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CUMBERLAND — As a candidate for Allegany County commissioner, I believe one of the greatest gifts a person can give back to a community is public service. My involvement in local government began in May 2000, when I was elected to Cumberland’s City Council and continued on for a second term until January 2009. As a councilman, I felt the many issues we faced were always challenging and yet collaborating with the mayor and the other council members to arrive at potential solutions was very rewarding. Quite simply, I like to help people. I feel this experience would be very valuable in my role as a county commissioner.
During my tenure as a councilman, we consolidated the city 911 Emergency Call Center with the county. Today, this call center is state-of-the art. With dwindling revenues from Annapolis and Capitol Hill, I feel we must find ways to consolidate other services.
I used the knowledge I gained as an associate broker in the real estate profession to help address Cumberland’s blighted property by creating a Blighted Property Program and Committee. This committee has made great strides and has gained favorable recognition. I believe that blighted property says something about how we perceive ourselves — its mere existence tends to reinforce a bleak outlook to the future. What does it say to visitors and perspective businesses? Obviously, blight conditions are no incentive to locate here.
For years, this area has been faced with incredibly difficult economic challenges manifested principally in high unemployment, resulting in a pervasive unhappiness and sometimes blatantly negative attitudes. The truth is there is little we can do here to change the global economic forces that originate far beyond our borders. Better to focus our time, energy and money on what we CAN DO!
Why elect me? I will represent you well because I live and work as you do. I grew up here. I have been an employee, a business owner, a landlord and a home owner. I work with a hammer and saw to improve what is around me. I raised my family here and helped my neighbors in time of need, and they also helped me. I have the desire to serve as your county commissioner with a commitment to make Allegany County a better place to live and work — a place we can all be proud of. Your voice will shape our county’s future.
I am not related to Jeff Hedrick, candidate for the Allegany County Board of Education.
Local News
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ED HEDRICK
Ed Hedrick candidate for Allegany County commissioner
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