COUNTY EXECUTIVE CANDIDATE’S FORUM

Saturday, April 11, 2026

19901 White Ground Road, Boyds MD

(Boyds Presbyterian Church lower parking lot)

1. Future of Boyds: What is your vision for Boyds, and which strengths or challenges would you prioritize?

My vision for Boyds is a community where local entrepreneurship and our agricultural heritage go hand-in-hand. To achieve this: I will work directly with the Boyds Civic Association to identify ‘vibrant asset’ projects, like the adaptive reuse of Hoyle’s Mill, creating space for local vendors and startups right in the heart of our community. I’ve seen how our permitting process strangles small shops. I will streamline regulations so a family farm in Boyds can easily open a farm stand, a creamery, or an agritourism venture without waiting years for a permit. I will prioritize the Boyds Transit Center and local road improvements. Making it easier for customers to get here, and for you to get to work, is the best way to support our local economy. Let’s build a Boyds that is open for business and closed to high taxes

2. Natural Resources: Invasive plants and insects are expanding. What role should the County play in addressing them more effectively?

We’ve seen invasive species like the Spotted Lanternfly and the Tree of Heaven spreading, and these pests threaten our property values and the Agricultural Reserve. For a community like Boyds, the County’s role shouldn’t be about more top-down mandates or red tape. Instead, my plan focuses on: Empowering You, Not Bureaucrats: 1^st, I want to move away from restrictive regulations that force private citizens to take specific actions on their land, often at their own expense, on a strict timeline or under the threat of fines; and toward true partnerships. I will support local groups like the Boyds Civic Association by providing better reporting tools and data so you can manage your land effectively. 2^nd We have incredible resources in our Master Gardeners. I’ll make sure their educational programs remain fully funded and accessible at our local libraries, so every resident knows how to spot and stop an infestation early.

3. Water Quality: Streams, ponds, lakes and aquifers face increased pressure from runoff due to climate change and How can the County improve water quality without more overregulation?

In a community like Boyds, our water, from Little Seneca Lake to our critical aquifers, is the lifeblood of our way of life. Climate change and overdevelopment are direct threats to our rural stability. As your County Executive, I will push to reform the Water Quality Protection Charge to reward landowners who use effective conservation practices, turning a burdensome tax into a true incentive. It is essential to establish a baseline (“before”) and a target (“after”) measure to verify your results. We must move beyond just issuing permits. I support enhanced monitoring for stream restorations, ensuring they actually work for 10 years, not just five, and prioritizing the repair of aging sewer lines that cause spills into our watersheds. Our climate strategy should support farmers with voluntary best practices and decentralized energy options such as rooftop or Ground-Mounted Solar, Geothermal Heating & Cooling, Microgrids and Battery Storage, through low-interest financing with the Green Bank, rather than burying them in red tape.

4. Solar Farms: How would you balance interests in large-scale solar generation with the agricultural purpose and visual character of the Ag Reserve and adjacent areas?

As your County Executive, I will ensure that our push for clean energy doesn’t come at the expense of our farming heritage. We can balance solar generation without sacrificing the Ag Reserve through smart siting and fiscal common sense. I believe in a ‘Farmer First’ approach that protects our land today and for the next generation. My plan focuses on: Large-scale solar that go on ‘brownfields,’ parking lots, and warehouse rooftops first, not on our most productive Class I and II soils. We must stop the trend of replacing food production with industrial-scale solar arrays. For any solar projects that do move forward, I will mandate strict setbacks and natural screening. Instead of massive utility-scale farms, I support partnerships with the Montgomery County Green Bank to help individual farmers and homeowners install rooftop solar and microgrids. This helps you lower your bills without industrializing the landscape.

5. Housing Affordability: Which elements of the Attainable Housing Strategies Initiative do you feel need refinement, and how would your approach improve life in Boyds?

The most critical refinement needed is the protection of single-family zoning. The current plan risks turning our quiet, rural neighborhoods into high-density construction zones without the infrastructure to support them. In Boyds, we’ve seen what happens when development outpaces planning. Our roads are narrow, and our schools, like Clarksburg High, are already bursting at the seams. Adding high-density housing mandates without first fixing these foundations is reckless. My approach improves life in Boyds by: Protecting the Ag Reserve: I will block any initiative that attempts to bypass the protections of our Agricultural Reserve. We must focus growth where the infrastructure already exists—near transit hubs downcounty. I will veto any density increases that don’t come with a guaranteed funding plan for school expansions and road improvements. I will prioritize ‘attainability’ through market-based solutions and cutting the red tape for small builders. I support building reversible lanes on I-270 and transforming MARC into true regional rail, getting you to work faster without destroying the character of our rural communities. Let’s keep Boyds rural, affordable, and accountable.

6. Permitting: Many describe the County’s entitlement, permitting, and inspections processes as onerous and arduous. Other than setting a good example, what specific steps would you take to improve efficiency and predictability of the system and the individuals within it?

