Amazing as it may seem, the May 1 election for mayor ended in a 91-91 tie. This will necessitate a new election, which has been scheduled for Monday, June 12. It will also give both candidates new opportunities to present their vision for Laytonsville’s future to the town’s voters and to speak with those voters about their concerns before they cast a ballot in the decisive election to come. While the 182 votes cast on May 1 was the largest turnout ever recorded in a municipal election in our town, I would hope for an even larger turnout on June 12, especially after the May 1 election’s demonstration that every vote counts. Democracy is most effective when citizens get involved and participate actively.
Laytonsville has grown substantially in the last decade, thanks primarily to the development of Laytonsville Preserve and Laytonsville Grove. As candidate for mayor, I knocked on the doors of nearly every home in the town, both old and new, and I met delightful and accomplished people in every neighborhood. No one disputed my view that the town’s interests are best served by an active and engaged citizenry. Laytonsville’s various government bodies, both elected and appointed, require the dedicated service of volunteers compensated only by their sense of what they have contributed to the community they cherish. I hope that more people from all across the town will choose not only to vote, but also to contribute their talents and insights to the work required for an efficient municipal government that truly serves the needs of the town’s residents.
The work of administering a municipality, large or small, is complex and challenging. I believe that the experience I have gained by my many years of active participation in town affairs and through research into the actions of the town’s government before I moved to Laytonsville in 2005 give me a good foundation for leading the town as it confronts the challenges we face today. But I will only be able to be an effective leader if I can work cooperatively with all of the town’s residents. Whatever the outcome of the runoff election, let’s move Laytonsville forward together.
