Regarding the name, yeomen were a social class that arose in England during the Middle Ages, the rural equivalent of a citizen.  A yeoman was a man who owned his own land.  Being responsible for his own economic destiny gave yeomen a certain independent turn of mind.  The term was once much more commonly used to describe the inhabitants of America, most of whom were farmers who owned their own land when the country was founded.  Yetzer believes the term is still apt for us their descendants: It recalls the English roots of our county founded in 1674 and how the preservation of our rights and liberties is essential to our identity as people of independent mind who seek to make our own destiny in spite of those who would deprive us of the opportunity.

Yetzer hopes to contribute a new essay for The Cecil Yeoman at least monthly and urges others to join him in contributing to Cecil County News.  Cecil is not just a few acres of sod ripe for development on the I-95 corridor.  It is a beloved place with a rich history, culture, and people.  In a world that increasingly threatens these things, it is incumbent upon the yeomen citizenry of the county to stand up for this precious inheritance from our past in voice, print, and deed.  Reclaiming our local news is a good start.    

The post Introducing The Cecil Yeoman appeared first on Cecil County News.

The Cecil County Board of Education likes to pretend that they are a nonpolitical, impartial entity that only seeks to fulfill its mission of caring for all the children.  Simply attending a school board meeting is enough to reveal this to be an artful fiction.  This became apparent to me when I attended last Thursday’s meeting at the Rising Sun High School. 

I came to speak in support of Renee Dixon, the sole conservative on the board.  For those unaware, she ran afoul of the woke lunatics by posting something critical of “Pride Month” on social media.  For this sin, she received her fellow board members’ censure in the form of a press release condemning her post.  Rumor has it they also staged an emergency intervention to encourage her resignation from the board replete with lawyers and representatives from both the Democratic Party and Cecil Solidarity, a radical organization hellbent on implementing Cultural Marxism in the county.  Her post and the hysterics that followed resulted in a larger than normal turnout at the monthly meeting with a total of forty-six speakers coming to weigh-in on the situation, the majority of whom came to support Dixon.

Before the public comment section of the meeting took place, a brief exchange ensued between Dixon and some of the other board members on a budgetary issue.  While virtually drowned out by the invented controversy over Dixon’s exercise of her First Amendment rights, the exchange is revelatory in that it reveals outright that, despite their claims to the contrary, the board has a political agenda.  Before the CCPS budget was approved, Dixon asked the board chair, Diane Hawley, why a certain sum promised by the county council did not appear in the final draft of the budget.  Her question was dismissed as if she was an Alzheimer’s patient escaped from the nursing home.  Hawley acted incredulous: No such sum existed.  In response, Dixon stated that, according to her understanding, such a sum had been promised upon the condition that the BOE publicly acknowledge the county council’s provision of the funds.  Hawley purposely refused to address Dixon’s point that the board had refused the money for political reasons and moved the meeting along.

Given that the rest of the board seeks to have her removed on grounds that she is a right-wing partisan incapable of representing all the students, Dixon’s question masterfully revealed to those in attendance that her accusers are ethically bankrupt.  These are the same people who, just a month ago, were at fevered pitch crying that the children would suffer if County Executive Danielle Hornberger did not increase the CCPS budget beyond “maintenance of effort,” the minimum allocation required by the state.  Then when they were offered funds in a way which did not comport with their broader political agenda, they rejected the funds and publicly pretended they were never offered.  The children are just another bargaining chip in a political game for these quislings.  Behind their fake smiles lie dispositions of the most knavish and conniving sort. 

The post Attack on Dixon Conceals CCPS Budgetary Shenanigans appeared first on Cecil County News.

It is disheartening to note that despite spending nearly $17,000 per student in the Cecil County Public School System, we are witnessing a decline in academic performance. This expenditure level places Cecil County above the national average in terms of per-student spending. However, it raises concerns about the correlation between funding and educational outcomes.

While adequate funding is undoubtedly important for providing quality education, it is equally crucial to examine how these funds are being utilized within the school system. We must conduct a thorough review of resource allocation to ensure that every dollar is being used effectively to benefit student learning.

Although administrative roles are essential, it is necessary to strike a balance between administrative costs and classroom resources. This requires a thorough analysis of the administrative structure, evaluating the necessity and cost-effectiveness of various positions, and making adjustments as needed. By prioritizing the allocation of funds towards classroom resources, we can create an environment that supports student success and enhances overall academic performance. Currently, the Superintendent of Cecil County Public Schools earns over $250,000 per year. An exorbitant figure with many other administrative staff not far behind.

As we explore ways to improve academic performance, we should prioritize the allocation of funds towards programs and initiatives that directly impact the quality of education in the classroom. This includes investing in professional development for teachers, updating instructional materials, and integrating technology into the learning process. By focusing on these areas, we can create an environment conducive to student success and academic excellence. Unfortunately, due to bloated administrative salaries, these investments are almost impossible.

