Mrs. C. Lynn
Smith-Barnes
611 Pitt Lane
Forest Heights, MD 20745
Phone (301) 7499741
WARD1HANDINHAND@AOL.COM
05/08/05
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
In 2003 when I ran for election I made no promises, my
grandfather taught me never make a promise you cannot keep. When I do make promises I will to the
BEST
of my ability try to keep it.
In politics it is at times mandatory that you keep on top
of things in the Legislative circle/field if you are truly for the
benefit and
the betterment of your Town. We have six
council members, two for each of the 3 WARDS of the six three of them
are
retired (one in each WARD including mine).
I applaud these council members for the time and effort
that they put into research along with the Mayor (who is not retired)
for this
Town and share with their fellow council members in a joint effort of
improving
our financial status and other problem solving issues.
There is no “I” in the word TEAM we all know that, any
information for the betterment of our Township should be shared so that
a plan
of action could be put into place. The
Town is like a new home you need an architect to do your planning and
you
gather your builders to start building, this is the structure of this
council
today. Even when you are adding on you
still get an architect for the plan and again your builders.
These council members are doing their best, especially
our Mayor have attended many legislative function (both in and
outside of
Maryland) to remind the outside world that we “Forest Heights not to be
confused with Capitol Heights” are two different Municipalities, and
that we
are here. This council has spoken to the
Architect and started building some time ago, just look around you.
You the Town residents are encouraged to be participants
in both the architectural design and the building of your Town through
your
VOICE.
Sincerely,
Councilwoman for
WARD1
C. Lynn
Smith-Barnes
My name is C. Lynn Smith-Barnes and I'm running for Town Council – Ward I. Having attended
all of the town meetings and work sessions as your current Ward I Council member over the past two years:
(Opponent) Stated during a council meeting that we, the citizens, do not have the right to be heard at meetings because we elected her to speak for us.
(Barnes) I never said that. No record of the
statement ever being made by me. Yes, I
was elected by you, but you still have the right to be heard. I have on numerous occasions asked the WARD 1
residents to attend all meetings to voice their opinions.
My question to you with all due respect Ms.
Hoskins, when did I say this?
(Opponent)
Engaged in "Bait and Switch tactics."
o Conducted a public hearing on raising
our taxes by one amount during a
council
workshop and then voted to raise our
taxes by
a higher amount at the Town meeting.
(Barnes) The real property tax revenues presented at
the June 7,
2004 Public Hearing on the FY2005 (current) budget were identical to
the amount
included in the Budget Resolution 8-04 approved by the Town Council on
June 16,
2004. There was some minor confusion over the footnote on the Budget
Resolution
which stated the new tax rate was $0.466, but the actual tax rate of
$0.470 was
correctly used in the determination of the $499,752 of real property
tax
revenues. The error in the footnote would typically result in a $5
difference
in a home owners tax bill – about the price of a McDonald’s happy meal.
o Claimed taxes were being increased
in order to fix our streets and then later told us the tax increase was
going
to be used for another purpose.
(Barnes) Not true based on the record from Resolution
4-04 which
clearly states under funded town services were part of the
justification for
the increase. Research on the meeting
that 4-04 was approved with respect to any discussion on the town
services
issues.
(Opponent)
Had our neighbor, Joyce Beck, removed from town meetings because Ms.
Beck
provided our citizens key information that the current administration
did not
want us to know.
(Barnes) Joyce Beck was out of order on 3 occasions.
Under Robert’s
Rules of Order a member may only address the chair (two occasions), and
on
another occasion Councilwoman Beck insisted on making a speech during a
vote
when Robert’s Rules clearly state that only a Yea or Nay is permitted
at that
time. Speeches should be made during the
discussion period when a motion is on the floor, but before a vote is
called
for. In order for a deliberative body to
function it must follow the rules of order.
(Opponent)
Raised utility taxes and told us that the increase would not impact our
utility
bills.
(Barnes) The Council raised utility taxes from .58 to .94
with a
minuscule impact on the town residents.
The utilities, PEPCO, Washington Gas and Verizon Telephone
companies pay
these taxes from their general revenues, and not from the revenues
collected
only from the Town of Forest Heights.
As a consequence, almost all of the tax revenue raised through
that tax
increase comes from the utility customers outside of the town. Isn’t it
nice
that the people in Fort Washington help the citizens of Forest Heights.
(Opponent) Paid a $1,500 monthly consulting fee to a
consultant to speak on our behalf in Annapolis regardless of whether
funds were
secured for the town.
(Barnes) The Town did hire a Lobbyist (not consultant).
