From Harford County government:
County Executive Craig Offers a Thank You
Harford County Executive David R. Craig’s 10 years in office will be remembered with a book featuring the Craig Administration’s accomplishments. The book discusses his achievements and how the county is positioned for the future. The county executive also offers a message of thanks:
Over these nearly ten years, my administration has worked hard to improve the quality of life of our citizens and to operate county government with efficiency, accountability, and integrity.
We have built and renovated numerous schools, expanded our parks & recreation facilities, permanently preserved thousands of acres of farmland, and improved public safety and emergency services; all while lowering tax rates and achieving the county’s first AAA bond rating with all three rating agencies.
I am proud of what we have achieved over the years, but the credit does not belong to me. It belongs to the hard-working and dedicated county employees who plow our roads when it snows, who answer the call when citizens dial 911, who maintain our ball fields and parks, and who greet you with a smiling face and a helpful attitude when you need assistance.
The credit belongs to all of the impressive professionals who have led one of the county’s departments and whose advice and counsel I have valued as members of my cabinet over my term.
It also belongs to the employees of the other agencies of this county – the teachers and administrators of our school system, our librarians and library support staff, the deputies, correctional officers, and staff of the Sheriff’s Office, and the legal professionals who work for the State’s Attorney’s Office or for the Circuit Court.
And lastly, the credit for our success belongs to the citizens who volunteer to safeguard and improve the lives of all of the county’s residents – the volunteer fire fighters and EMS technicians, the citizens who volunteer their time at a senior center or for a nonprofit organization like SARC, the Humane Society, or the Harford Center, and those who give their time as youth sports coaches, as PTA parents, or as members of a county advisory board or community council.
The credit for what has been achieved over the years belongs to all of them, and I thank them all from the bottom of my heart.
So, what do I hope people will say and remember about the Craig Administration? I hope that they remember that we were not afraid to lead, that we were not afraid to sometimes make unpopular decisions knowing there was a bigger picture involved, that we acted with great purpose, and that this county is better positioned for the future.
May God Bless each and every one of you, and may God Bless Harford County.
Cordially,
David R. Craig
This Thanksgiving Day I will be giving thanks for Barry Glassman. Happy Thanksgiving!
Didn’t vote for him and ain’t gonna read the book. It’s sad to say because I am a republican.
Craig is one of the worst county executives in the history of this jurisdiction and none one the words – efficiency, accountability, or integrity- describes Craig and his administration. Im glad he is on his way out and I am hopeful for a new CE who will be a true leader with integrity.
I wonder if he has pics of the eps clean up sites he illegally purchased in Havre de Grace. What a waste of employee staff time and taxpayer resources.
Don’t let the door hit you.
People, can’t we all just get along?
“but the credit does not belong to me” (or your bloated group of friends and family!) Please take them with you to Havre de Grace and Annapolis!
Thanks everybody in the county other than the citizens forced to pay for all his monuments to himself. I just hope when they hang the sign on chemical park in HdG that it reads “the David Craig superfund site – walk across at your own risk”. Then in small print “overpaid for by the citizens of harford county”.
He’s done wonders for this county, and you all will be sorry when the new CE takes place (he’s just a puppet, and his strings will be pulled by the county council and his Chief of Staff). If you can’t see this, than there is absolutely NO hope for you! We’re one of the few counties that progressed when the economy was at it’s worst. I feel so sorry for you all, that you’re so naive to see all the good he’s done. #stopbeingsohateful #getalife
I’ll thank Useless Dave after I figure out a way to make my children’s tuition payments, catch up on my retirement savings, buy a decent car, and pay off credit card debt. Craig’s two biggest talents were attending dedication cremonies and blaming eveything and anyone else for why he couldn’t do anything. So sick of that “Poor Me” spiel.
Apparently a third talent was to claim to be fiscally conservative while borrowing a half billion dollars for us to pay back while he collects his pension. Meanwhile he bent over the thousands of county employees who everyday make countless positive contributions that maintain the well being of every resident and elevate the future potential of our children. Some stategy. I will be thankful when his successors come in and reverse 6 years of damage, if that is even possible.
#GETALIFE
Tried but couldn’t afford it
…and what are these amazing things that are so incredible, but the average person is too dumb to understand. How can he justify doing those things on the backs of county employees (without even negotiating or asking???
Was wondering what he was doing these past 10 years besides employing family and friends! He wrote a book! And we paid him to do this!
Like I said before Dave don’t let the door at 220 hit you in your fat ass! ????
“I would like to thank all of the hardworking employees of Harford County, without whose six years of pay sacrifices I would not been able to increase the county’s bond debt 500% to $650 million. Every time I pass I building with my name engraved on it I will always remember the LITTLE people who made our AAA bond rating possible so I could borrow all this money!”
P.S. In case my principal / mayor / county executive pension doesn’t quite cover all of my retirement expenses, I would sincerely appreciate all the cops, teachers, librarians…etc could pre-order a copy of my book which will be titled “How to spend 11 years as county exexutive and do as little as possible”. See the lovely foreward written by Larry Hogan thanking me for how many Harford County republican voters I pushed into his arms.
After hearing that Hogan selected Craig as a member of his transution team, I am very disappointed. Hogan has lost a lot if credibility for that move. What can Craig possibly advise anyone on? He’s a laughing stock.
Hogan and Craig are friends. So, nothing has changed in the old group of “good old boys”, has it now? He is the worst CE that has ever been in office and for anyone not seeing it they are either his family or some of his cronies to whom he gave jobs, or threw monies, or contracts their way. It is really that simple.
Mr. Craig,
Please do not go away proud. Please do not thank the county employees of all stripes. Please do not try to articulate all your accomplishments. Please do not try to convince us there was some bigger picture you saw the rest of us did not. The facts are simple and plain for any objective observer to see and understand. May we please just move on with our lives and soon recover, if possible, from the damage you have done. Please just go away.
Rumor control say David will take over Maryland Transportation Cabinet post.
Sounds about right…he threw enough of us under the bus.
New schools, libraries, emergency centers,etc. are all nice, but Craig completely failed to invest similarly in the people that run those very buildings. That is what I will remember about him.