Re-Elect Council Member Angel White for Brunswick

They are four of seven candidates running for three seats in the Aug. 2 election. Councilwoman Angel White, former Councilman Tom Smith and Amanda McGannon are also running and will be featured in Part II.

Of the city’s six council members, three have terms that expire in August: White, Ellis Burruss and Walt Stull. Burruss and Stull are not seeking re-election.

Eric Beasley

Since Beasley moved to Brunswick in 2012, he said he has watched local government with disappointment.

“I feel like Brunswick right now is run on emotion, not what is logical or legal.”

His support last year for a failed effort to recall Mayor Karin Tome gave some people the wrong impression about his political disposition, he said. He said he will disagree politely as long as different positions are based on facts.

“There will be logic and facts to support whatever decision I make,” he said.

He would like to give council members power to put legislation to a referendum.

He said the more than $1 million annual budget surplus would be better used as a rebate to taxpayers or to repair water and sewer lines and sidewalks and roads.

“Spend on something to benefit the whole town,” he said.

Government should support “individual liberty” and get “out of the way,” he said. The city should not regulate taxicabs, and it should not expect homeowners to pay for sidewalks that get used by the public.

He faults the pace of the city’s efforts to spur redevelopment, and does not want to subsidize the Brunswick Main Street nonprofit group that seeks to support downtown or any nongovernmental corporation, he said.

The city, not property owners, should pay for sidewalks where they are needed, he said.

Ginger Cayo

In Brunswick Crossing, where Ginger Cayo has lived for four years, the new sidewalks and smooth streets do not compare to those downtown. She is willing to get downtown fixed at taxpayer expense, even if her development’s residents have paid for their streets and sidewalks initially in housing costs. They have been waiting for potholes, faded fire hydrants, broken sidewalks and empty storefronts downtown to change.

“We were hoping it would be more aggressive with paving and painting by now,” she said. Potomac Street, which is the heart of the to-be-redeveloped business district, concerned them particularly.

“When is at least that street going to get done?” she asked.

Cayo found that council decisions to follow up on economic development initiatives, such as an application for enterprise zone status for redevelopment tax incentives, seem to take longer than expected. Too many committees and organizations are working on the redevelopment effort when she would like to see more consolidation.

“I believe they could go faster,” she said. She faulted council members for taking too much time to make a decision, and wants the mayor to set stricter expectations about the time they have to decide.

“I’m a big supporter of Mayor [Karin] Tome,” Cayo said. “I believe that she should be more firm. Calling members out on their position.”

Cayo would like to get an estimate of the price to repair all of the roads and sidewalks. She wants to consider a variety of ways to pay for them publicly, including using the budget surplus.

Cayo wants highlights of council actions to be announced on social media after public meetings, and to make the city website easier to use, so residents can find legislative acts and current government news.

“With the age of Twitter, people would like a quick summary,” she said. “People would feel more involved.”

She wants to establish a way to help residents who cannot pay their water bill, perhaps with an option for payers to add an amount to be dedicated to a fund for those who need help. Until such a utility relief fund is established, Cayo said if she is elected, she would donate her $300 monthly council salary to that cause.

Laura Dvorak

Sidewalks are part of Dvorak’s three focal points as a candidate: She wants Brunswick to be safe, comfortable and proud of itself.

“My biggest issue is downtown,” she said. “The street needs to look vibrant.”

She sees sidewalks playing a vital role in safety, recreation, economic development and transportation. She supports the city’s interest-free loans to help property owners pay for the needed repairs. She would not change the ordinance that places sidewalk maintenance responsibilities on property owners.

“I’m all about being fiscally conservative,” she said. “I believe sidewalks are transformative. ... They have not really been dealt with.”

She would look for grants to help pay for infrastructure improvements.

As a two-year resident of the city, she has found herself drawn to public action in a way she has not before. She moved from Gaithersburg and soon started volunteering for the Brunswick Heritage Museum, the Community Garden, Adopt-a-Park, Brunswick Main Street and the Literacy Council of Frederick County.

She would like the city to do what it can to fill vacant buildings with government contractors or other tenants, and perhaps get foreclosed properties rented at low rates to artists until more permanent tenants come along. She would like to seek out grocers to occupy the former grocery site in the Brunswick Shopping Center. She would like to see more public transportation serving the city on weekends.

She would like the museum to get a full-time curator to boost the tourism opportunities, and increase places for people to stroll and sit downtown. She does not want to do another study of economic development needs.

She would like to explore using some of the budget surplus to lower the interest the city is paying on some of its debt, she said.

She does not place any blame for the city’s current condition.

“I want to take a step back to civility,” she said. “I’m willing to work with anyone. ... I feel like when we respect each other’s rights, it gives us more flexibility.”

Vaughn Ripley

Ripley said his father taught him that “armchair” politicians get even less done than real ones, so he felt it was time for him to answer the questions he found himself asking about what goes on in the city with broken sidewalks, parks, and aged water and sewer lines.

“I’m not knocking the city,” Ripley said. “I would like to be more involved.”

He said serving on the council would give him the information he would need to answer questions and make good decisions.

“The more that I know about it, the more that I can help,” he said.

He is discouraged that a small percentage of registered voters usually participates. He also wanted to be a courteous option on the ballot in case any less courteous people were running, he said, without naming anyone.

“Investigate, look at the council candidates,” he said. “Make sure they’re in it for the right reasons.”

“How about chivalry?” he asked. “I’m running for integrity and honor. I believe in chivalry.”

Ripley, who has lived in the Galyn Manor development on the northeast edge of the city for 10 years, rides a bike and runs three times a week across the crumbled sidewalks and roads that have dominated many council meetings this year.

He would like to see what grants are available to help pay for new roads and sidewalks and explore other options to get them fixed.

For economic development, Ripley supports Brunswick Main Street and would like the city to do more to help small businesses and to promote its growing outdoor recreation image. He has been volunteering on the River’s Edge trail that is under development and with the city skate park renovation, both on the east side of the city.

“I’d like to build up the fact that we’re so accessible to the C&O [Canal National Park],” he said.

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