Oh, they are not getting off this easy! Your Yokel good-bye post to the three amigos!

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Listen to Buster, there is no need for such dramatics!

We kinda feel cheated here. We thought there was going to be at least one more meeting for us to narrate, one more chance to wax nostalgic about these long four years. However, since Bud wisely decided to allow the next council to make a decision on the Monocacy River Plan, it is over. We are not about to let Kirby, Billy, and Tony leave without one last post! We’ve worked way too hard over this last term to just let them slink away under the cover of darkness.

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We are not quite done…YET!

We  dove into the old Yokel archives to come up with a top five list for each of our least favorite FORMER (ah man, that feels good to type) council members!

Let’s start with Tony. Our biggest problem with him was his condescension towards the women on the council and Jan in particular. We’ve also heard that there are those down in Winchester Hall  who are very happy they no longer have to put up with his mansplaining ways! Take a look back to when he tried to mansplain something that wasn’t even happening!!!

Every budget season Tony liked to compare the county budget to his very own small business. You know since Tony hasn’t made enough money to give his workers a raise, the county should operate along the same lines! Here’s a trip down memory lane to remind y’all just how long-winded and off course he could be.

Remember when Tony introduced the off-track betting bill and tried to tell us it was open to any restaurant ? We smelled a rat and decided to take Kirby’s advice to follow the money and guess what? We discovered it wasn’t really open to all! All kinds of fun!

Let us also remember when he introduced legislation to ensure that the planning commission didn’t hold any political beliefs. We dug around a little and found out this was directed at Bob and Carole because he didn’t like something he saw on Facebook!  Oh the petty dramas we’ve seen on Facebook this year!

What he will be most remembered for is launching his miserably failed write-in campaign! Sour grapes anyone?

It’s difficult to narrow down the list for Kirby as he gave us way too much material to work with. What we will remember most is his alternative budgets he would write every year. Budgets he had no authority to write, which often made no sense, and just wound up wasting everyone’s time. Go ahead and click here and here.

Kirby’s thrown a lot of online hissy fits, but besides the time he made national news when he threatened to sue a reporter over using his name, our second favorite has to be when he refused to donate to the Catoctin athletic department because he couldn’t grab up all the county contracts. Way to keep it classy!

Kirby also has trouble distinguishing dictatorships from a democratically elected executive office! We will never forget the lesson plan we put together to help him distinguish the difference!

In more recent news, Kirby was NOT happy that he lost in the Republican primary for CE. And he wasn’t going down quietly. He specifically charged Danny Farrar with high crimes and misdemeanors for daring to campaign with Regina Williams.  He also called a private citizen a POS for daring to go against him.  Even the High Sheriff got called out! If you missed it, it is a MUST see.

No Kirby countdown is complete without mention of the flowchart. It is truly the greatest thing we’ve ever seen. When it first came to your Lady Yokel’s attention, we were gasping for air trying to breathe. All these years later it still brings a smile to our face. 

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We just had to put it here as well! Jessica still has not answered these charges against her! LOLOLOLOL!

Oh Billy, Billy, Billy. The most ineffectual of all of our first county council members. What he’ll probably most be remembered for is for his uncreative use of the word ABSTAIN. Billy thought since they didn’t have their own budget whisperer (despite them having the entire county budget department available to answer any questions) he could just take the next four years off.  We still find it amusing that the person he and Kirby wanted as their budget person ran against Kirby in the CE primary, and according to Kirby ruined everything for him. The drama of Frederick County politics! You never know when someone is going to turn against ya!

There was a whole bunch of wedding venue drama associated with Billy. He didn’t care if a structure was deemed unsafe by the Fire Marshall and could have potentially killed a bunch of high school kids. He didn’t care if the people operating said wedding venue had the proper permits or if they even asked the people who actually owned the land if they could host weddings and parties. NONE of that mattered to him. It was quite a sight to behold, watching him trying to rationalize all this nonsense. 

Billy’s rude behavior was a constant thorn in our side. He’s adopted the Trump way of speaking because : 1. He can’t think for himself, and 2. He reacts in anger when he doesn’t understand what is going on. Which was quite often. Here’s an example of when Billy took that anger out on one of our favorite county employees, Lori Depies.

Let us not forget when Billy lost his keys, couldn’t have his coveted parking space, and accused Bud Otis of telling him to “get on his knees”. This caused Billy to threaten to file a sexual harassment complaint! He then said  if this was appropriate language then he was going to start using it on the dais! As though he was holding himself back!

What we will most remember about good ole Billy Shreve is the time he told the world that there are people on both sides of the human trafficking issue. He then proceeded to vote against every human trafficking bill that came before the council. Really folks, what kind of person votes against trying to stop human trafficking?

