A Preliminary (?) Report Card

While the situation in Baltimore remains fluid, a quick review of the performances (to date) of some of the key political figures involved is in order:

Mayor of Baltimore Stephanie Rawlings-Blake:  From a communications standpoint, some of her initial remarks (her comments on “space” as well as her use of the term “thugs”) were ill-phrased (or misinterpreted, depending on one’s perspective).  Her prior veto of a body camera bill seems to have been a governance misstep.  However, as of this writing, she has demonstrated considerable steadiness in the face of a perilous situation.  If she were another politician, she would be lauded for being a “calm, cool, and collected” leader.  However, she is not another politician.  Respected in many quarters, excoriated in several others, and beloved in perhaps a few…she might be the best person Baltimore could have had as Mayor during this crisis.  Depending on how it turns out, she will probably not receive the credit she deserves for resolving it.  Overall grade at this moment:  Solid B.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.  Again, there were some early miscues.  He was having a difficult time striking the proper balance between compassion for others and adopting a hardline “law and order” stance.  He possessed the proverbial dear-in-the-headlights look during his initial press conference, which was less than confidence-inspiring.  He was decisive when he signed the executive order to deploy the National Guard; but he should have resisted the urge to remark how he wished that the Mayor (a potential 2018 opponent) asked for the action sooner.  One wonders how he will address the root causes of the troubles in Baltimore, and other cities, in the days, weeks, and months ahead.  That said, he appears to be collaborating well with local officials and engaging in genuine dialogues with community leaders and others.  Overall grade at this moment:  B.

Congressman Elijah Cummings.  While Rawlings-Blake and Hogan are executives, Cummings is a legislator, which gives him a different set of official duties and responsibilities.  This is both limiting but also liberating.  This allows him to focus on exercising his moral leadership, speaking in the churches and on the streets to call for the justice that will lead to the restoration of peace.  Frankly, he has done an impressive job.  Being out there amongst the people – to an extent that some public figures were unable and/or unwilling to do – has made a positive difference.  Moreover, he has the gravitas to raise the debate; making it about an exploration of American values and the policies and behaviors that stem from them (the role of police in our society, how the legal system treats all of our citizens, etc…).  He says he is in his twilight days, but he is showing his mettle.  Putting on my political commentator hat, I would go as far to say that his recent words and deeds reveal someone who would be a fine U.S. Senator.   Overall grade at this moment:  A-.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.          

   

"Watch the Ripples Change Their Size"

Knowledge, of course, emanates from a source and can spread much as a pond ripple.  Such was the case at Patuxent Valley Middle School on Tuesday night, when three guest speakers spoke out on the topics of law enforcement safety, fire/EMT safety, and cyber/internet safety. 

Addressing a small but engaged audience, this event was part of the 2015 Parent Empowerment Academy series that is put on at the Middle School.  This particular program was co-sponsored by a local community service organization, the Continental Societies (Southeast Howard/Laurel Chapter).

The gathering, held in the school's media center, included parents, the speakers/subject matter experts, the Continentals, school staff (most notably BSAP Liaison Marcus Nicks), and Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary (MD-13).  

Those fortunate enough to attend were able to participate in timely discussions.  The school's resource officer, Officer Laurita Cofield, did an excellent job fielding questions regarding law enforcement interaction strategies, stressing the importance of mutually respectful dialogue between citizens and police officers.

Mr. Brian Proctor, MFF/NREMT - Public Relations Specialist from the Office of the Fire Marshall, Howard County Fire and Rescue, delivered an insightful presentation that included several valuable fire safety tips.  Remember - it's always good to have a pan lid handy to put out small kitchen fires.  The cabinet above the stove caught fire? That is more of a conflagration and unless you have a fire extinguisher IN HAND, it is best to leave. Quickly.

Finally, let's call him "Mr. Smith," from a Department that rhymes with Bomeland Decurity, spent a few minutes discussing privacy and Internet usage.  It was a more technical presentation on such matters as encryption but it included some common-sense reminders regarding not giving out identifying information online and that everything put online remains online, for all intents and purposes, forever.  And yes, that includes social media.  Also, Mr. Smith's children were in attendance and they put on an impromptu karate demonstration at the end of his talk.  

