"City Hall officials request you base your conversations on fact."

This is classic and it is so very Orwellian. I "borrowed" it right from The Capital

City Hall: How the process of annexation works

By RHONDA WARDLAW, For The Capital

Published 07/08/09

It has come to our attention at City Hall that false information on the proposed annexation of county property is being circulated. City Hall officials request you base your conversations on fact. The first issue is the process for annexation. The process for annexation requires a petition from the property owner.

How about that? "City Hall officials request you base your conversations on fact. " They request. Indeed. Yeah, take that-- any of you weenies out there who might mistrust or disagree with what those City Hall officials might say. They know fact from fantasy and it goes like this: "If we say it is fact, it is fact. If you disagree, it is fantasy." Now that sets that straight! I am going out right now and starting to base all my conversations on fact. How about you? Let's start a movement, a campaign to base everything on fact from now on because City Officials have requested we do so. I have a request for City Hall officials, but this is a family publication and therefore I shall refrain.

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Oh Nine Online for July 9--Mayoral Forums Coming Up!

These are the dates for mayoral forums:

July 22
HACA Housing Authority City of Annapolis---if you live in public housing, you are not likely to attend the What's Up? forum (see below)...or to receive it in the mail...

July 28
Capital Punishment's 100,000 Blog Visit Celebration and Mayoral Forum...there may be a small fee or donation requested...hey I don't have a big organization backing me...but I do have a lot of disorganization...we may have to pay for the location....this will definitely be a lively event...or perhaps a big, boring waste if you don't attend...If you only go to one mayoral forum, don't make it this one because we will treat all the candidates with kid gloves, let them off the hook, speak with forked tongue, pontificate, obfuscate, BS.....you know--beat around the bush....NOT!!!

Sept. 1
What's Up?--you know the conspicuous consumption "lifestyle" magazine that only gets mailed to you if you are in an uppity zipcode...

Sept. 9
League of Women Voters...not to be confused with the Republican Women

Sept. 10
ECA...as in Eastport Civic Association (Energetic Community Activists??)

Waiting for confirmation on times and locations of above....

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Sun and Capital Cover Cohen

Our two newspapers each devoted ink to candidate Josh Cohen recently, one purporting to be a news article, the other not even attempting to be anything but a puff piece. The Capital's piece attempted to show that Cohen has his critics, but as the blogger who has been providing most of the news about this for a while, I was rather taken aback that nearly all the information presented about Cohen was either originally presented or already covered here at CP. Be that as it may, at least this article attempted to get at the issues behind the scenes, even though I did most of the work for the reporter, but read this:

The talk outside the Loews Annapolis Hotel after a Democratic mayoral forum last month focused on the standout performance of Josh Cohen, who some said has emerged as the top contender.

Huh? I missed the event but watched it online, thanks to The Capital. How could anyone, I mean anyone, say that Cohen has "emerged as the top contender."? Did the reporter base that on overhearing a few gossipers? You know the candidate is going to get that up on his web-site asap. (As Soon As Political) See it at: Cohen Capital . For The Sun's take, see Cohen Sun.

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No Anonymous Comments....please

Readers know my thoughts about anonymous comments--there are no place for them here at CP. For thoughts about this from another blogger, please visit: anonymity

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Oh Nine On Line for July 8-Renaut in The News..Mayoral Debate Location Chosen...Shropshire In or Out?

For an important announcement from Democratic Mayoral Candidate Gil Renaut about his health situation and his campaign, visit www.gilbertrenaut.org . I certainly appreciate Renaut's frank and sincere message. He had discussed this with me on the record and I determined that it would not be appropriate to break it as a news story. Instead, I urged Renaut to come out on his web-site and tell his own story, which thankfully, he did and you may read it in his own words.......Capital Punishment's Mayoral Debate and 100,000th hit celebration on July 28 will take place at the Calvary United Methodist Church on Rowe Boulevard from 7-9 pm--sure to be the hit of the election season and if not, well too bad...Is Sam Shropshire staying in the race? He said he was suspending his campaign, then he appeared at the June 24 forum and the other day, I was told by a reliable source that Shropshire personally told the source that he would be quitting the race. Only time will tell because Shropshire is apparently not telling...


