soil, vegetation, and hydrology of the tidal marshes at the Center.”

As CBEC reflects on the events of 2023, the Center remains dedicated to its mission of environmental conservation, education, and community engagement. The successes of the past year have set a solid foundation for continued growth and impact. By fostering a sense of responsibility and appreciation for the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, CBEC is poised to play a crucial role in shaping a more sustainable and harmonious future for the region.

The Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center is a 501(C)3 non-profit organization that depends on membership, contributions, gifts, and grants to operate in a viable and sustainable manner. Donation and membership information can be found at www.bayrestoration.org   

Matt LaMotte
Easton

Armed and supplied by United States taxpayers, Israel is killing thousands of civilians in Gaza while Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik is bent out of shape by three university presidents’ responses to her shallow yes-no questions about the First Amendment and campus anti-
semitism.

In other words, as the relentless bombing and street fighting in Gaza continues, the humanitarian crisis deepens, and the U.S. vetoes a U.N. Security Council’s vote for a cease fire, Ms. Stefanik and her GOP colleagues muster and focus faux outrage on campus speeches about imaginary genocide.

Which planet does the GOP occupy?

Gren Whitman
Rock Hall

Ten years ago, I was discussing strategies for marketing events with another business owner, and she said,”Our biggest competition is people’s couches.” This struck me as true back then, but more so now. The convenience of online shopping from the comfort of your couch is tempting. Streaming services offer easy entertainment. As an artist, I understand enjoying leisure time at home and creative hobbies that keep you busy. But as a business person, I need to encourage everyone to consider that when you consider shopping, it is better to leave the house!  Have you considered  the impact that effort  has on your community? Let’s dive into why getting off that couch and hitting up local businesses matter!

Boosting the Local Economy:

Small businesses are truly job creating dynamos. According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses create two out of every three new jobs in the United States. So, by supporting your local mom-and-pop shops, you’re supporting job creation in your community.

And here’s a mind-blowing stat: for every buck you spend at a local business, a whopping 67 cents stays in the local economy! Compare that to chain stores where only 43 cents sticks around. Your money packs a bigger punch when you keep it local, helping your community thrive and keeping the economic mojo alive.

Local businesses are the heart and soul of our community. Each small business brings character and diversity. Vibrant downtowns fueled by the creativity of business owners contribute to the mosaic of our community and fights  the dull sameness of big box stores. Small businesses are alive and provide energy and customer service that cannot be replicated online.

Building Community Vibes:

Shopping locally isn’t just about consuming products; it’s about people. An active downtown helps us maintain relationships with the people who share the world around us. When you choose local, you’re not just buying a product; you’re building relationships. You get to know the faces behind the counter, folks shopping around town, and learn about upcoming events and initiatives.  There’s an eco-friendly result as shopping at small businesses often mean shorter trips for products, and that equals a smaller carbon footprint. Plus, they’re more likely to source locally, sharing the fiscal benefits with other business members of the community.

Why Art Matters:

Art galleries and art events play an important role in our society; holding social, culture, economic innovation to our downtown. Galleries draw visitors which generates jobs and stimulates local economies through consumer spending and tourism. Advertising, graphic arts and supporting local arts initiatives are all part of the industry.

Get off the Couch:

This holiday season, go downtown and enjoy the holiday markets, pictures with Santa, and horse drawn carriage rides. Peruse local businesses to find something that is “just right.” Consider gift certificates for services and classes. And bump into the neighbor you haven’t seen in a while. Cheer for your friends and family in the local parade. Share a hot chocolate and walk around town to soak up the festive decorations. We have the idyllic small town of Easton right outside of our doors, step outside and enjoy the wonders of this season in our community in real time.

Jennifer Wagner
Talbot County

I am writing as a Chestertown Historic District citizen, property owner and business owner for the past 40+ years.     

This matter is, as it should be, a classic Chestertown debate based on the past, present and future . . . and no one is right or wrong.  Instead, all opinions are valid and contribute to the discussion.  There should be mutual respect, comity, and civility for the differences of perspective.  Here are mine.

I support the idea for a new Chestertown hotel at the Armory property.     

And among many others, I hope that the original 1931 Armory structure (a National Historic Register property) can be saved, but have no objection to the removal of the post-1931 additions to the structure assuming that the application satisfies its demanding burden of proof.     

Precedent Effect.  For better or worse, your decision will have a significant binding precedent effect on future demolition applications.  So whatever you decide, the clarity of your decision will be a beacon for those decisions.

Penn Station Lesson. In 1910, a beautiful Beaux Arts Penn Station was built in New York City.     In the early 1960’s, arguments emphasizing economic interests resulted in the demolition of the structure.  That decision was soon lamented and fueled an aggressive preservation movement in the city that is vigorous to this day.      

The Chestertown Armory was constructed 95 years ago.  The Chestertown Historic District regulations were first enacted in the 1960’s.  They were initiated, and fueled, to some extent by the Penn Station experience.     