Additionally, it is essential to foster a culture of accountability within the school system. Regular assessments and evaluations of educational programs, along with transparent reporting of academic outcomes, can help identify areas of improvement and ensure that resources are allocated to initiatives that yield the highest impact on student achievement. Holding the School Board accountable for the effective use of funds is key to reversing the decline in academic performance. The County Executive has more than adequately funded the school system, it is now the Superintendent and Board of Education that need to deploy those funds. If their interest is only in serving the students, there is no doubt they will be successful.

Engaging parents, teachers, administrators, and community members in the decision-making process regarding resource allocation can provide valuable insights and perspectives. By holding our school board members accountable, we can be confident that our hard-earned tax dollars are supporting the programs that lead to a world-class education system.

Sincerely, Concerned Parent of Cecil County

The post Schools need to be more efficient! appeared first on Cecil County News.

                On Wednesday, April 6^th  2022, the case involving an Elkton woman being arrested at a Cecil County School Board meeting was heard in court. Brooke Somers, a mother of school aged children, was arrested in early February and charged with six misdemeanors: disturbing school operations, school trespassing, disorderly conduct, failure to obey a lawful order, resisting arrest, and trespassing on private property. All initial charges stood at the time of the trial.

The incident leading to Brooke Somers arrest originated from her attempt to attend and participate in a School Board meeting while not wearing a mask. The full body-cam footage of Officer Anthony Devine, the arresting officer, has been viewed by Cecil County News. The video shows the events leading to what the court determined today was mostly inappropriate police conduct, when the judge decided to drop four of the six charges.

The footage shows that on February 9^th, 2022, Brooke Somers attempted to gain access to a School Board meeting. Before she could enter the room where the meeting was being held, she was stopped by an individual on behalf of the school board, who informed her that she could not enter the meeting because she was not wearing a mask. She presented a note from her doctor stating that for Brooke, wearing a mask presents a medical difficulty, as prolonged restricted breathing triggers a series of adverse reactions.

During his interaction with Brooke Somers, the administration official was accompanied by Officer Devine. The body camera footage shows Somers presenting the note from her doctor to the official, who decided that without an ID he could not let her in. While she was retrieving her ID from her car, Officer Devine is heard telling the administration official that he did not believe the note was sufficient to warrant an exception. However, Officer Devine in his testimony stated that he did not read the mask mandate he was attempting to enforce. His input was unsolicited, and outside the scope of his authority. Devine was there to enforce the law, not to counsel the School Board on how he felt their mask policy should be applied.

Once Somers presented her ID to the administration official, he again reviewed the letter. He told Somers that she would not be allowed to enter the meeting without a mask. When Somers asked if he felt she would be a public health risk if she were to attend the meeting unmasked, the official responded, “No.”

The interaction was tense, but not hostile. The administration official clearly didn’t have clear guidance on how to handle medical exceptions to the mask requirement, and Somers clearly wanted to attend the meeting in person to participate, while not wearing a mask. The administration official also stated in his testimony that he did not read the mask mandate. not wearing a mask.

Her willingness to stay and observe the meeting from the lobby, as well as her demeanor in the interaction to the administration official runs counter to what Devine later put in his report that stated:

“It became evident that she had come to the meeting with the intent of making a demonstration out of not wearing a mask and was therefore advised she could not enter the meeting,”

Had her intention been to make some type of demonstration in the meeting, she would not have stayed after being denied access to the meeting. Without the video this speculation on the part of the officer would not have been shown to be clearly unfounded.

Despite there being a mask requirement for the entire building, individuals were allowed to watch a livestream of the meeting in the lobby about a dozen feet away from the main doors. While this option allowed Somers and the others to view the meeting, it meant they could not participate in the meeting or address the board as every parent should be able to do. It is worth noting that not only were the chairs in the lobby grouped closer together than the main meeting, but the number in attendance of the main meeting was so sparse that social distancing guidelines could have been observed without the need for masks.

The footage continues without audio and the meeting appears to be continuing without disruption. Then, without prompting from anyone in the meeting, Devine goes out into the lobby, turns the audio on his body cam footage on and tells the three individuals in the lobby to stop talking. Somers, at a conversational level, says “No” and Devine responds with, “Get out!”

This portion of the footage further illuminates another aspect of Devine’s report, where it states:

“She was then instructed to leave the property as it was evident her intent was to disrupt the meeting and cause a disturbance.”

After reviewing the footage this statement does not seem to adequately represent the facts. Furthermore, this is the second time Devine states her actions are ‘evident’ of something that appear to anything but evident of what Devine is claiming, calling into question his judgement in the situation.