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What One Section of One City Street Tells Us About Our Local Government...Or the Power of Blogging?

What you are looking at were two pieces of what had been a part of Sixth Street by the bridge in Eastport. Yup. The corroded metal was once part of a covered expansion joint that had become fully exposed and was easily lifted out of a three-inch wide and at least as deep crevasse in what most of us simply know as Sixth Street. Originally, I believe this steel was laid down between the larger pieces of road surface to separate them, presumably as an expansion joint, but I am not a highway engineer. The fact that other steel joints are exposed AND that asphalt has come completely loose strongly suggests that the road has been seriously deteriorating for years. As a frequent bicyclist on that road, I know how bad it has been and how much worse it has become.

The five inch chunk of asphalt to the right was only one of many fist-sized and larger pieces of road surface loosely laying in one of those many fissures and could easily be picked up as they were completely loose.

It seems reasonable to expect that one of the primary roles of a local government is to maintain our roads, which is why there are so many jokes about and references to "filling potholes" when it comes to local politics. One of my pet concerns has been this one-block section of Sixth Street in Eastport that needs special care and attention because it is so busy. But despite pleas in various forms to various officials and city employees over the years, I was unable to get anywhere. Then, last Saturday night while bicycling around town after the parade and prior to the fireworks, I had the chance to inspect this particular section of road because it was closed to automobiles. I was shocked. Do you suppose I'll get arrested for vandalizing and stealing city property?

Yeah, this is serious and it's not some tiny alley--it's one of our main thoroughfares. Here is what I wrote about it on October 16, 2008:

"When CP asked for help in resurfacing the half-block portion of heavily traveled and highly visible Sixth Street from the Eastport Bridge to Severn Ave., nobody, not even Cohen [then an alderman] did a thing--even though we had already resurfaced both the bridge AND resurfaced the remainder of Sixth Street FROM SEVERN to the south leaving that tiny section a disaster today. Try riding your bike on it with all the fissures and cracks but watch out for the boulder sized space where a chunk of concrete has been missing--for years!"

If we can spend money right and left for Ellen O's pet projects, how could we have let this busy and seriously damaged section of road go undetected? It's the gateway to Eastport and Ellen O's home turf. I guess if it were a tree, it would have been fixed by now.

I called Alderman Ross Arnett about it Monday and he promised to have acting Public Works Director Bob Agee look into it. I asked Ross to please let Mr. Agee know that I was on his case about it. Arnett immediately spoke with Agee and inspected the section of road together. Arnett told me that action will be taken soon which will be reported upon. Thanks to Arnett and Agee.



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Oh Nine On Line for July 7

Independent Chris Fox has collected the approved number of required signatures and will soon officially file as a candidate and be on the ballot. This shows his viability and will certainly have an impact on the entire campaign....As reported earlier, Democrat Wayne Taylor plans to file at the end of this week...I have watched the videos from the recent Democratic forum, which I recommend you do as well at democratic forum . Pay careful attention to their mannerisms, their preparation, their eye contact and facial expressions. Some seem relaxed and confident. Others seem nervous and sort of "closed in"....Cohen looks polished, calm, friendly but too slick....McFall seems poised and confident and focused on explaining her experience...Pierre is relaxed and works the crowd...Shropshire seems to be going in every direction, as usual...Taylor seems too confident and self-assured. In his closing statement, Taylor invited the audience to visit his web-site, but there is still nothing there of any substance and he also asked the audience to invite him to their living room....Renaut appears unable to get out of his own skin or connect with the audience in other than a cerebral way...Here's a quick rundown of where campaigns appear to be standing from a purely subjective point of view. For Republicans, Cordle and Flyntz are remarkably low-key but as it is now July, with Flyntz's name barely recognizable, I'd give him little or no chance of a strong showing in September against the much-better-known native-son Cordle...As for the Dems, my crystal ball, though still cloudy, is getting a bit clearer each day, and I would put Cohen, McFall and Pierre bunched together up front. Renaut may have a strong showing in the most active Ward One which could conceivably put him over the top, while I give Taylor little if any chance of more than a small percentage and Shropshire too, unless his stalwarts-and he has many ardent supporters, stick with him, will likely have a poor showing as well. He did say he was suspending his campaign, but then he appeared at the forum....All it will take is for one candidate to inch out a few others with as little as only 20% or perhaps even less and the remaining five could divide up 80%. However, it would be nice for the winning candidate to make a much stronger showing as it will bode well for future governance and will clearly show a stronger choice...As for Fox, there is no reason to believe that he will not have his chance to make a strong impression upon voters in the fall when he goes up against the likely Republican choice of Cordle and whomever the Dems pick....I think it is possible that Fox may present a bigger challenge in the general to Cordle than any of the Democrats will...