Those regulations repudiate economic interests as a reason for the demolition of structures which have been determined to be contributing to the Chestertown Historic District (which you have already unanimously determined for the Armory).

The Building.  The Armory was a beautiful Art Deco brick structure (with period light fixtures and other details) when built in 1931.    As shown on the attached postcard copy, it was a handsome and dignified edifice.  It was painted white sometime thereafter, perhaps in the 1940’s or ˈ50’s.

But it is now unsightly and unkempt because of more than a decade of neglect.  Perhaps its appearance would be improved by the removal of the two scraggly trees at the entrance, and removal of the white paint, together with a general and meaningful site cleanup.

The Centerville & Easton Armories.   Similar armories were built in those towns during the same period as in Chestertown.  They have been restored with their original unpainted brick façades.  They look great and blend seamlessly into, and contribute to, those communities.

Conditions of Approval.  The Historic District Commission is authorized to impose conditions on its approvals.  In this case, if a partial demolition is approved, it would be reasonable for the applicant to be required to remove the white paint simultaneously with the demolition.

Independent Counsel.  I have known the Mayor & Council attorney Chris Drummond for many years.  He is a good attorney.  But the Historic District Commission is a separate legal entity and should have independent counsel.   That should be done to avoid possible conflicts of interest for him, and to eliminate that as an issue on an appeal of your decision.

[It is common for district governmental bodies to have separate legal counsel.  In Kent County, the County Commissioners, Board of Appeals and Planning Commission all have separate lawyers.  Tom Yeager is the attorney for the County Commissioners and Chris Drummond is the attorney for the Board of Appeals.]

In conclusion, as you know, and after all, your decision is one which is fundamentally a matter of the rule of law, and not of popular opinion or institutional convenience.

Thank you for your consideration of these thoughts.

Phil Hoon
Chestertown

I am writing as a Chestertown Historic District citizen, property owner and business owner for the past 40+ years.     

This matter is, as it should be, a classic Chestertown debate based on the past, present and future . . . and no one is right or wrong.  Instead, all opinions are valid and contribute to the discussion.  There should be mutual respect, comity, and civility for the differences of perspective.  Here are mine.

I support the idea for a new Chestertown hotel at the Armory property.     

And among many others, I hope that the original 1931 Armory structure (a National Historic Register property) can be saved, but have no objection to the removal of the post-1931 additions to the structure assuming that the application satisfies its demanding burden of proof.     

Precedent Effect.  For better or worse, your decision will have a significant binding precedent effect on future demolition applications.  So whatever you decide, the clarity of your decision will be a beacon for those decisions.

Penn Station Lesson. In 1910, a beautiful Beaux Arts Penn Station was built in New York City.     In the early 1960’s, arguments emphasizing economic interests resulted in the demolition of the structure.  That decision was soon lamented and fueled an aggressive preservation movement in the city that is vigorous to this day.      

The Chestertown Armory was constructed 95 years ago.  The Chestertown Historic District regulations were first enacted in the 1960’s.  They were initiated, and fueled, to some extent by the Penn Station experience.     

Those regulations repudiate economic interests as a reason for the demolition of structures which have been determined to be contributing to the Chestertown Historic District (which you have already unanimously determined for the Armory).

The Building.  The Armory was a beautiful Art Deco brick structure (with period light fixtures and other details) when built in 1931.    As shown on the attached postcard copy, it was a handsome and dignified edifice.  It was painted white sometime thereafter, perhaps in the 1940’s or ˈ50’s.

But it is now unsightly and unkempt because of more than a decade of neglect.  Perhaps its appearance would be improved by the removal of the two scraggly trees at the entrance, and removal of the white paint, together with a general and meaningful site cleanup.

The Centerville & Easton Armories.   Similar armories were built in those towns during the same period as in Chestertown.  They have been restored with their original unpainted brick façades.  They look great and blend seamlessly into, and contribute to, those communities.

Conditions of Approval.  The Historic District Commission is authorized to impose conditions on its approvals.  In this case, if a partial demolition is approved, it would be reasonable for the applicant to be required to remove the white paint simultaneously with the demolition.

Independent Counsel.  I have known the Mayor & Council attorney Chris Drummond for many years.  He is a good attorney.  But the Historic District Commission is a separate legal entity and should have independent counsel.   That should be done to avoid possible conflicts of interest for him, and to eliminate that as an issue on an appeal of your decision.

[It is common for district governmental bodies to have separate legal counsel.  In Kent County, the County Commissioners, Board of Appeals and Planning Commission all have separate lawyers.  Tom Yeager is the attorney for the County Commissioners and Chris Drummond is the attorney for the Board of Appeals.]

In conclusion, as you know, and after all, your decision is one which is fundamentally a matter of the rule of law, and not of popular opinion or institutional convenience.

Thank you for your consideration of these thoughts.

Phil Hoon
Chestertown