Kevin Spradlin
Cumberland Times-News
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CUMBERLAND — Many of the 15 candidates for Allegany County commissioner have in recent weeks emphasized the need to develop a strategy for economic development complete with short-term and long-term goals.
Tom Striplin might have been the first to do so.
Striplin, a Democrat from Mount Savage, said he would begin by putting together a team of experts, including business-minded individuals and government officials, to help develop such a plan. With a clear plan in writing, “we can rebuild Allegany County one property at a time.”
“We can no longer depend on one big employer to come in and save Allegany County,” said Striplin, who is finishing his sixth year on the Allegany County Board of Education.
Develop a plan, Striplin said, then “make things happen.”
Currently, Striplin said the approach by county government lacks outcomes, or “set points,” that help economic development representatives stay on task through an extended period of time.
“If they have it, I’ve never seen it,” Striplin said.
Striplin said Allegany County is “not business friendly” and needs to establish an evaluation system “for anyone who’s trying to start a new business.”
From the first contact with county officials, a potential employer or entrepreneur would begin evaluating the county’s recruitment efforts.
Striplin is director of clinical education at Allegany College of Maryland and an associate professor in the school’s respiratory care program. He earned a master’s degree in education from Frostburg State University in 2003. Striplin is owner of American Martial Arts Academy Inc. in LaVale.
Along with economic development, Striplin said other top priorities include improving organizational leadership and openness and accountability of the county commissioners.
“I bring significant organizational leadership,” Striplin said. “I have the ability to get people working together to benefit the whole county.”
One early step to establish leadership — and to demonstrate the commissioners want to hear from the public — is to conduct public meetings during evening hours. In addition, efforts need to be made to push forward the idea of a public access channel to allow meetings to be viewed on television.
“People need to be able to get information,” Striplin said.
Every program the commissioners fund is controlled, of course, by the budget. Striplin said it will be his mission to study the entire budget and “look at anywhere we can have cost avoidances. Maybe we can do things differently.”
Striplin has had a measure of success with that approach. He and his fellow board members have helped the public school system avoid spending millions of dollars in energy-related costs.
Still, “it could be very tough times ahead,” Striplin said. The county “may be confronted with very tough choices.”
Valentine: Citizens don’t trust commissioners
CUMBERLAND — “People don’t trust a thing the commissioners say.”
Bill Valentine, a Republican candidate for the Board of Allegany County Commissioners, believes he’s the man to spearhead the effort to restore trust in government.
Valentine of Little Orleans is one of eight Republican candidates seeking three available commission seats. Three Republicans and three of seven Democrats will advance beyond the Sept. 14 primary election to the Nov. 2 general election.
“If people don’t trust what you’re doing ...,” Valentine said.
Trust is where any accomplishment, big or little, begins, Valentine said.
And from the beginning, Valentine said he’s willing to get to work and establish an open process of committees made largely of the 12 of 15 commission candidates who are not successful.
Valentine said the county must look to stop the population decline.
Economic development is a primary issue for Valentine, who said one committee needs to work with a full-time economic development administrator along with Frostburg State University and Allegany College of Maryland.
Those schools, Valentine said, are “filled with the people we need” to create a young, educated work force that can thrive in Allegany County.
On top of the existing programs such as Leadership Allegany! through the Allegany County Chamber of Commerce, Valentine said he’d like to create a young professionals program to help develop the county’s future leaders.
Valentine said county leaders need to “sit down, do a thorough analysis of what we do have to offer” to attract and retain both young professionals and companies alike.
He said the county’s transportation network and access to high-speed Internet are two important factors to attracting and retaining both elements.
“Whatever we do has to be sustainable,” Valentine said.
On the tourism front, Valentine said efforts there are a key way to advertise the county to outsiders. It’s part of the economic development picture, Valentine said — it’s a good thing when new dollars come into the county’s coffers.
Valentine has been consistent on his calls for increased transparency in local government and has had his share of battles with the current administration over Public Information Act requests.
On his website, www.billvalentine2010.com, Valentine pledges to “insist on transparency at all levels, on important decisions and financial commitments.”
“I am one who believes wholeheartedly that government must be open and accessible,” Valentine said. “Equal to all of the other duties of government is a responsibility to communicate the process of those duties.”
Valentine is president of Carl G. Valentine & Son in Cumberland.
Kevin Spradlin can be reached at kspradlin@times-news.com.