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CP To Host Mayoral Forum and Celebrate 100,000 Blog Visits

...I'm also having a dental appointment the same day, but never mind that. Just pass the nitrous....Plans are in the works for a debate/forum for all nine mayoral candidates for the evening of Tuesday, July 28, a date that will likely be close to when CP expects to reach the 100,000 mark, so it will be a reason to celebrate.

Yea! Yippee! Lots of hoopla.

We're working on it so please pay attention for more details over the next few weeks. Preliminary ideas are to take written questions from the audience and allow candidates the chance to provide answers, comments and even respond to or rebut answers given by their opponents.

Then we go out and drink a few beers and have a good old time while prognosticating about what else....politics! Pass the nitrous....

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Oh Nine On Line for July 6...Ahh Life Is A Parade

The July Fourth Parade was entertaining and perhaps even telling from a political point of view and I made sure my son and I and our two bicycles got a good view but first--how did you enjoy having a car-free downtown? We need to do it more often.

BUT FIRST....how about that enormous Chinese marching band! Was that cool or what? It kept going on...and on...it seemed as if half the population of China participated. Their web-site says, "Falun Dafa (also called Falun Gong, or just Dafa) is a high-level cultivation practice guided by the characteristics of the universe—Truthfulness, Benevolence, and Forbearance." Sounds good to me, but what is their take on cholesterol?

And now for the political end...Wayne Taylor got an upfront position on the parade but only managed to gather about a dozen teenagers, all Black, to march with him....Despite a report from another blog that Mayor Moyer was nowhere to be seen, she actually was behind tinted glass in one of our brand-new trolley-style buses....barely visible and certainly making me wonder why our city's leader, in her last year in office, seemed afraid to show her face to the crowds. She was later reported to be seen waving FROM and not to the crowd...Josh Cohen had a large contingent complete with a sign in Spanish saying "Votar" which of course means vote, but if you have to use a foreign language to tell people to vote...well..it makes me wonder. Wacky Chuck Weikel was seen in Cohen's contingent, zipping back and forth on his scooter. I think Weikel's involvement with Cohen speaks for itself...and may explain the "Votar" sign....I did not see Sam Shropshire but I did see his lawyer Gil Cochran in the parade...and speaking of lawyers named Gil, Gil Renaut was in the parade riding in a Red Saab convertible with a "Save the Bay" sticker (I originally reported on this as being part of another candidate's contingent. I regret the error)....Disgraced Delegate Tony McConkey was promoting himself. If I were him, I'd be afraid to be seen with so many law enforcement officers around...Delegate Ron George marched down the street past his jewelry store...Dave Cordle had a large but seemingly all-White crowd marching with him...and I noticed former Mayor Dean Johnson riding in a car as part of the Cordle campaign...POST-PUBLICATION  NOTE Dave Cordle wrote to say "A source said you reported my parade procession was all "white". Maria, a native of Columbia, a citizen, and county resident brought her family.  She is a domestic violence specialist w/ the Centro d Ayudo and a campaign volunteer.  She would have walked, but we had no-one to drive her car"....CP  says good for Maria for being in your parade.  But is she White or Black? And if she was driving how could I have seen from the other side of the parade? Uh...there are white Latinos-and Latinas you know. Methinks the candidate doth protest too much...Trudy McFall had a big group which included Barbara Hopkins, a retired city police captain and daughter of former Mayor Al Hopkins...Frank Flyntz was seen waving to the crowd wearing a rather, ummm, tacky white shirt with stars and strips on the shoulder. He seems to have a things about starts and stripes. His contingent consisted of two rather portly fellows driving a pickup truck with a couple of kids. And again, his signs had no authority line or name of his treasurer...Chris Fox had a big group, also appearing to be all-White....Zina Pierre had a lovely banner followed by a large crowd, which appeared to be the most racially-mixed and included Zastro Simms and former Alderwoman Cynthia Carter...Republican activist Frank Bradley, was enjoying himself as Santa in the parade as part of a GOP contingent...The Mayor's Sidekick Dale, was Uncle Sam, snapping photos right and left...Alderman Dick Israel rode in the parade and Aldermanic hopefuls Ian Pfeiffer and Kenny Kirby (yes-seen again in a rare public appearance) marched with Dems. Kirby's shirt said something about him being a man of the community or something like that...Ward Three Candidate Scott Bowling has sent a note to remind me that he was in the parade too....Yes...I saw him but I goofed in not mentioning him so here it is Scott was there too!!!!--my apologies.......and those frisky Republican Women, after being embarrassed nationally for their recent remarks, had a big contingent....Ahhh....Life is A Parade....(if I missed anyone, please write and fill me in....)