Time is money, and in Montgomery County, the permitting process has become a hidden tax on our residents and small businesses. In Boyds, whether you’re trying to build a barn, expand a home, or start a rural business, you shouldn’t be met with endless red tape. To fix this, I will take three specific steps: I will establish mandatory response times for the Department of Permitting Services. If the County doesn’t meet the deadline, the permit is deemed approved or the fee is refunded. We need accountability, not excuses. I’ll create a dedicated track for simple permits, like those for homeowners and small businesses in the Ag Reserve, to bypass the backlog caused by massive commercial developers. I will integrate the Planning Department and DPS into a single, streamlined workflow. We need a ‘one-stop-shop’ so you aren’t caught in a loop of conflicting feedback from different agencies. It’s time to move at the speed of business, not the speed of bureaucracy.

7. COMSAT: The Council has recently declined historic designation for the COMSAT building. What would you do as Executive to encourage adaptive reuse of key elements, or to ensure that redevelopment is of truly exceptional quality?

As your County Executive, I will ensure that the redevelopment of the COMSAT site is a world-class destination that respects our history and drives economic growth. I will ensure the Boyds community has a seat at the table. We will audit the redevelopment plans to guarantee they include the necessary infrastructure and school capacity before a single shovel hits the ground. While the main building may not have a historic label, I will push for a public-private partnership to save key architectural elements, like the iconic front portico and lobby, repurposing them as community pavilions or high-tech coworking spaces. I will hold developers to a higher standard. I want the COMSAT campus to become a hub for innovation in the Clarksburg Gateway, blending tech-sector jobs with high-quality retail and housing that fits the Boyds character. Let’s turn the COMSAT property into a landmark of innovation and accountability.

8. Hoyle’s Mill: The MARC station parking and bus facility is advancing through permitting without provisions for septic capacity to support use of the county-owned historic Hoyle’s Mill How would you ensure it becomes a vibrant asset to the community?

The County is moving forward with a $5.6 million investment at the Boyds Transit Center while leaving the historic Hoyle’s mill building without the septic capacity it needs for community use. I will focus on three things: fiscal efficiency, stakeholder engagement and preservation: I will mandate that the MARC station project and the Mill preservation effort share a single, robust septic system by requiring the Department of Transportation and the Planning Department to align their permits. It is significantly cheaper to install this capacity now, while the ground is open than to come back years later on a separate, taxpayer-funded contract. Boyds Civic Association have already identified these flaws. I will give local voices a seat at the table to ensure our tax dollars create integrated, multi-use spaces that respect our history. By solving the septic issue now, we clear the way for a local coffee shop, a community center, or an educational space that finally brings life back to the heart of Boyds. I’ll ensure your tax dollars are spent on projects that are finished, functional, and respectful of our heritage.

9. County Budget: The county faces revenue shortfalls. Do you support the 6.3 cent property tax + 1% income tax hike, and if not, which specific programs or services do you propose trimming or omitting?

I do not support the property or income tax hikes. Nor do I support creating a structural deficit from use of one-time funds for ongoing expenditures, which is projected to require another 9.85 cent tax hike next year to close the deficit. We don’t have a revenue problem in Montgomery County; we have a leadership problem and a spending addiction. Personal income growth for taxpayers is stagnant at 1.09%, yet this budget proposes pay adjustments between 6% and 8.75%. I would require employee raises to be based on a comparative review of worker salaries and in-line with Montgomery County personal income growth of Taxpayers. We must temper pay adjustments to reflect the actual economic conditions of our residents. I will eliminate vacant positions, outside of Public safety, that have been funded and unfilled year after year. Latest estimate is over 10K Full-time positions at around $22M. Lastly, Government Accountability & forensic Audits of our Operating Budget to identify waste & mismanagement of Taxpayer funds.

10. County Economy: The county employment base relies on the federal government and the inter-related biotech sector. What actions would you take to strengthen economic diversity and long-term stability?

As a CPA, I know that over-reliance on any single sector is a risk we can no longer afford. To strengthen our long-term stability and economic diversity in Boyds. I will reverse our reputation of being ‘closed for business.’ My administration will aggressively recruit corporate headquarters in technology, cyber-security, and logistics. By offering speed, certainty, and world-class incentives, we can broaden our tax base and create high-paying jobs that don’t depend on federal grants. In Boyds, our Agricultural Reserve is a unique economic engine. I will push to expand marketing and tourism for our rural businesses, ensuring that local food production and agritourism have the regulatory breathing room to thrive. We must stop ‘picking winners and losers’ with high taxes and burdensome regulations. I will cut the red tape that prevents small, local businesses, the backbone of our economy, from growing and diversifying our job market. Let’s build a competitive, diverse economy through pro-growth policies, not just more taxes.