Posted: Friday, September 6, 2013 7:37 am
By ELISHA SAUERS esauers@capgaznews.com
Nine candidates sounded off on development and environmental issues in the first debate of the Annapolis election season.
The Anne Arundel County chapters of the Sierra Club and League of Conservation Voters sponsored the forum at the Heritage Baptist Church Thursday evening. About 100 people came to watch the two-hour session.
Only candidates facing opponents in the Sept. 17 primary elections participated. Mayor Josh Cohen, the incumbent, and Bevin Buchheister are competing for the Democratic nomination in the mayor’s race; Frank Bradley, Bob O’Shea and Mike Pantelides are seeking the Republican nomination.
Democratic nominations are contested in Wards 1 and 2. Alderman Joe Budge, D-Ward 1, and challenger Tom McCarthy are running in Ward 1; Tim Mennuti and Kurt Riegel are both attempting to unseat the Ward 2 Republican incumbent, Alderman Fred Paone.
David Prosten, chairman of the Anne Arundel Sierra Club, was the panel’s moderator. Prosten has spoken out against the Crystal Spring development proposal and is a prominent organizer of the opposition to it. His first question to the candidates was how they would “mitigate the damage Crystal Spring would do.”
He also asked candidates whether they believed the city should conduct an independent economic analysis and traffic study on the project.
Candidates said they’d make sure the developers were held to high environmental standards and would seek independent studies. Cohen said the city’s own professional staff is the most qualified to perform the studies without a conflict of interest.
Cohen’s opponents criticized his track record, saying he hadn’t done enough for the environment in his term.
Jeff Davis, a spokesman for the Crystal Spring team who attended, said some questions were slanted and some of the candidates weren’t factual in their remarks.
Some candidates, Davis said, overstated the size of the project and incorrectly claimed the National Lutheran Communities & Services, which would operate the retirement community, would seek tax-exempt status.
Many of the candidates introduced themselves by highlighting their environmental backgrounds.
Buchheister is a lawyer and the Maryland director of the Chesapeake Bay Commission, Budge has a degree in environmental studies, McCarthy works for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources on Program Open Space, and Riegel used to work for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Mennuti talked about his passion for the environment from the perspective of his 10 grandchildren. He spoke of how he uses his wife’s dish gloves when he goes fishing with them.
“I don’t want my grandkids swimming in Weems Creek today,” he said.
Candidates were also asked how they would encourage ridership on the Circulator buses. Many talked about better advertising and their belief Americans have to be less dependent on cars for the sake of the environment.
The primary election is Sept. 17. The general election is Nov. 5.