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BUT FIRST....how about that enormous Chinese marching band! Was that cool or what? It kept going on...and on...it seemed as if half the population of China participated. Their web-site says, "Falun Dafa (also called Falun Gong, or just Dafa) is a high-level cultivation practice guided by the characteristics of the universe—Truthfulness, Benevolence, and Forbearance." Sounds good to me, but what is their take on cholesterol?

And now for the political end...Wayne Taylor got an upfront position on the parade but only managed to gather about a dozen teenagers, all Black, to march with him....Despite a report from another blog that Mayor Moyer was nowhere to be seen, she actually was behind tinted glass in one of our brand-new trolley-style buses....barely visible and certainly making me wonder why our city's leader, in her last year in office, seemed afraid to show her face to the crowds. She was later reported to be seen waving FROM and not to the crowd...Josh Cohen had a large contingent complete with a sign in Spanish saying "Votar" which of course means vote, but if you have to use a foreign language to tell people to vote...well..it makes me wonder. Wacky Chuck Weikel was seen in Cohen's contingent, zipping back and forth on his scooter. I think Weikel's involvement with Cohen speaks for itself...and may explain the "Votar" sign....I did not see Sam Shropshire but I did see his lawyer Gil Cochran in the parade...and speaking of lawyers named Gil, Gil Renaut was in the parade riding in a Red Saab convertible with a "Save the Bay" sticker (I originally reported on this as being part of another candidate's contingent. I regret the error)....Disgraced Delegate Tony McConkey was promoting himself. If I were him, I'd be afraid to be seen with so many law enforcement officers around...Delegate Ron George marched down the street past his jewelry store...Dave Cordle had a large but seemingly all-White crowd marching with him...and I noticed former Mayor Dean Johnson riding in a car as part of the Cordle campaign....Trudy McFall had a big group which included Barbara Hopkins, a retired city police captain and daughter of former Mayor Al Hopkins...Frank Flyntz was seen waving to the crowd wearing a rather, ummm, tacky white shirt with stars and strips on the shoulder. He seems to have a things about starts and stripes. His contingent consisted of two rather portly fellows driving a pickup truck with a couple of kids. And again, his signs had no authority line or name of his treasurer...Chris Fox had a big group, also appearing to be all-White....Zina Pierre had a lovely banner followed by a large crowd, which appeared to be the most racially-mixed and included Zastro Simms and former Alderwoman Cynthia Carter...Republican activist Frank Bradley, was enjoying himself as Santa in the parade as part of a GOP contingent...The Mayor's Sidekick Dale, was Uncle Sam, snapping photos right and left...Alderman Dick Israel rode in the parade and Aldermanic hopefuls Ian Pfeiffer and Kenny Kirby (yes-seen again in a rare public appearance) marched with Dems. Kirby's shirt said something about him being a man of the community or something like that...Ward Three Candidate Scott Bowling has sent a note to remind me that he was in the parade too....Yes...I saw him but I goofed in not mentioning him so here it is Scott was there too!!!!--my apologies.......and those frisky Republican Women, after being embarrassed nationally for their recent remarks, had a big contingent....Ahhh....Life is A Parade....(if I missed anyone, please write and fill me in....)



