Former Emmitsburg commissioner files to run again
Aug. 8—A former Emmitsburg commissioner filed Tuesday to run for an open seat on the town's Board of Commissioners.
Glenn Blanchard, a teacher in Frederick County Public Schools, said Tuesday in a phone interview he filed to run for the seat currently held by Commissioner Joe Ritz, who is not running for another term.
Blanchard previously served on the Board of Commissioners from 2005 to 2013, and, after resigning and a brief break due to health issues, served again from 2013 to 2019.
Blanchard lost an election for Board of Commissioners in 2019. He and Elizabeth Buckman lost to T.J. Burns and Frank Davis in a race for two seats.
This year's Emmitsburg election, on Sept. 26, is for one commission seat and for mayor.
Current Mayor Donald Briggs is not seeking another term.
Two current town commissioners have filed to run for mayor — Davis and Tim O'Donnell.
The deadline for candidates to submit their applications is Aug. 25.
Deciding to run againA few weeks ago, Blanchard started to debate running after seeing in local news coverage that Ritz did not plan to run again.
"I was, like, going back and forth," Blanchard said.
On Tuesday, Blanchard said, he went to return a DVD of "The Mystery of Picasso," a film about Pablo Picasso, to the Emmitsburg Branch Library, which is in the same building as the town office.
Blanchard said he decided to visit the town office staff upstairs — and began to chat with them about the candidacy paperwork.
"I looked at the paperwork, and I thought, yeah, let's do it," Blanchard said.
"It's one of those things you have to sort of give yourself a push," he added.
Blanchard said he also felt rested from his four years out of town government.
"I've taken some time off. I feel like I could bring some experience to the field," he said.
Blanchard is a teacher at Tuscarora High School. He primarily teaches juniors and seniors modern world history and psychology, he said in a phone interview.
Campaign trailBlanchard said he views the Board of Commissioners as a team.
As for his own ideas, however, he hopes to advocate for local schools to the Board of Education in the county and be mindful of development in Emmitsburg.
Growth should be "controlled" and not overwork existing infrastructure, such as water and sewer, Blanchard said.
Emmitsburg voted this year to raise its water rates 36% a year for five years as it tries to cure a longstanding deficit.
In July, a Board of Commissioners meeting addressed an ongoing question about the water fund — that the town could lend money to the water fund from its general fund.
O'Donnell previously told The Frederick News-Post that he did not believe this was an accounting best practice.
Davis said he was interested in the idea.
"I don't feel like as a new person coming on I would be able to dictate anything to the board members" regarding the loan idea, Blanchard said.
"I would have to work with the other town commissioners and go, 'What is best for the town?'" he said.
Blanchard said he will walk the neighborhoods and talk to people as he campaigns.
"I mean that's the biggest thing, being a teacher or someone in politics, your ability to sit and listen," he said.