Somers refuses to move from her chair and informs the officer that she does not intend to leave. Devine then proceeds to place Somers under arrest. In the course of the arrest Devine yanks Somers from her seat, and throws her on the ground. While she is on the ground she tells Devine that he is hurting her, and Devine responds with “Good. You are resisting.”

Two other officers are called in to remove Somers, and Devine remains behind at the building. Once Somers is removed, one witness who was in the lobby tells Devine that he was “in awe” of how he responded. The witness told Devine that he was pro-cop, but “could not believe” Devine’s behavior.

The body camera footage provides greater context to parts of the statement released by Cecil County Public Schools after the event, which states in part:

“The officer on duty asked the individuals in the lobby to lower their volume as it was disruptive to the meeting. Upon one individual’s refusal to do so, the officer asked her to leave the building, which she refused, leading to her arrest.”

Once arrested, Somers is placed in a holding cell at the Elkton police station where she waits until approximately 11:30 PM, when she is then transported to the District Courthouse for a bond hearing. Devine escorts Somers inside, once the locked entry door is opened for them by an overnight employee. When they enter, Devine authoritatively redirects a handcuffed Somers to walk through the metal detector, which obviously sounds on account of the handcuffs that Devine put on her.

Devine, Somers, and the overnight courthouse employee are the only ones in the lobby. Before going to see the commissioner Devine tells Somers that a mask is required in the courthouse building too. Somers looks at the courthouse employee, who is also not wearing a mask, and asks whether Devine will make the courthouse employee put on a mask as well. He tells Somers that either she can put on the mask, or Devine will put it on for her. She declines, again citing her medical reservation, and Devine forces the mask over her face.

After the mask is on, Somers lowers it below her mouth and nose, which prompts Devine to physically engage Somers. This interaction, once again, results in Somers being thrown to the ground, where she remains for quite some time. It is on the ground where she meets Commissioner after being summoned by Devine. The commissioner then literally and figuratively talks down to Somers and tells her that she can either put on the mask or spend the night in Cecil County Detention Center. When faced with the threat of imprisonment, Somers dons the mask.

It is unfortunate for Somers, the town, and the police department that the situation evolved the way it did. Law enforcement has an important responsibility, and allowing emotional responses to triumph over rational ones can lead to devastating outcomes. When the authority placed in our law enforcement is vested in the wrong individual, it is not uncommon for that power to be abused. Cecil County News deals only in facts, so it is not our place to make determinations. It is up to the reader, having been presented with the facts, to decide whether or not Officer Devine’s actions are an example of such an abuse. What we can say, is that today the court decided that the charges against Brooke Somers were largely without merit, and four of the six charges have been dropped. The two remaining charges; Disorderly Conduct, and Failure to Obey a Lawful Order, will be heard in jury trial.

She was acquitted of: school disruption, school trespassing/reusing to leave the building, resisting arrest, and trespassing on private property.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/GFx3CEuwQxw

The post Devine Injustice appeared first on Cecil County News.

                At the February 8^th Council Work Session, the County Council considered eight potential amendments to the County Charter that, if advanced, would be put to the voters as a referendum at the next general election. As required in the Cecil County Charter, any amendment must be approved by voters at the ballot box before becoming law. In the history of charter government in Cecil County, only four amendments have ever been put to a referendum, making the eight amendments offered at Tuesday’s work session an unusual occurrence.

                While the proposed amendments impacted different elements of the Charter, the majority of the amendments centered around one thing, increasing the County Council’s power. One amendment would have given the Council power to unilaterally reshape the County’s budget, another would have given the Council outsized influence on the Ethics Commission, and yet another would have created a position requiring county taxpayers to pay for a full-time Council attorney.

                Of the eight proposed amendments, four were moved forward, three were narrowly defeated, and one is being changed to be reintroduced at a later date. The four amendments that have been approved will ask voters to weigh in on changes regarding the processes for capital purchases, redistricting, and reducing ambiguity in the charter surrounding vacancies. The one tabled amendment concerned the composition of the Ethics Commission and will be voted on at a later date in order to clarify the wording of the amendment. Lastly, of the three that were defeated two were attempting give the Council a permanent attorney paid for by the County, and the other would have allowed the County Council to redistribute funds in the County budget at the Council’s sole discretion.