 

 

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The kind that gets his ass handed to him in a primary election!

We’ll see how much we have to say with the new council. Things are looking pretty sane so far.  Thank y’all for paying attention and voting these jokers out. We don’t need this type of legislating in our fine county!

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Not this time!

 

 

 

 

 

How is Kathy Afzali going to fix Frederick County? Let’s explore some fiction!

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So hard to come by these days!

The race for Frederick County Executive is in full swing! Well, sorta. We hadn’t heard a peep from the Republican nominee until she made a post on her Facebook page (which is still titled Delegate Kathy Afzali by the way) yesterday morning. In this post, entitled “Thank You and Fact vs. Fiction”, we are treated to a big nothing burger of her priorities should she become the county’s chief executive officer.

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Let’s go through her Fact vs. Fiction claims one by one!

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Who could have ever come up with the idea that Jenkins and Afzali don’t get along?

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WHOOPS!

Nice try throwing the 287g in there in an attempt to sway the anti-immigrant folks! Also love the line about Frederick having enough of their own criminals! Is she suggesting that the High Sheriff hasn’t been able to control crime in the county? Just asking questions!

Claim #2-

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Hmmm, since fake news is in quotes, does that mean it isn’t really fake news? Again, a big bunch of anti-immigration hoopla that really doesn’t tell us anything about what she would do for Frederick County.  But keep on attaching your wagon to that rhetoric Kathy! We’ll see how it works out for you in the end!

Let’s move on to #3!

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Careful Kathy! With quite a few Republicans mad at you, it is imperative for you to earn some of those dirty liberal votes! Don’t you just love how in the same breath she tells us how awful liberals are while saying it’s good to work together? All of this is poorly written, but that one in particular was hard to get through.

And last, but not least:

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We believe the issue was that she put Hogan’s name on her signs BEFORE she secured the nomination and his endorsement. Therefore, that there is a nice little piece of fiction!

Regina hasn’t indicated if she will support Kathy, but man oh man Kirby is not!!

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Did you ever think you would see the day that Kirby would throw his support behind a Democrat?!

We can already predict how this is all going to play out, can’t you?

Grandstanding points removed! Whatever will Shrelauter do?

In this morning’s Political Notes report, Danielle Gaines informs of of what our local characters are up to. The first part of her column tells us Jan Gardner and Michael Hough have come together to merge their ethics bills into one piece of legislation. Now, we appreciate when our politicians on both sides of the aisle come together, since that is a rarity in these here times. However, we cannot help but think that Hough may be doing this to take away one of #kirbydelauter’s favorite talking points! For whenever Jan’s ethics bill enters the conversation Kirby immediately responds by pointing out that Hough’s bill was so much better and comprehensive. And, we all know that Hough would prefer Afzali in the County Executive seat.

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Don’t ask questions you may not want the answer to Mr. Patches!

 

It also appears that Billy’s suggestion that motor homes be taxed as real estate property instead of as a motor vehicle didn’t gain any supporters as the final agenda, as reported by Ms. Gaines,  for the county delegation looks like this:

A final agenda was set this week and includes six main items:

  • A legislative priorities presentation from the Frederick County Liquor Board;
  • a discussion of ethics legislation from Hough;
  • potential requests for state bond funding;
  • discussion of the opioid epidemic;
  • potential legislation from the delegation; and
  • public comment.

 

And speaking of Billy. Remember his fit about how he didn’t get all the information he needed (like he ever reads!) and how he was forced to PIA the county government to get what he needed?

In November, I wrote that discussions among County Executive Jan Gardner (D) and the county’s legal team resulted in a decision to revisit the request Shreve said was not completed.

County spokeswoman Vivian Laxton said on Thursday that an expanded packet of information was delivered to Shreve’s office this Tuesday.

Oh dear, with all their talking points slowly disappearing with the wind, what will they barrage us with now?

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Did they do anything right? Seriously, anything?

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We are guessing no!

Yesterday, County Executive Jan Gardner held a press conference on residential growth. Though this is probably no surprise to our readers, the last BOCC really screwed us! Here’s some highlights from the power point presentation that accompanied the briefing:

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Holy Crap People! How did we let this happen?

