March 2004

This year’s Town election will be held on Tuesday April 27 from 7:00 AM until 8:00 PM at the old Emmitsburg Town Office located at 22 East Main Street. This election like every other Town election is an important process that allows you the residents the opportunity to decide who will be in charge when making long lasting decisions that effect your quality of life in Emmitsburg.

I am not writing to you to endorse anyone or to encourage you to consider voting for one candidate over another. I am suggesting that every one get involved in the Town elections every year. When a person runs for an elected office, he/she is not doing that so that they can do bad things for the Town. Frankly, it takes a special person to be willing to accept the responsibility of Commissioner or Mayor. Elected positions in small towns can be very difficult. When making decisions you effect many of your friends and family members and, not all of your decisions as an elected person will make everyone happy. As residents, it is our responsibility to seek out the best candidate who is willing to make tough decisions in the Town’s best interest with long lasting effects in mind, not their popularity.

With that said, I can not encourage you enough to get involved! Meet all the candidates, if your not able to meet them in person call them on the phone and talk to them. Remember, terms of office last three years. Actual, because we are working on moving election date from April to September, the up coming election will have a term of three years and five months. Make sure that you and your candidate share many of the same viewpoints. Is his/her viewpoint realistic? Is he/she just speaking plans and goals that we all want to hear but have no real solutions to solve problems? How will he/she accomplish their plans and goals? These are just a few questions that we all need to know the answers too before casting our votes. After you meet and talk with the different candidates, talk to your family and friends who also talked to the candidates, discuss the candidates among yourselves and maybe then, talk to one or more of the candidates again. Remember that there is no perfect candidate that you are going to agree with 100 percent of the time. So, it is important for you to get to know each and everyone of the candidates year after year and vote for the one that you feel will do the best job for the Town.

Remember to VOTE, April 27, 2004 and, good luck to all the candidates.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the town office, or e-mail me at mayorhoover@emmitsburgmd.gov

Respectfully,
Jim Hoover