                The unusually high number of amendments calls into question the timing of their introduction. The amendments would need to be ratified by a referendum, so it is not unusual that they would be introduced in an election year. But what is unusual are the circumstances of the Council’s composition going into the upcoming election. Three of the five current Council members are beholden to the Cecil Business Leaders PAC, which is an entity created to funnel money toward political candidates that will act in accordance with the wishes of the monied interests that put them there, and not what is always in the best interest of Cecil County. The three CBL members on the County Council are Bob Meffley, Bill Coutz, and Al Miller. Coutz and Miller are both up for election this year, making this potentially the last chance the CBL has to concentrate power in the County Council. This concentration is further necessitated, in the eyes of the CBL, since they no longer control the County Executive now that Alan McCarthy was voted out. If Miller and Coutz are unseated by actual conservatives, the CBL PAC will have been displaced from the Executive and Legislative branches of our local government. In 2020 they were unable to win elections, so now they are trying to change the rules.

                These amendments are thrown under an additional shadow, when it came to light in the working session that the County Attorney was provided with the proposed amendments only hours before the meeting, leaving no time for review. This prevented the County Attorney from being able to provide specific feedback on the amendments at the time of the meeting, which is when the amendments were going to be voted on for advancement.

The amendments did meet resistance from Councilwoman Gregory and Councilwoman Culberson who understood the ramifications of the amendments and argued against fundamental change that would alter the balance of power in our government. Perhaps the most contentious part of the work session came during the discussion surrounding the amendment that would give the Council the ability to reallocate the County’s budget after it was submitted by the County Executive. As it currently stands, the County Council has the ability to remove items from the budget, but does not have the ability to add items. The proposed amendment would have given the Council the power to reallocate money from one part of the budget to the other unilaterally. In other words, if the County budget was $100 and gave $10 to 10 different departments, the County Council could move all $100 to a single department, without review and without approval from the County Executive, leaving nine departments with no funding.

                It was appropriately noted during the discussion of this amendment, that the reason for Cecil County’s desire to form a Charter government was, in part, to remove the budget making powers from the County Commissioners. The Commissioners, who were essentially equivalent to the current Council, were often unable to find agreement on the specific allocations of the county budget. The solution as part of our transition to a charter government, was to vest the budget making power in a single authority, with the Council acting as a check on that authority by being able to remove any item. This amendment would have undone that entire change by allowing the Council to put money anywhere they wanted, so long as it was offset from another part of the budget. The Council would have been able to rewrite the entire budget, so long as the bottom-line number remained unchanged.

                This amendment was ultimately voted down 3-2 with Councilman Meffley and Coutz voting in the minority. However, unsatisfied with the results, Councilman Coutz brought up the amendment that had already been voted down later in the meeting and Councilman Meffley tried to change the results by calling for another vote. The measure was met with the same outcome.

                The constant grab for power has been the hallmark of the County Council over the past two years, with the lead being taken by Councilmen Meffley, Coutz, and Miller. So long as the Cecil Business Leaders PAC has puppets in places of power in the County, we will continue to see actions taken that serve the interest of the connected and powerful, and not the County. The recent push to change the Charter comes on the back of the

Councilman Miller is currently facing a challenger from Republican Central Committeeman Bob Gatchel. Voters seeking to make a change in the direction of the Council, and thereby the County will need to vote in the Primary Election, which will take place on June 28, 2022.

The post Cecil County Charter Amendments appeared first on Cecil County News.

The post Bob Gatchel calls out conflict of interest. appeared first on Cecil County News.

                This Christmas, Cecil County once again took its place on the national stage by providing the country with America’s Christmas Tree. As the lights are turned off and the decorations are taken down in Rockefeller Center, county residents can take comfort in knowing that in a turbulent time our county was able to provide a token of unity for everyone to gather around. Many of the visitors may not have known where the tree came from or may not have recognized the town of Elkton when they read the name, but no one could miss the beauty and elegance that the America’s Christmas Tree provided and the spirit of the holiday that it symbolized.

It may be easy to forget in recent times, but our little community has, throughout its history, routinely played a role in momentous events and occupied positions of national importance. During the Revolutionary War Cecil County was a strategic location for the Royal Navy. In 1777, 300 British ships sailed up the Elk River and off-loaded 15,000 soldiers who set up an encampment in Elkton. In the 1800’s Cecil County was a transportation hub with canals and railroads delivering the nation’s goods. Throughout the Civil War, Cecil County served as part of a passage for the Underground Railroad. The funeral train of Abraham Lincoln and Robert F. Kennedy passed through Cecil County with groups gathering along its path, most notably at the Elkton train station. The same train route was taken as a pilgrimage by President Obama on the way to his first inauguration. And of course, in the early 1900’s Cecil County was the premier wedding destination for the East Coast, resulting in quite a few celebrities finding their way to our wedding chapels.

                In addition to pivotal events, Cecil County has been home to many prominent figures. There have been professional musicians, athletes, and entertainers. As well as educators, writers, and luminaries who have all at one point or another called Cecil County home. Our county has produced governors, senators, congressmen, and even a Supreme Court Justice, David Davis. Davis was not only instrumental in getting Abraham Lincoln elected as his campaign manager, but was also single-handedly responsible for the presidency of Rutherford B. Hayes.

