Interview with Bel Air Town Commissioner candidate Gregory Adolph:
As part of The Dagger’s coverage of the Town of Bel Air’s municipal election on Nov. 3, the following questions were presented to each candidate for town commissioner.
The five questions (bolded and boxed) were chosen to generate discussion on specific topics. The candidates’ answers have been included verbatim as received by email or reported following an interview.
1.) In short, who are you and why are you running for Bel Air Town Commissioner?
1.) I am Gregory Adolph, a 26-year old civil engineer in Belcamp, MD. I have lived my whole life in Bel Air and have been a Town resident for over 5 years. I have quickly found the importance, in my young adult life, for structure and accountability in and organization. I made a resolution this year to become more involved. More involved professionally, socially, and politically. I was elected to the Board of Directors at Moores Mill Manor, which has made me more in-tune with town policy and direction. As a candidate, I am committed to Bel Air’s Future through honest representation with taxpayers interests in mind.
2.) The town budget has more than doubled this decade. How do you feel this has benefited the town, and how would you handle the budget as commissioner?
2.) I assure thorough analysis of the Town budget. In this economic climate, there are greater demands on the consumers and citizens who have fewer resources on which to draw. My pledge is due diligence and tough decision making on budgetary expenses. I will treat the budget of Bel Air much the same as my personal budget to keep money in the taxpayers’ pockets.
3.) The commissioners recently voted to table plans to renovate the town hall. Do you support renovations, and how can the town manage costs and facility shortcomings?
3.) I support long-term efforts to renovate and/or relocate Town Hall, especially the Police Department, however, now is not the time to discuss such an expensive capital project. To make a fiscally responsible decision, the Commissioners will need to contrast proposals for type, size, and location with the maximum benefit for the Town. In the interim, the facilities should be maintained to provide an adequate, safe working environment for all users.
4.) The town recently completed a renovation of Main Street. Do you feel this has benefited the community, and how should the town handle the logistical problems or improve the town economy in the future?
4.) I believe the renovations to Main Street offer, in the long term, great improvements to the viability of this corridor. While providing a significant aesthetic improvement, the renovations offer better logistical and planning opportunities for a variety of businesses. Street side parking is enhanced, pedestrian safety is improved, and Main Street is again a central attraction to Bel Air. Clearly to re-vitalize the Main Street corridor, the Town must lower the standing vacancy rate. Bel Air must appeal to the needs of business owners and formulate a strategy which will bring business back to Main Street.
5.) Why do you think you are a better choice for town commissioner than either of the incumbents?
5.) I suggest Bel Air needs fresh ideas, thoughts, and actions to carry ourselves onward. I pledge our voters an open mind with the best interest of Bel Air’s future as my only agenda. Each of the standing commissioners began their political career at a place and a time; now is the time for our next generation to respond to the challenges which lie ahead.
I’ll vote for you. You embrace the one thing that I want in a candidate- treat my tax dollars as if they were your own, something that Carey and Preston can’t say they’ve done. They just keep raising fees and taxes to spend and for what? Are we getting anything extra for the huge budget increases than we did 10 years ago? No- we are not.
Good luck on Nov 3.
Carey and Preston- you guys deserve to go. You’ve done enough to the Town.
I will bet my last dollar that Carey and Preston will both say that the budget hasn’t doubled in the last decade, w/ no follow-up. The truth is that they have allowed the budget to increase well in excess of the rate of inflation, up by at least 50% in the last decade, but they won’t talk about that. They didn’t spend any of the additional revenues to fix any of the infrastructure problems, it mostly went to grow the government, and for what? Anyone else like the traffic as much as me? Or that your sewer bills are going up so that we can pay the County to treat rain water because the sewer pipes leak so badly? Or that the constant rate adjustment wasn’t adopted by them, raising your property taxes by 12% next year?
Carey and Preston have not been looking out for my best interests. I’m voting for Adolph and Davis.
Mr. Adolph (I am hoping you get on here and see this thread),
So from your responses I guess that you live in Moores Mill Manor? If so I applaud you for residing in the town and choosing to not abandon that area for the newer (most people from here would say “nicer”) condos in the Irwins Choice/Deer Run and even Forest Hill areas. Hickory Hills and Moores Mill Manor I have noticed recently are struggling to keep their property values above 100,000 and I am wondering if as a resident of that part of town you have maybe thoughts on how to encourage re-investment into these areas, as opposed to a flight out of my beloved hometown to the ‘burbs of Bel Air, similar to Baltimore’s flight to the ‘burbs?
Similar situations exist in Howard Park, Shamrock/Courtland areas. I feel that especially with BRAC that we have an extraordinary opportunity throughout the county, and especially in Bel Air with the revitalized Main Street and Downtown Alliance, to encourage a renaissance of sorts here. Maybe give an incentive for young professionals such as ourselves(I am a 24 year old civil engineer who already bought my first home and also lived here my whole life) to put down solid roots here in town, in these particular neighborhoods. The duplexes around Courtland/Shamrock, even the Majors Choice townhomes though they cost a bit more and don’t seem to be suffering from the downturn in real estate as much, would also be great places for young families or singles.
I just feel that Main St. was a great project and step forward, now it is time to bring in some more diverse tenants there to encourage more of a “work-live-play” attitude and feel to the real “in-town” of Bel Air. And to encourage an influx of younger, first-time homebuyer types into town instead of Abingdon or Fountain Green or Forest Hill is a great opportunity that I hope our next set of leaders will not allow to slip by.
If you could please let us hear any ideas or thoughts you have about this, I would appreciate it since you would probably have great insight as a resident there. Thanks.
The younger community in Bel Air needs to be more involved in the building and growing of their neighborhoods–and largely their town. Being an active member of a community is a lost art. We don’t have as many face to face interactions with people. Residents of Bel Air need to get out and collaborate with businesses and education–the more collaboration–the more business.
I had the best day today at The Mill of Bel Air’s tent sale. I bought mums and pumpkins on sale. The people from spending a few hours at The Mill of Bel Air. Deer Creek Beef was grilling free hot dogs and hamburgers for the customers. There was a Doggy Costume contest sponsored by the Humane Society. Local artists displayed thier jewlery, pottery, and other handmade items. I ran into friends, and made some new ones.
Henry Holloway of The Mill of Bel air ought to be commended for his collaborative efforts. Businesses like The Mill should be lauded by the town of Bel Air for it’s service to the community.
What’s the last thing Wegmans did for you–and how much money do you spend there…
I wish I lived in the town–otherwise, I’d vote for Greg Adolph.
I am grateful to the dagger for interviewing the three candidates. I am most impressed with Candidate Adolph. Looking forward to a bright future for the town of Bel Air.