Havre de Grace Mayor Wayne H. Dougherty easily held off a challenge in Tuesday’s municipal election from city councilman Mitch Shank – defeating him by nearly a two-to-one margin – to hold onto his position for a third term.
In the city council races, incumbents Randy Craig and John Correri were re-elected to their seats and will be joined by newcomer Barbara Wagner who, as the third-highest vote-getter, will occupy the seat vacated by Shank during his mayoral bid.
Wagner defeated Diane Lawder by 45 votes, but with only 53 absentee and 18 provisional ballots remaining to count, it’s unlikely the results will change.
Wagner, co-owner of Bahoukas Antique Mall, has been a city resident since 2006 and has served on the city’s Planning Commission, the Comprehensive Zoning Committee, and as a Board Member of Havre de Grace Main Street Inc.
Reached Tuesday night, shortly after learning of her victory, Wagner was elated with the results and eager to joining the council.
“I am grateful the community has chosen me to serve! I look forward to getting to work,” she said.
The unofficial results of Tuesday’s municipal election in Havre de Grace were:
MAYOR
Wayne H. Dougherty – 1,128
Mitch Shank – 647
CITY COUNCIL (TOP 3)
John P. Correri, Jr. – 905
Randolph Craig – 1,251
James Lauer – 185
Diane Lawder – 833
Lori J. Hahn Maslin – 606
Barbara Wagner – 878
REFINANCE OF CITY DEBT
Do you approve of the Mayor and City Council of Havre de Grace refinancing the City’s debt by authorizing the Mayor and City Council to issue and sell bonds in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $550,000 in connection with the outstanding City Infrastructure Bond Series 1992 A which was in the original principal amount of $886,400 dollars, but which principal debt is now $550,000, for the purpose of reducing the City’s debt obligation?
Yes – 1,475
No – 235
Congratulations to Mayor Dougherty on his re-election. The people of HDG continue to get it when choosing their leaders.
A bit under 1,800 people voted, from the numbers given. How many registered voters are there in HdG?
someone told me there was 9,000 registered voters…
Yesterday’s mayoral election was proof-in-fact that the democratic principles held dear by us do in fact work and continue to protect us. It was a highly contentious race, at times disturbingly so, between two men at opposite sides of the political philosophical spectrum. Still, at the end of the day, the collective voices of the good people of Havre de Grace resounded loud and clear. In what can only be described as a landslide, the sitting mayor was given the people’s mandate to pursue his vision. This morning, Mayor Dougherty can no longer be called a politician, he is now a statesman!
Hey Ed. How about Lord, no Viscount, either would be more suitable than Mayor for such an extraordinary gentleman.
The electoral process worked. One candidate won, but was Wayne the best person for mayor? I think not.
Doughtery has turned council meetings into Susquehanna Hose Co. pep rallies and never-ending awards ceremony in order to have a perpetual campaign and grow his cult of personality. Wayne has been great to his friends and to himself.
Havre de Grace deserves better than Doughtery and it is a shame that voters chose poorly.
P.S. And to all you new construction homeowners Wayne Doughtery plans to raise your water/sewer if you have fire protection sprinkler system in your home by over $200 per house per year to cover for his fiscal mismanagement. His own properties are not affected by this hidden tax, a tax you can’t use as a deduction.
Mitch Shank campaigned very hard and spent lots of money. Wayne Dougherty did not campaign and spent no money. Dougherty beat Shank by a 2 to 1 ratio. So Oscar Collinsworth…or whatever you real name is…YOUR ARGUMENTS ARE NO LONGER VALID!! THE PEOPLE OF HDG HAVE SPOKEN AND YOU ARE A VERY VERY VERY SMALL MINORITY IN YOUR THINKING. YOU SHOULD MOVE FROM HDG RIGHT NOW BECAUSE YOU WILL NEVER BE HAPPY.
Really is this how a “Concerned Citizen” acts toward a taxpaying citizen of Havre de Grace? Seems to me you are acting like a thug and you’re attempting to intimidate those people with whom you disagree. In fact you are acting a lot like Wayne Doughtery.
Are you a volunteer firemen or should I say volunteer “thug”?