                It is no wonder then, that residents of Cecil County can tend to transfix their focus on national events. So much so that at times we end up overlooking what is happening in our own back yards (except when our backyards are producing the country’s Christmas tree). Our County has undergone a fundamental transformation in the last decade, and it is difficult to stay informed with the rapid changes while also trying to balance a busy work and family schedule. It has been less than a decade since we replaced our Commissioner style of government with a County Charter, upending how our local government functions.

                A new form of government brings new systems and processes and even new authority. To the average person working full-time and trying to provide the best life they can for their children, there isn’t time to research what the new administrative details will look like or even the exact limits of power their local government now has. They will continue their lives until an event takes place that alerts to a problem, and rightfully so. Local residents should expect that their elected officials act in their best interest, and anything to the contrary would be a betrayal of the public trust.

                Without engaged citizens, power can easily concentrate in the hands of a select few, and the interests of the connected displace the interest of the County. As other articles have demonstrated, this has manifested locally in the form of the Cecil Business Leaders PAC (CBL PAC). As power centralizes their actions are more easily hidden by ensuring a recurring list of individuals routinely occupy positions on committees, commissions, and administrations. This has a compounding effect as local journalism begins to relay on a small cast of characters, effectively handing over their megaphone to those in charge with power to dispense and interests to protect.

                However, even with nearly limitless funding, a grip on influence, and control of the press, officials become complacent and their words on the campaign trail contrast with their actions in office and soon become so obvious that their true motives become exposed. Nowhere has that been more obvious than with the McCarthy administration. In exposing the actions, connections and administration of Alan McCarthy, County residents had their eyes opened to the kind of corruption plaguing our County.

                Although McCarthy is out of office, his affiliates and those connected to him still hold positions of influence and power, resulting in the corruption and back room deals still taking place. However, one thing that has changed over the last few years is an awakening by the citizens to the culture of corruption that has been pervasive throughout local government. As we close the book on 2021, we encourage all of our readers to perform their due diligence on the municipal and county candidates up for election in 2022. We must demand transparency and hold our elected officials accountable. In 2022 we hope that our County can continue to make a national impact by retaking control of our own backyard.

The post What is the future of our own political backyard? appeared first on Cecil County News.

      Anyone who tries to stay current on what is happening in Cecil County likely has a variety of sources that they check for local news. Although the last few years saw the end of the Cecil Guardian and the Rising Sun Herald as print journalism declined, a variety of online sources have emerged. As the barrier for publication became eliminated by the internet, legacy media either died or moved to online platforms to compete for readership. At the same time, social media allowed individuals to publish developments faster than any news outlet could, and it began to emerge as a common venue for the exchange of public information.

As the way we consume news changed, so did the sources and the scrutiny of the information we read. With a variety of options comes varying quality, and any Cecil County resident who has searched for multiple sources knows that some outlets are more reliable than others. Take for example the Cecil Times. Even at a cursory glance your average reader could quickly dismiss it as more fact-free blogging than news. It is widely known to be the propaganda arm of the Cecil Business Leaders PAC and served as a mouthpiece for the McCarthy administration and fellow cronies. Despite having been largely written off as the ramblings of an out of touch CBL sycophant, the Cecil Times continues to produce content for all three of its readers.

Articles from the Cecil Times often go unchallenged mainly because they often go unread, but every now and then they produce an article so riddled with half-truths and lies that the contents of the article must be addressed. In a recent piece regarding the September 7^th County Council Legislative Session the Cecil Times attempted to opine on the events leading up to the newly formed Redistricting Commission. Attempted and opine being the operative words as the article failed to present hardly any materially relevant information, and because it contains more bitterness, lies, and deception than facts.

The article starts by setting the scene of the September 7^th Legislative Session where Council President Bob Meffley was using his gavel to try and silence a speaker during the public comment period. But the story doesn’t start there. In advance of the September 7^th Legislative Session the Council failed to include on the meeting agenda that the resolution for the Redistricting Commission appointments was going to be introduced, nor did they make the resolution publicly available in advance of the meeting, both of which are violations of the Open Meetings Act. Trying to silence the only person there who happened to be present to speak out about the Redistricting Commission only further implicates the Council’s motives to hide the process from public scrutiny. Neglecting to provide this context makes this scene seem one sided.

In the same paragraph the article says that this scene was:

“…nothing compared to the belligerent battle waged by Vincent Sammons, the chair of the local GOP Central Committee, who wanted to override county law to claim a seat on a Redistricting Commission… that both the County Charter and the authorizing legislation enacted by the Council in April to establish the local commission specified that any “elected” official could not be seated on the redistricting panel.”