Overall, it was an informative program for parents and students alike.  Having the three distinct fields represented in one event was a smart concept. It would be a good idea for such a program to be replicated at other schools in Howard County, and beyond.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.
   

Yet Again, Not Again

The spirit-crushing reality is that the events in Baltimore can happen in America anywhere, at anytime. It may not be a case of eternal recurrence, but it is undoubtedly an extremely persistent one.

Recognizing that reporting on historic and structural matters (racism, poverty, alienation, the ongoing existence of at least two de facto “separate and unequal” criminal justice systems) is less visually engaging than watching folks running out of a CVS…it is unfortunate – yet also unsurprising and depressing – that some traditional media reporting resembles reality television.

Meanwhile, there are stories emerging…primarily via social media…that are offering a more complete picture of events as well as the facts and motivations behind the positive and negative actions taken today.  Baltimore residents are talking about local leaders, private citizens as well as public figures, who are urging restraint, respect and reflection…these are the words and deeds of responsible men and women.  Quiet heroism in the midst of adversity.  These are true patriots.

This author was too young to recall the so-called Detroit Riot of 1967.  Yet the circumstances that led to that event, and the destruction left behind in the aftermath, endured long after the police raided that blind pig on 12^th Street.  Twenty-five years later, the Los Angeles unrest witnessed over 50 deaths and 2,000 injuries.  Different places and times, similar causes.

It is unknown, as of this writing, if the civil disturbances in Baltimore will approach the scale and horror of Detroit ’67 or LA ’92.  Personally, I doubt if events will spiral to those depths.

We can hope for not just the restoration of order, but the enactment of a just peace.

What is known is that many of the underlying factors present at those places in those times linger within our society.  They may manifest themselves differently, but the blights remain.

Hopefully, wisdom and honesty will prevail…and we can find solutions to address these societal challenges that expose our hypocrisies and threaten our social compact.  We, as a people, can be better. 

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

  

Oakland Thrills

With the Oakland Mills village election fast approaching, it important to revisit (briefly) the role of the Village Board.

In the view of this author, if one wishes to advocate on behalf of their neighbors, via service on the volunteer board of directors of a community association, it is best if one is – in word and deed – neighborly.

I have seen several village boards in action, and it strikes me that the Board members who demonstrate a certain generosity of spirit as well a dedication to their entire village are the ones who are best equipped to fulfill the service mission of their community association. 

With that in mind, I believe that returning Bill Woodcock and Marcia White to the Oakland Mills Village Board would represent a move in the right direction.  Both are experienced community activists, are highly knowledgeable about local issues, and care deeply about Oakland Mills. 

I don’t know Daniel Kirk-Davidoff personally, but I’ve heard positive feedback from trusted sources on his qualifications.  His candidate statement includes some thoughtful solutions (which is tough to do in a couple of hundred words or less).   Finally, Fred Eiland's background as a Community Organizer, and former Board Member, provides respectable credentials for another term on the Board.  

I encourage all of my OM readers to mark their ballots for White, Woodcock, Kirk-Davidoff and Eiland in the April 25 election.  More information about the election can be found here:  http://oaklandmills.org/?page_id=136.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

MoCo – PG Shenanigans

I received the following telegram from a “Ma Kish” in Maple Lawn: “I see all of this automobile traffic on U.S. 29. So what is happening south of Exit 13?”

Excellent question Ms. Kish. 

Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker endorsed Congressman Chris Van Hollen for the U.S. Senate today. 

The Official Wisdom is that this is a “bad day for Donna Edwards.”  In terms of expectations, I am not particularly surprised by the endorsement.  Moreover, I don’t know if Mr. Baker’s backing carries with it that many votes.   Favorability transfer is a tricky thing to operationalize.  Moreover, Baker’s support for a 15% property tax hike is tapping into his reservoir of goodwill.

Beyond that, Heather Mizeur announced this afternoon that she would take a pass on the Senate race.  This opens up some space on the non-establishment left, which should be good news for Congresswoman Edwards. 

