Last Nights NAACP Candidates Forum - Which Candidate Will Lead The Charge: JOBS, JOBS, JOBS, EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY, CRIME

Last night the NAACP sponsored a Candidates Forum that was held at the Chipman Center in Salisbury.  The forum was narrated by Orville Penn and Mary Ashanti.  The House was packed with guest and candidates and the NAACP put on quite a show. 

JOBS, JOBS, JOBS, RECENT WICOMICO EDUCATIONAL AUDIT, AND CRIME DETERENT - were the main topics of discussion.

Right out of the gate, Bobby Culver, the challenging Candidate for County Executive - took current County Executive Rick Pollitt to task on his proposed method to restoring fiscal stability to an already severely deteriorated Wicomico job market.  He differentiated himself from Pollitt by citing his vast business experience and entrepreneurial background - as a catalyst in helping to restore Wicomico to her former glory enjoyed in the 70s and 80s - when Wicomico had at least some manufacturing base.  Rick Pollitt - alluded to tight economic times and seemed to be optimistic and cited the recent Sage Group & Memo Diricker report that is soon to be released in the very near future.  Hopefully this specially assigned task force will help to offer some solutions to the current financial dilemma.

• JOBS

There was virtual unanimity among all of the candidates that creation of jobs was their first priority.  One particular District 1 candidate - McKinley Hayward, cited that -'encouraging detached Housing should be a number 1 priority as opposed to multi-family dwellings.' -  He alluded to the need to foster individual residential Housing as this is one of the key industries needed to help Wicomico out of the doldrums.  (From this authors perspective - he seemed to turbo charge the audience with his economic enthusiasm) 

Another noteworthy observation - was current District 5 Councilman - Joe Holloway's warning that - 'something needs to be done to insure that the current business climate does not diminish that may jeopardize the poultry industry'.  (Author emphasis added - he seemed to weight-in heavily on the importance of maintaining a sound foundational ground for the existing poultry industries).  

• RECENT EDUCATIONAL AUDIT

Here was another topic whereby there was virtual unanimity on the seriousness of holding the Board of Education to a higher accountability standard.  Virtually all of the candidates seemed to indicate there was a need to invoke additional accountability safeguards as a result of the recent Board of Education audit conducted by the Maryland Legislative group.  Many suggestions were made to have an elected school board as opposed to an appointed school board. 

• CRIME

Many of the candidates expressed their concern for a rash of recent incidents - (shooting at the Maryland State Police Barracks & fugitive altercation incident on Main Street) - as further evidence that additional measures are needed to help insure public tranquility.  Wicomico County States Attorney Mat Maciarello - was also in attendance and there was a general concensus among many of the candidates that his Department was presently doing an outstanding job in trying to maintain public order.  

Here are the list of candidates that were in attendance at last nights event.  There are two candidates that were not in attendance, District One candidate - Marvin Ames and District Two candidate - Kirby Travers 

Wicomico County Executive Candidates

• Richard Pollitt
• Bob Culver

Wicomico County Council At Large Candidates

• John Cannon
• Matt Holloway
• Laura Mitchell
• Muir Boda

Wicomico County District Candidates

District One

• Ernest Davis
• McKinley Hayward

District Two 

• Marc Kilmer

District Three

• Joshua Hastings
• Larry Dodd
• Tom Taylor

District Four

• John Hall

District Five

• Ronald Pagano
• Joe Holloway