If the title and tone of the article didn’t initially make the reader suspicious of the author’s partiality, hyperbolic word choice like “belligerent” “battle” and “override” quickly removes all doubt. Aside from a stylistic critique, the content in this excerpt is also lacking. First, the legislation restates the County Charter, so implying that Vincent Sammons is trying to “override” multiple statutes is misleading. Second, the author fails to mention the distinction between a public official and a party official. Vincent Sammons, in his capacity as the Chairman of the GOP Cecil County Central Committee was a party official, meaning he was selected by and works for his party, not the public. Other articles have thoroughly examined this distinction and the case law and statutes will not be repeated here, but suffice it to say that the evidence and legal opinions rendered overwhelmingly reject the notion that a party official would conform to the standard of an “elected” official as laid out in the charter.

After obfuscating and misleading the reader, the article then goes on to flat out lie when it says that:

“[the Republican]Central Committee had not submitted a full slate of five GOP candidates to the County Council, as required, this summer and instead had listed “to be determined” instead of actual names for several GOP seats.

                Vincent Sammons, when he was chair of the Central Committee, submitted a full slate of appointees on March 16^th. Two weeks before the April 1^st deadline, and without prompting from the County Council. Not only is this a lie, but it is especially pernicious in that it covers up that the Council is actually the one that “belligerently” violated the Charter. The author not only fails to mention that the Charter mandates that the Council appoint a Redistricting Commission by April 1^st, but instead falsely claims that the list was required to be submitted this summer. Two patently false statements. Secondly, the author claims that the list that an incomplete list was submitted, and “several” seats were left open. This is again a lie. The resolution that was posted when it was going to be initially introduced listed the District 4 and District 5 seats on the republican slate as TBD. However, this was because the Council removed Vincent Sammons name and the District 4 appointees name, not because there was not a full slate provided. Using the word “several” to describe two slots aside, this is a malicious lie since it shifts the blame that should be placed on Bob Meffley and the Council.

                Further down in the article it states that:

“Sammons wanted to hold on to his seat as the chairman of the GOP Central Committee while also serving on the Redistricting Commission and he filed a personal lawsuit on 8/30/2021 against Meffley in the county’s Circuit Court, seeking a “writ of mandamus” to let him hold onto his elected Central Committee seat while also seeking a seat on the Redistricting Commission. He claimed that because he was only elected by Republicans in a party primary, he shouldn’t be considered an “elected” official. But faced with the clear language of the Charter, Sammons suddenly resigned as chair of the GOP Central Committee on Tuesday and put his name in for a seat on the redistricting panel…”

                Again, the author’s unwillingness to research, inability to understand, or intention to deceive results in another excerpt filled with duplicity and lies. Sammons did seek judicial relief and filed a writ of mandamus to have a judgement resolve the dispute between conflicting interpretations. In other words, he asked a judge to do exactly what the judicial branch is designed to do, so it is hard to see why the author would frame this case in a pejorative manner. However, the author then goes on to claim that Sammons, presumably faced with defeat and acceptance that he was an elected official, chose to resign from the Central Committee. This is not true at all. Sammons decision to resign, as made public on social media, was taken to prevent the Council from barring him from the Redistricting Commission. He did not accept the interpretation of the Council that he was an elected official, and lawsuit against the Council is still pending. In fact, cecilcounty.news obtained documentation that shows that Bob Meffley has filed for a dismissal of the lawsuit, not Sammons. The author portrays this as a last ditch effort of Sammons, when in reality it was precipitated by the Council because they refused to wait until the legal proceedings had run their course.

                This article from the Times was selected to be examined not because it was a one-off that veered a little off track, but because it was a particularly egregious article and serves as an example of the kind of content routinely provided on their forum. It is a difficult balance between deciding to address the many lies and half-truths of the CBL propaganda blog known as the Cecil Times and allowing them to continue on unread and unnoticed. It is equally difficult to hold them accountable. To that end, we ask that you contact the Cecil Times and demand they retract and apologize for the lies and disinformation about important local events that they have promulgated. Please contact the author, Nancy Schwerzler at ceciltimes@gmail.com and let her know that as Cecil County residents we will not be silenced, and we will not be slandered out of public participation. If the times has any shred of journalistic integrity they must print a retraction and issue a public apology.

The post Demanding Journalistic Integrity in Cecil County appeared first on Cecil County News.

On Tuesday September 7^th at the bi-weekly legislative hearing the Cecil County Council continued their long pattern of disregard for the law surrounding the upcoming Redistricting Commission. As detailed in previous articles, the Redistricting Commission, which is being formed to create a redistricting plan incorporating the 2020 U.S. Census data, has been beset by delays, political squabbling, and Council-created obstacles. Council President Bob Meffley has used, and continues to use, his position on the Council to circumvent the County Charter and influence the composition of the Redistricting Commission, thereby influencing the outcome. This Legislative Meeting was yet another example of Bob Meffley’s attempts to impose the will of the Cecil Business Leaders PAC over the will of the people. As his efforts to appease his cronies are exposed, Meffley’s actions become more obvious and more egregious. 