If all that doesn’t show the importance of paying attention to local issues, we don’t know what will! What is almost incomprehensible about all this is that one of the people on that 2010-2014 board thinks that he should run the whole county! Here’s his “Issues” page from his County Executive webpage:

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Well, we know from the whole Citizens’/Montevue sell off that seniors are not his priority. He also has not numerically been able to defend his school lease idea, though he has been given opportunities to do so. Isn’t it in question whether he is for or against sanctuary counties? And proven track record?! BAAHAA, just scroll up!!! It’s one thing that we let the Young BOCC get away with what they did. However, if we choose to elect a person to our highest county office who literally sold us away to developers, and put us on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars, then we really don’t care about this place that we call home.

Mansplaining 101. An appeal of the unnecessary kind.

If you make an appeal for something that isn’t happening and will continue to not happen, does that mean you get to take credit for it not happening? What are we even talking about?

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Seriously, you don’t get to take credit for this.
In today’s FNP we find out that Tony sent a request to Jan to continue to not do something she has already said she won’t do. Tony is concerned that the Bussards will be fined while the whole zoning issue surrounding their mulching business is being sorted out.

“I have never before been asked to not do something that I am already not doing!” she wrote. “It has been very clear that the County would not assess fines as long as an effort toward compliance was in the works. The County always works with property owners and businesses to solve problems and we will continue to do so.”

For this, we are awarding Councilman Chemlik the following award.

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In other news, #fakenews, we have seen an online petition circulating to save Maryland’s flag. The only problem? No one is trying to change it. Go waste your outrage on an actual real issue please.

Queen of Bad Judgment

So, this isn’t exactly breaking news at this point, since everyone who cares about local politics has been gossiping away about it, but OMGeeeeeee.

Blaine’s ex…no, not his ex wife, his ex-fiancée, the one and only Regina Williams, who hitched her wagon to this sinking cinderblock post-Black-Book drama and contemporaneous with his last marriage…is running for County Executive.

 

The back and forth in our quarter upon learning was something like: I feel drunk, but I’m not drinking. It’s just all the blood rushing to my overactive brain. This is just too crazy. Is this her way of showing him up? Her way of showing Jan Gardner up (for the demotion she received when her boyfriend wasn’t in charge anymore)? A two birds with one stone maneuver? And very most importantly, doesn’t she know that all anyone will talk about now is how she got involved with the married boss rumored to be into hookers, and then he got busted for solicitation? Just check the comments section of the FNP for proof. Things don’t change! And foresight ain’t her strong suit!

Ordinarily we would say a person’s private life doesn’t have anything to do with public office, and we really don’t know anything about her opinions on the issues, but we feel the same way about this dramedy with Blagina that we do about Anthony Weiner. At a certain point your judgment is just so unreliable that we are left to wonder: what other probably terrible decisions should you not be trusted with? We’re thinking, “All of them, County.”

And yet we have to kind of root for Ms. Williams here, given who her competition is. Because # is involved, so we have reason to rejoice. What kind of position does that put her habitually disgraced ex-fiancé in when the primary involves his obnoxious bestie and his former honey? The very idea is squeeeeeeee!

So at current count we have three candidates in the clown car, all very worthy of the clown status designation, including #Kirby Delauter and Kathy Afzali. And remember Afzali and her text spat a la teenager with Sheriff Jenkins? Because he (clearly accurately) called her juvenile names! Folks, we are–all of us–too old for this crap! Where are the grown people? This is going to be one interesting election. We have been of the mind that Frederick County is actually ahead of the national curve with regards to electing a buffoon and then collectively realizing oopsy-daisy-this-guy’s-crazy. Hopefully the sun is setting on the “any old fool will do” dreams. Remain vigilant (and remember: friends don’t let friends vote for looneytooneys).

Today’s installment of Winds of Change: Lobbyist Edition!

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You are braver than us Cinnamon!

As reported by The Frederick Extra, our coverage of this week’s meeting and today’s edition of Political Notes, Kirby is irate over the county’s reimbursement to the Chamber of Commerce for a lobbyist. In both The Frederick Extra and the FNP, it is reported that Kirby was only sharing part of an email to show everyone how corrupt our County Executive really is. And you know what people? Just because you are against the public funding of the hotel (which is curious from Kirby’s point of view since in 2014 the BOCC was all for it!) doesn’t mean it’s corrupt to advocate for it! Both the city and the county used a lobbyist to advocate for funding because they believe it would be beneficial to the city and county’s economy to have a conference center and hotel. In addition, the County Executive, per the charter, is allowed to write checks without council approval up to $20,000. So whether or not you agree with the use of public funds is a SEPARATE issue from it being a corrupt and nefarious act!