Council
members and Town residents interviewed Mr. Proctor after he gave a
presentation
on his firm’s capabilities and he was endorsed by the Mayor of a
neighboring
Town. He came back and gave a presentation at a Town meeting, upon
which the
Council agreed that we needed his services.
The investment in
his services
has paid off. He has brought to the town at this time $175,000 in State
funds. In addition, he was instrumental
in the passage of a new $29 million grant program by the State
Legislature, of
which the Town expects to receive a substantial amount of additional
monies for
road construction.
(Opponent)
Voted to hire a treasurer that,
according to the mayor, will not provide the administration with
financial
reports.
(Barnes) It
is not a case of the Treasurer not being willing to provide the
information,
but the Treasurer is trying to recover from years of fiscal
mismanagement and
accounting shambles under the prior administration. For example, for an
eight
month period during the prior administration, the Town did not have a
Treasurer. Following McGinnis’s resignation the Town had a series of
Treasurers.
To quote the Mayor
and you are
welcome to check the records, the Mayor had continued to inform the
council and
residents “that the Treasurer gives me a
monthly report.” Council members, Town
Administrator, and the Mayor were involved in the first interview for
the
Treasurers’ position selections were made and the second interview took
place
at a Town meeting with the entire council interview to included I
believe 3 or
4 applicants.
(Opponent) Denied us
our rights to be
heard on legislative and fiscal matters.
(Barnes) The public has always been heard since the
appointment
of Mayor Noble during the public period at town meetings and other
meetings. Ms. Hoskins, again with all
due respect, since I have been on the Council how many meetings
have you
attended. Remember I can always go back
and check the sign-in sheet which was signed by the residents who
attended any
meetings or sessions.
(Opponent) Voted
to hire a town
administrator for a salary ranging from $62,000 to $72,000 per year
(they won't
reveal the actual salary) who refuses to answer the phone when called.
(Barnes) The Town Administrator’s salary is public
information and
was discussed at an information meeting on upon her transfer from
Contractor to
Employer her salary was disclosed to the public both times. Furthermore, the $62,000 to $72,000 includes
the salary of an assistant in the Clerk’s office.
For the record, the Town Administrator’s
salary is $62,000 .
(Opponent) While
other neighborhoods have prospered with property value increases, our
town lags
behind because it is not administered well.
(Barnes) Research on property values is likely to
show no
significant difference between increases in Town values versus those in
Birchwood city and other nearby communities.
In fact recent sales of properties in Forest Heights have shown
a rapid
increase, such as the .....web
page for
the state information on property . Pick
a house that you knew was for sale and log in to see the approximate
price
according to state records. (http://sdatcert3.resiusa.org/rp_rewrite/)
(Opponent)
Crimes go unchecked.
(Barnes) The FHPD report at every meeting about the
crimes
solved/and take in the Town. For
example, Cpl Waithe reported at the April 20th Town meeting
that he
had recovered a series of weapons from a young man who had entered the
Town, made the arrest, and still took
the time to attend the meeting and give the town our Police report and
returned
back to the station to continue his arrest procedures.
Opponent) People drive
our streets with a blatant disregard for speed limits and stop signs
thus,
endangering our children.
(Barnes) The Town has installed speed bumps to deter
speeding. When the streets are redone a
new type will
be put in.
(Opponent) Public
services are lacking.
(Barnes) The Town has increased staffing at the
Municipal Building to provide better public services.
(Opponent) Our
streets and common areas are unkempt.
(Barnes) The Towns Public Works department patrols the
streets daily
and removes litter from the streets and the easements. There are
problems with
some residents and visitors to the Town who dump trash or toss trash
from their
vehicles on our public ways, and the FHPD will issue a citation.
(Opponent)
Houses are allowed to fall in disrepair affecting the values of those
who own
property.
(Barnes) The code
enforcement
officer is issuing citations -- ask those who have received them. In the case of abandoned houses, it may take
some time to track down the bank or absentee landowner to issue the
citations.
(Opponent) Our
local businesses are not neighbor friendly.
(Barnes) The local businesses generously contribute to
functions
sponsored by the town in the form of food and beverages.
The town cannot regulate the customer
relations of businesses.
(Opponent)
Meanwhile our representative does nothing to address these concerns.
(Barnes) We have and are working diligently with these
concerns by
going through the neighborhood and bringing these problems to the
attention of
the Town administration, police department and code enforcement.
THIS INFORMATION IS TRUE TO
THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE FROM BEING THERE ALL THE TIME -- NOT JUST SOME
OF THE
TIME
I ask that you
continue to trust
my judgment across the board for you and myself with the help of
Councilman
Wiggers.
Yes,
if you believe the "Government to
be, of the people, by the people, and for
the people," vote your conscious on Wednesday, May 11th.