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BUT FIRST....how about that enormous Chinese marching band! Was that cool or what? It kept going on...and on...it seemed as if half the population of China participated. Their web-site says, "Falun Dafa (also called Falun Gong, or just Dafa) is a high-level cultivation practice guided by the characteristics of the universe—Truthfulness, Benevolence, and Forbearance." Sounds good to me, but what is their take on cholesterol?

And now for the political end...Wayne Taylor got an upfront position on the parade but only managed to gather about a dozen teenagers, all Black, to march with him....Despite a report from another blog that Mayor Moyer was nowhere to be seen, she actually was behind tinted glass in one of our brand-new trolley-style buses....barely visible and certainly making me wonder why our city's leader, in her last year in office, seemed afraid to show her face to the crowds. She was later reported to be seen waving FROM and not to the crowd...Josh Cohen had a large contingent complete with a sign in Spanish saying "Votar" which of course means vote, but if you have to use a foreign language to tell people to vote...well..it makes me wonder. Wacky Chuck Weikel was seen in Cohen's contingent, zipping back and forth on his scooter. I think Weikel's involvement with Cohen speaks for itself...and may explain the "Votar" sign....I did not see Sam Shropshire but I did see his lawyer Gil Cochran in the parade...and speaking of lawyers named Gil, Gil Renaut was in the parade riding in a Red Saab convertible with a "Save the Bay" sticker (I originally reported on this as being part of another candidate's contingent. I regret the error)....Disgraced Delegate Tony McConkey was promoting himself. If I were him, I'd be afraid to be seen with so many law enforcement officers around...Delegate Ron George marched down the street past his jewelry store...Dave Cordle had a large but seemingly all-White crowd marching with him...and I noticed former Mayor Dean Johnson riding in a car as part of the Cordle campaign....Trudy McFall had a big group which included Barbara Hopkins, a retired city police captain and daughter of former Mayor Al Hopkins...Frank Flyntz was seen waving to the crowd wearing a rather, ummm, tacky white shirt with stars and strips on the shoulder. He seems to have a things about starts and stripes. His contingent consisted of two rather portly fellows driving a pickup truck with a couple of kids. And again, his signs had no authority line or name of his treasurer...Chris Fox had a big group, also appearing to be all-White....Zina Pierre had a lovely banner followed by a large crowd, which appeared to be the most racially-mixed and included Zastro Simms and former Alderwoman Cynthia Carter...Republican activist Frank Bradley, was enjoying himself as Santa in the parade as part of a GOP contingent...The Mayor's Sidekick Dale, was Uncle Sam, snapping photos right and left...Alderman Dick Israel rode in the parade and Aldermanic hopefuls Ian Pfeiffer and Kenny Kirby (yes-seen again in a rare public appearance) marched with Dems. Kirby's shirt said something about him being a man of the community or something like that...Ward Three Candidate Scott Bowling has sent a note to remind me that he was in the parade too....Yes...I saw him but I goofed in not mentioning him so here it is Scott was there too!!!!--my apologies.......and those frisky Republican Women, after being embarrassed nationally for their recent remarks, had a big contingent....Ahhh....Life is A Parade....(if I missed anyone, please write and fill me in....)



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Confusion Over Election Laws and Paperwork?

Two mayoral candidates and one aldermanic candidate do not publish the names of their treasurers on their web-sites or campaign materials although campaign laws says they must and city officials are either confused, unable or unwilling to do anything about it. Republican Frank Flyntz, who has filed, apparently has a treasurer named Tara McCann, but does not publish her name on his web-site or on his literature. While Flyntz has repeatedly shown he is not concerned, if I were Tara McCann, or city elections official, I'd be concerned.