In accordance with the Open Meetings Act, the Council is required to post the agenda of the Legislative Meeting at least 24 hours in advance. The agenda must name the resolutions to be considered and provide drafts of those resolutions for the public to review. This gives the public the opportunity to not only understand what the Council is voting on, but also to allow the public ample opportunity to appear and comment on the legislation. The September 7^th Legislative Meeting did not list the resolution introducing the Redistricting Commission on the agenda in advance of the meeting. In addition to this resolution not being listed, there was also no draft of the resolution for the public to view. Since the Council failed to alert the public of their intent to propose the Redistricting Commission and failed to provide a draft of the resolution, the public was unable to effectively provide comment. 

Councilman Meffley’s violation of the Open Meetings Act, in the context of his previous actions, illustrate beyond doubt that the steps leading up to the current redistricting calamity can no longer be attributed to incompetence alone. The motives for Councilman Meffley’s failure to comply with the Open Meeting Act became immediately clear once the resolution naming the individuals to serve on the Redistricting Commission were read aloud. As explained in previous articles, the Council is mandated by the Charter to appoint one member to make the Commission an odd number, and they must select a chairman from the members of the Commission. Had the Council posted the resolution, the public would have seen that the Council replaced their appointed member at the last minute. Not only does this mean that the council made a material change to the proposed Commission without any notice to the public, but it also eliminated the opportunity of any member of the public to provide comments regarding this selection. 

As if blindsiding the public and shutting out the voices of County residents was not bad enough, Councilman Meffley’s most egregious action came by way of the individual who was selected. It was announced at the Legislative Meeting that the Council appointed member on the Redistricting Commission is going to be failed political candidate Carl Roberts. You may remember Roberts was selected by former County Executive Alan McCarthy to join his transition team in 2016. The same Alan McCarthy that County voters resoundingly rejected last election due to his unprecedented levels of corruption, tax and spend policies, and drunk driving charge. Roberts has also made several donations to candidates and organizations that Cecil County voters have rejected or voted out of office. In addition to Alan McCarthy, Carl Roberts made financial contributions to Martin O’Malley, Cecil Business Leaders PAC, Cecil County Democrat Central Committee, David Rudolph, and failed Gubernatorial candidate and radical Democrat Jain Ashwani. This is the discernment of the man Bob Meffley thought would make a beneficial addition to the Redistricting Commission. Not only are there serious doubts about the judgement of Carl Roberts, but also of the Council members who supported his appointment. 

It is not hard to believe that Bob Meffley was able to find support for Carl Roberts among other council members since Carl Roberts also made campaign contributions to Bill Coutz, Al Miller, and George Patchell. When voters are prevented from speaking, money will. It is unacceptable that the Republican Council would choose to hamstring the Republican efforts for a fair plan on the Redistricting Commission by tilting the balance in favor of the Cecil Business Leaders PAC. This is clearly a move to ensure the County Districts remain acceptable to the current council, and not in accordance with a genuine interpretation of the 2020 Census Data. It runs counter to what residents of Cecil County voted for, and it bypasses the provisions of the Charter that seek to make the Council a neutral part of the redistricting process. 

The violation of the Open Meetings Act and the silent replacement with Carl Roberts are only the most recent entries on Councilman Meffley’s long list of failures. His attempt to prejudice the Redistricting Commission and shut out public comment is made even more evident by the fact that at the same meeting where the redistricting resolution was introduced, he gaveled down and silenced the only person who stood up to speak out against it. The only way to let the Council know that we are paying attention and displeased by their actions is by holding them accountable at the next Legislative Meeting when they take the final vote on the Redistricting Commission Resolution. On September 21^st, residents of Cecil County will be given one last chance to voice their concerns. The Council has refused to hold themselves accountable to the laws of the Charter and the will of the people. It is now incumbent on all of us to show up to the September 21^st Legislative Session and make our voices heard. 

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  At the close of business on Friday August 27^th, the Cecil County Council were continuing their efforts to block citizen participation on the Redistricting Commission. In response to the Council’s insistence to bar members of the Democratic and Republican Central Committee from serving on the Redistricting Commission Vincent Sammons, the Chairman for the Republican Central Committee and nominee to be the Republican representative for District 5 on the Redistricting Commission, has filed a lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Cecil County to compel the County Council to abide by the law in the Charter regarding the formation of the Redistricting Commission.