What’s even more curious to us, besides the many times that the old BOCC used funds for a lobbyist for causes THEY believed in, is that for the past two years Kirby was advocating that the council spend up to $25,000 to send a lobbyist to  Annapolis. Leaping back through the old Yokel archives we found this post from 2015 and this one from 2016 in which Kirby was trying to get money to secure this lobbyist. Since he didn’t couldn’t identify a clear purpose for this lobbyist, his fellow council members did not think this was a sound use of money. And we have trouble listening to someone who thought it was fine and dandy to send $25,000 to a firm to investigate how to privatize our county services get irate over a check for over less that half of that amount that advocates for a conference center and hotel.

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Why do we keep forgetting that?!

Could Shrelauter be wrong about how very terrible everything is?

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No need to cough up a hairball Smuckers!

Into the Lady Yokel mailbox comes an interesting announcement. Curiously, Frederick County has retained its Triple A bond rating:

How can this be? Billy and Kirby and their birds of a feather are constantly reminding us how terrible everything is. Businesses are being run out on a rail, taxes are being spent willy nilly, back door conspiracies lurk behind every corner. We just don’t get it. I mean who are we supposed to believe?

Happy to sad in less than 60 minutes -Your Yokel breakdown of the second half of last night’s meeting.

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The first part of our reconvened meeting is beautiful. The ever diplomatic and articulate Rick Harcum explains the bill that is up for a public hearing this evening. You see folks, back in 2010 the BOCC re-allocated the Recordation tax fees from agricultural preservation, parks and school management and put it into the General Fund. At that time, they added a Sunset Provision that said this would all end in five years time. Mr. Harcum praised this act as one was necessary in lean financial times, and as a result of having a Sunset Provision, also recognized that times wouldn’t always be tough.

Fast forward to 2014, the BOCC amended this bill to deter funds from the nursing home to the General Fund and according to the county attorney, wiped clean everything in the 2010 bill,including the Sunset Provision. This proposed bill will re-allocate those funds back into agricultural preservation, parks and the schools. Jerry later remarks in his council member comments, that he believes that all this was done so the BOCC could say they achieved the constant yield. The people who came to speak were in favor of re-allocating the money back. The only naysayer was Tony. He implied that Mr. Harcum was being dishonest in his characterization of these funds as since they were placed in the General Fund they could be allocated to parks, agricultural preservation, and schools if the County Executive so wished. Mr. Harcum then replied that puts them in competition with everything else in the budget.To which Tony still says is misleading. I think we all know that when money is specifically mandated for a purpose in the budget then we recognize as a community, how important that purpose is to us. But kudos Tony for trying to muddy an issue that was crystal clear.

Now it’s time for the sad time of the meeting…council member comments.

Lots of head shaking from Kirby tonight. It’s his Night O’ Apologies! He wants us all to recognize how sad it is to be in business in Frederick County. He tells the sad tale of a business owner in New Market,  salt of the Earth people, who after 27 years of selling mulch and top soil are having their lives ruined by the county. Just like the wedding venues and Mr. Natelli. RUINED. He also laments the fact that for the past 7 months or so the county hasn’t been able to find someone to fill the empty Emergency Management Position. “Everyday”, says Kirby, “things get worse and worse around here.”

Billy claims that there are billboards throughout Coal Country PA that state: “Thank you Frederick County for voting against Solar!”. We think this is probably a huge lie, but hey snap a pic Billy so we can see the evidence. We’ll admit it if we are wrong! If it is true, then the billboard owners have been misled as the solar bill has been tabled pending amendments. Billy also laments the sad state of affairs that business owners have to put up with in this county. He’s also sure that Bud is corrupt because he won’t fall into any of Billy’s question traps.

Jessica,after saying some nice things about the Girl Scouts and county staff, lists all the ways Frederick County has been friendly to business. Namely:

  1. The AstraZeneca deal
  2. Tax credit for manufacturers
  3. Small business tax credit

She also reminds Billy that we have not voted against solar power. Which is a curious thing for him to be confused about.

M.C. has to spend her time refuting the bookends. Says she would rather find the right person to fill the Emergency Management Services position then to just hire the first person off the street.  And that New Market business that Kirby is claiming the county has ruined?  Well, a neighbor of theirs filed a complaint with the county since they have been  operating outside of proper zoning. And when the county receives a complaint, they have to investigate and uphold county law. M.C. says that the county is looking for ways to work with the business. So perhaps things aren’t as dire as Mr. Negative would lead us to believe.  She also reminds us to lock our cars, as the police say most car thefts are a result of unlocked vehicles.

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A Shrelauter paradise!

M.C. ends her comments reminding the naysayers to respect their fellow council members. She gently tells them they we all spend a lot of time working on these issues and to disparage people just because they come to a different conclusion just isn’t right. While we agree with you M.C., we don’t see that happening from that bunch any time in the near future.