Democrat Wayne Taylor, who has not filed, does not have his treasurer's name on his web-site. And putative Democratic candidate for alderman, Kirby Kenny, has a web-site but does not list a treasurer either. In attempting to figure this out by communicating with city officials, I have spent weeks getting tossed about from one to another, finally to be told there is no violation of city law, after one official cited the code that clearly shows there is a violation.

I have been told that if candidates, such as Taylor have not filed, they do not have to post the name. In other words, you can solicit donations for a campaign if you have not filed. ??? I am also told that Flyntz, who has filed, is not in violation for not posting the name either. It seems that if you are running for office, you can do whatever you want and collect donations and raise money any way you please as long as you have not filed. But if you have filed, you must meet certain conditions, but then, even that seems fuzzy. Here is one email I received from Elections Chair Rita Ormasa:


Mr. Flyntz does have a treasurer – Tara McCann.   You are welcome to visit City Hall and look through the certificates that have been filed with the city. 

Yes, I was appointed to the Board in March and elected as chair in June. 

Mr. Taylor and Mr. Kirby are required to have a treasurer when they file their certificate of candidacy.  If they do not have a treasurer listed, their certificate would not be approved.    I will get back to you on your other question.  I have a call into Regina to clarify something with her. 

Later, I received another letter from Ms. Ormasa:

Mr. Flyntz is not in violation of any city code. 

I wrote back:

"Please see number 7 below and explain why lack of the treasurer's name on Mr Flyntz's web-site and literature is NOT in violation.

Thank you.


4.44.130  Prohibited practices.

A.   A person shall not:

........................1-6 and then part 7 below:

7.   Publish or distribute or cause to be published or distributed any pamphlet, circular, card, sample ballot, dodger, poster, advertisement or any printed, multigraphed, photographed, typewritten or written matter or statement or any matter or statement which may be copied by any device or method now known for printing or copying or which may be used for making copies or printed or written matter in any form whatever for publication or distribution, relating to or concerning any candidate, including a write-in candidate, or prospective candidate for public or party office or for the acceptance or defeat of any proposition unless the pamphlet, circular, card, sample ballot, dodger, poster, advertisement or other form of publication described in this subsection clearly indicates the name of the candidate or committee responsible for the literature and contains, but set apart from the name of the candidate or committee, an authority line which includes the name and address of the person, treasurer or campaign manager responsible for the publication or its distribution; except, that if the person, treasurer or campaign manager has furnished the address to the appropriate board, the literature need not contain an address, except that this paragraph does not apply to a person exercising the rights described in Section 4.44.060;"

I should have added that the below might also be applicable:

4.44.140  Advertising.

A person, candidate, campaign manager, treasurer, partisan organization or political committee, including political clubs, or party committee may not expend any money for printing, publication or broadcasting of any political matter whatsoever, unless the matter purports on its face to be paid political advertisement and printed, published or broadcast by authority of the person, campaign manager or treasurer for the named candidate, partisan organization, party committee or political committee, including political clubs.

In fact, this section of city code is the same section that was cited to me in an email from the city attorney via the city clerk over a week ago when I first inquired.

Taylor told me that he intends to file on July 10th, the same day he will leave his job with the Community Action Agency, where according to the candidate, he could not hold his position and run for office. Taylor also told CP that despite having held fund-raisers, he has not yet attracted a single dollar in donations.

Why have laws if they are not enforced? Presumably we have laws to govern our elections to ensure fairness and credibility. Does this point to potentially larger questions about campaign laws and their enforcement or am I just digging and coming up with a little bit of nothing? C'mon candidates--put your treasurer's name on your web-sites...please...and city officials, please be consistent and clear for all of us.

Additional Note:   At the Fourth of July Parade, Frank Flyntz had a huge sign on the side of a pickup truck and as usual--there was no authority line or treasurer's name, so he again flaunts his lack of concern about city code.