As previously reported, the Cecil County Charter requires a Redistricting Commission to be formed each year following the U.S. Census. Each party that earns at least 25% of the vote share for County Executive is entitled to nominate five members (one from each district in the county) to serve on the Redistricting Commission. So long as those nominees meet the eligibility requirements to serve, the County Council is required by the Charter to appoint the members selected. The Council’s actions to prevent Mr. Sammons from serving on the Commission were centered on an objection that he was an elected official as a member of the Republican Central Committee, and is therefore ineligible under the provisions of the Charter. The full context of these events were dealt with in a previous article that explored the Council’s claims in greater detail.

Now, new information has been gathered that shows Mr. Sammons has informed the Council of the objections to his removal and has asked the Council to reconsider. In his role as Chairman of the Republican Central Committee, Mr. Sammons is responsible for selecting the individuals appointed for the Redistricting Commission. Ironically, this has made him the point of contact that the Council must communicate with regarding their decision for his removal. In email exchanges with the Council and the Council’s legal advisor, Mr. Sammons has provided Maryland Statute, Maryland Case Law, and other examples of Central Committee members serving on Redistricting Commissions throughout Maryland in an attempt to urge the Council to reverse their decision. Despite Mr. Sammons request for reconsideration, the Council has refused to yield, and gave Mr. Sammons an ultimatum that he must submit the new name of a District 5 Republican by September 1^st. In light of this deadline Mr. Sammons had three options: withdraw his name, resign as a committee member, or seek judicial relief. With little time to secure counsel and mount a defense, Mr. Sammons chose to represent himself and challenge the Council’s actions in court. On Monday, August 30^th, Mr. Sammons filed a lawsuit asking the court to compel the Council to follow the law, naming Council President Bob Meffley as the Defendant.

The ongoing saga surrounding the redistricting process is marred by intra-party politics and petty political grudges held by Councilman Meffley. Not only do his actions impede the redistricting process, but it also throws the credibility and purpose of the Redistricting Commission into question. The Commission is designed to be composed of individuals chosen to represent their districts and their parties independent of the elected office holders who are currently representing those districts, namely the County Council. If the Council is unjustly interfering in the formation of the Redistricting Commission, then they are also interfering in the redistricting decisions arrived at by the Commission. Not only does this circumvent the letter and intent of the law as outlined in the County Charter, but it also undermines the faith voters have in the ability of the Redistricting Commission to submit a fair proposal, free of influence from those currently holding office.

In addition to the irreparable harm done to the integrity of the 2021 Redistricting Commission, the Council’s actions are now beginning to have long term ramifications as well. The Charter requires that the Redistricting Commission is appointed April 1^st, and the Commission’s plan and report are to be sent to the Council no later than November 15^th. With April far behind us and November quickly approaching, the Redistricting Commission, once appointed, will have little time to complete a thorough assessment and put forward a well thought out proposal. This abbreviated timeline as a result of the Council’s actions will further weaken voter’s trust that the Commission was given the necessary time to complete their work. The result of the redistricting plan will be in place for another ten years, meaning the next five elections will take place with voters placed in, what are at this point bound to be hastily constructed districts.

In order to hold the responsible parties accountable, it is worth noting the timeline in which these events unfolded. The appointees of the Redistricting Commission on the Republican slate, which are the ones with which the Council originally took issue, were submitted in March in advance of the April deadline set out in the Charter. No objection to any of the names were noted until recently in August, when the Council was preparing the resolution to confirm the appointees in advance of the September Legislative Meeting. Mr. Sammons was contacted on August 16^th with the notification that he was ineligible to serve on the Commission due to the fact he was a central committee member. After pushing back on this determination based on the fact that other central committee members from both parties were not also determined to be ineligible, the Council Attorney sent a notice on August 27^th to both Mr. Sammons and the Chair of the Democratic Central Committee, Patricia Folk, informing them that they had until September 1^st to submit alternate names. Providing three business days when the Council had since March to make these determinations is by all objective standards an unreasonable request.

The Council’s decision to drag their feet throughout the entire redistricting process has led to delays, a total lack of trust by the voters in our leaders and the redistricting process, and now legal action. While the final outcome of the pending judgement is not yet known, what is abundantly clear is that the members of the Council who supported these actions being carried out in the way that they were must be held accountable. Citizen participation is fundamental to our political process, and the decisions carried out by Councilman Meffley, if left unchallenged, would have set a precedent that discouraged individuals from stepping forward on the grounds that a particular Council member may object to their involvement at the last minute and arbitrarily prevent their participation with very little opportunity for redress. Community and political participation should be encouraged. The Council’s actions are having a negative impact on community involvement and the function of government. Should Mr. Sammons’ lawsuit fail, voters will have to remind our elected officials at the ballot box that Cecil County wants honest, fair, and transparent government.

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