Oscie:
Right on with your remarks. His Mayor Wayne cultivated the aged population over the years and the fruits of his labors are paying off. I have witnessed his strong arm tactics, but in your face smiles. Just because he got more votes doesn’t mean the best man won.Good point about the hidden tax.
J. EDGAR LOOMIS,
Not to mention Wayne Doughtery’s accounting irregularities by commingling city and water/sewer funds, shared resource accounting, lack of financial/budget transparency and Susquehanna Hose subsidies.
Congrats to Mayor Doughtery.
Oscie:
What insight. Think about this, the Council meetings are Council meetings, not Mayor and City Council meetings. As I’ve been told the Mayor is a guest who now has taken over the meetings and as you said Oscie, made this a continuous campaign and award ceremony. Great insight guy
J. EDGAR LOOMIS
If the public actually understood that the non-profit Susquehanna Hose Co. is actually a disguised political organization whose members receive property tax credits and pensions they would be up in arms. Of course Wayne Dougherty keeps these facts obscured and continues to benefit from his pandering to the Hose Co.
I encourage multiple citizens to demand Susquehanna Hose Co. full and detailed financials. They are a nonprofit which alone requires them to provide this information to anyone who requests it, and since they receive city money they are held to an even greater standard of disclosure.
Furthermore, the City of Havre de Grace should not give one more dime to the Hose Co. until a full audit has been conducted and it is determined that they need further taxpayer money in the short term. The Hose Co. to my understanding has more money in reserve than the city does.
Oscar C:
In total sincerity, you are someone who has spoken words that our city fathers, past and present have failed, or feared to address. Man what insight. Let it be told I recognize the contribution the Hose Company makes, but in light of your post I am rethinking my overall opinion. Clearly we are in a state of grave financial concern and your thoughts have rattled me. Tax credits, pensions, and lack of disclosure. Maybe I’d rather not have known
J. EDGAR LOOMIS
It is exceedingly difficult to believe that our neighbors who at the outset were likely well intentioned in joining the Hose Co. and Wayne Dougherty in becoming our mayor could have lost their way and embraced corruption.
And once you institutionalize corruption it becomes routine for the corrupted and accepted by the majority simply as how things are done.
Collinsworth and Loomis, you don’t fool us with your fake names. We all know that you are one of 5 possible people that constantly posted on the Patch. You need to understand something, Dougherty won by nearly a 2 to 1 margin. That means no one cares about what you have to say, or what you believe. All your accusations were laid out to the voters before the election and Dougherty still won! For you to keep commenting on the Dagger only does two things, it enrages the Shank supporters (because they know they lost) and it makes the Dougherty supporters laugh their heads off!!! So go ahead, keep posting and keep responding to your own posts. We all think it’s hillarious!! See you in two years!!
Hey GET OVER IT your fake name sure fooled me. And my posts should worry Dougherty and the Hose Co.
Nice job fools. Why do the residents of HDG keep electing these Losers? You guys will get what you pay for. These folks are nothing but retreads, in one year, out the next, bring ’em back. They were slackers the first time, nothing has changed.
To get over it:
I, we, and other free citizens of HDG will not be intimidated. Free speech is permissible in Havre De Grace, and hence the web. Thanks Dagger for giving us a voice. All thugs do not live in Baltimore City. So Get Over It, get over yourself. Oscar has enlightened me considerably.
The idea that just because somebody wins big means they are the best person for the job is amusing. Let’s see, Mr. Obama won big in 2008 and the Republicans won big in 2010 and now thanks to the stellar leadership of both we have $4 gallon gasoline, entrenched environmental wackos, rising property taxes with devalued homes, food prices up at least 10%, a worthless dollar, huge unemployment/underemployment, stagnant wages. Yeah buddy, might sure makes right.
Bel Air Feb…Send me all of your worthless dollars, I will make good use of them.
since worthless is the only game in town, I’ll hang on to what I’ve got thanks. have to take the wheelbarrow full of green to fill up the tank so I can get to the job to get more green which is disappearing faster and faster. If you’ve been retired a while you must be aquainted with the disappearing act yourself.
Congratulations Mayor Dougherty, a very honorable and caring man. I had the pleasure of working with him. Havre De Grace is in good hands.
R189