Beyond beyond that, this field remains – and feels – unsettled.  I am re-reading Peter Goodman and Tony Fuller’s “The Quest for the Presidency 1984” and I am concerned that Team Van Hollen is running a latter-day version of the Mondale campaign:  putting organization and D.C. experience at the heart of the campaign’s raison d’etre rather than articulating a broader vision for America in general and Maryland specifically.  

Stay tuned, as more will follow.

An Early “First 120 Days” Update

A long-time reader passed along two recent “First 100 Days” news articles. One was focused on Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman, the other on Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner.  While the former presented a list of hits and misses, the latter tended to be a rather glowing review.  Captain Incremental vs. Action Executive. 

Recognizing that media coverage and reality don’t always align perfectly, and that the pieces were quite different in structure, length, and tone, there were some notable themes that emerged in the Kittleman piece:

Thus far, Kittleman seems to be practicing the politics of articulation.  He recognizes the fundamental resiliency of the Ulman Administration, and the electoral realities of Howard County.  This means tempering conservative instincts with moves with populist appeal (the sugar water order) and/or “good-government” technocratic initiatives (flood mitigation program funding).*

Of course, there have been missteps. 

Kittleman appears to be engaged in a modified waffle when it comes to his communications efforts relating to the storm-water fee…vocal in opposition to it when in Annapolis, more willing to articulate a nuanced wait-and-see-what-can-be-done-about-it stance when in HoCo.  Perhaps it is a question of time, place, and manner but he isn’t exactly elevating his leadership profile on this issue.

And while every CE is, and should be, empowered to bring in their own team, he might have ousted too much institutional memory and experienced talent from the previous Administration too quickly. 

His proposed reorganization of the Human Rights Commission seems to have been handled clumsily, as a rush to act resulted in the failure to obtain input from some key stakeholders.  This, in turn, led to the County Council tabling his bill. Not a shining moment for a new Administration that pledged to emphasize collaboration.

Over the next four years (minus @ 120 days), it will be interesting to see how his right-of-center ideological predilections manifest themselves in terms of policy.   Will he attempt to shift to the center and triangulate between a Democratic-majority Council and his Tea Party friends? Would voters perceive such an approach as Authentic Kittleman or merely calculated political positioning? Will his support of Governor Hogan tarnish his brand?  Where is La Isla Bonita? 

Too many unknowns at this point, but we will all have a much better sense of the answer to the question, “Who is the Real Allan Kittleman?” by 2018.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.    

* In a conciliatory state of mind, this author feels compelled to acknowledge that he supports the two specific actions mentioned in that sentence.  The time is now 4:33 in the a.m. and you are watching “Perspectives” with your host, Lionel Osbourne. 

Waxing Crescent

The plan outline for Parcel A of Columbia’s Crescent property (the patch of land located near the corner of Little Patuxent and Broken Land; north and west of Merriweather) has been unveiled, via renderings, by Howard Hughes.  News coverage can be found here.

  

Overall, I am encouraged by the proposals.  There is a commitment to reforestation in the general vicinity, which is very important.  I have seen developments (Alexandria, Virginia’s West End comes to mind readily) where little to no attempt was made to restore the natural beauty of the lands surrounding new multi-story buildings.  The Crescent plans appear to be consistent with Columbia’s values, of finding a way to create something that exists harmoniously within the larger environment.   

Will that particular swath of Columbia be recognizable in 2020?  No but that is a good thing. While some might wax nostalgic for a certain time and place, there is a way to move forward that is far more beneficial to our residents and those who visit our community. 

For example, while the Wilde Lake Village Center looks much different than it did a few years back, the ongoing revitalization effort is producing a development that still retains a Wilde Lake-ness; a familiar and improved village center that will attract more residents, businesses and customers.  To not embrace change would have resulted in continued decline, followed by a failed center. Foresight, a thoughtful and respectful vision, and hard work are helping recreate Wilde Lake…and it seems as though the same general approach is guiding the process for that which will become Columbia’s Crescent neighborhood.  At least I hope that is, and will remain, the case.

Stay tuned, as more will follow.