— OAKLAND — Garrett County Commission candidates for District 2, Paul Edwards, Tim Thomas, incumbent Jim Raley and Gary Barlow address the biggest issues that the county is facing.
Edwards said the lack of quality economic development is the biggest issue.
“The only thing I can do to address that is to point to the track record in Grantsville, which has been the fastest-growing town in the county,” said Edwards, Grantsville mayor. The town will welcome 10 new businesses this year. “We’ve been able to do that by working together with community business, state and local officials, creating a financial climate that is conducive to businesses.”
Thomas said the county needs to grow economically by 1 percent to 3 percent a year.
“We can do this by creating the opportunities for companies to move into the county,” said Thomas. “We need to be working on programs that will help with lowering property taxes to entice the primary home market as well as the secondary market, too.”
Grantsville has the lowest tax and utility rates around, according to Edwards.
“We have a target marketing campaign for businesses that fit and it’s been very successful for us. It’s something we can take countywide,” said Edwards.
Thomas said the biggest issue is the lack of good quality jobs.
“I strongly believe that we need to get proactive about jobs that will support a family environment, allowing the communities to grow, our tax base to grow and preventing a raise in taxes,” said Thomas.
Thomas, Raley and Barlow are in agreement that budgetary issues are also important.
“Our budget is underfunded, causing a shortfall for many programs, like education, road maintenance and overall growth to name a few,” said Thomas.
The county’s budget issues stem from the state passing down more costs, like the loss in highway user funds and the costs associated with the teacher pension passback, to the locals, according to Raley. In addition to budgetary concerns, young families are leaving the area due to lack of jobs that provide a living wage, said Raley.
“We have got to grow our economy and our tax base, and the best way to do that is to bring in more young families,” said Raley.
The Friendsville revitalization project, which is aimed at drawing young families into the area, could be used in other towns throughout the county, said Raley. Friends-ville has the capacity to become a millennial community because of its community trails and other amenities, said Raley. In October, the commission voted to allot $25,000 for design concept drawings to revitalize the town.
Barlow said that the biggest issue the county is facing is the funding of the schools.
“I do not believe enough good jobs or, more importantly, enough families with children will move to Garrett County to save our schools,” said Barlow. “Our problem is not that we don’t collect enough taxes, it is that we are not managing the amount we collect. Our operating costs are too high,” said Barlow.
Barlow said that the board of education increased costs by hiring unnecessary employees and by giving generous retirement health care benefits along with retiree supplemental insurance during a time when tax revenue and funding was strong.
“These benefits are better than state and federal workers, not to mention most private employees get no health benefits upon retirement. Instead of planning for our kids’ future, they planned their own future,” said Barlow. “Instead of combing schools on the east side of the county and building one in a more centralized location to serve those communities.”
The board has doubled administrative costs from $1.3 million in 2009 to $2.6 million in 2013, with almost $700,000 in one year, according to Barlow.
In December, the commissioners voted to give the board $2.2 million for fiscal 2015.
“The current commissioners took money from an account supposed to fund the retirement health care benefits so the schools could remain open,” said Barlow. “It just happens to fund the schools past the election. I believe the residents of Garrett County are already set up for a tax increase to fund the schools in 2016.”
Barlow vows to end the pensions for the commissioners office only.
“My opponents seem to think that asking people who don’t have pensions to pay for theirs is somehow all right. Keep in mind two of them already have taxpayer-fund pensions; they would like a second. Commissioner Raley’s actions have given us many problems,” said Barlow. “I don’t see Paul Edwards standing up to his direct boss, the superintendent of the schools, or fixing our operation costs. But if you feel compelled to vote for him and his lofty plans don’t work, then what will he do?”
Both Edwards and Raley said that people should vote for them because of their experience in local government. Edwards has 15 years in municipal government in Grantsville and Raley has been on the commission for four years and served on the board of education for 14 years.
“I have a record of accomplishments and experience that I can point to. I have a track record of working with people and sitting down at the table to solve problems,” said Edwards.
Raley said that he is committed to giving people a seat at the table even if their opinion differs from his.
“Under my administration everyone has a seat at the table and everyone’s opinions matter,” said Raley.
Raley said that he has knowledge of how the two biggest budgets — county and school — work.
“I demonstrate a good knowledge of what needs to be done in the county. We have a more open, transparent and honest government than we have ever had in the past,” said Raley. “I am a full-time commissioner and I have no conflicts that some of the other candidates may have because of their ties to other organizations.”
Thomas said that his experience operating his own company for the past 18 years gives him a unique business sense for solving problems.
“I am very outgoing, energetic and willing to work out the problems and solve the issues that are affecting our county,” said Thomas. “I believe it’s time that we work to save what so many have come to call our family, our friends, our home — Garrett County.”
Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.
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