Walkersville candidates talk development, business at town forum

Apr. 16—Development, business and public safety were the central topics of a Walkersville forum on Saturday, where four candidates running to fill former Commissioner Michael Bailey's vacant seat pitched themselves to voters.

Though the candidates largely agreed on topics like residential and industrial development, they had varying ideas on how to execute other ideas.

The four candidates are Betsey Whitmore Brannen, Chris Ragen, David Toohey and Bob Yoder.

The election is on Tuesday, April 18. Polls will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m at Town Hall.

The winner will finish Bailey's term, which runs through Sept. 13, 2024.

After the candidates introduced themselves, forum moderator Mike Kuster asked how they would bring in new businesses to Walkersville.

Most of the candidates emphasized a need to attract businesses into existing buildings before constructing new ones.

They also said Walkersville residents need to frequent local restaurants and shops more to support existing businesses.

Brannen recommended lowering taxes and water fees to entice new businesses, then connecting them with local realtors to convince them to set up shop.

Yoder said Walkersville needs to develop the buildings in town and revitalize their storefronts.

Ragen took a cooler approach to the question, saying residents are slow to visit existing businesses in Walkersville, and warning that adding more businesses means more residential developments.

"If you want to keep a small town, you have to keep within your means," Ragen said. "You can't add more businesses."

Toohey applauded the work of the town's Economic Development Committee, saying he would work with them to further support local businesses.

The forum's second question on whether the candidates support residential or commercial rezoning received a more unified response — a resounding "no."

They also maintained that Walkersville needs to keep its agricultural buffer around town.

"I'd like to maintain the Walkersville way of life," said Toohey. "Agricultural background, cornfields [and] quiet, dark skies."

Brannen called attention to town ordinances that restrict the growth commissioners can legally allow, tying their hands.

Yoder said he was "opposed to taking agricultural land and changing it over to residential or commercial."

Ragen used his response to sound off concerns about Walkersville's infrastructure, calling attention to traffic on Md. 194. He said the town's roads can't support the development it already has, let alone new development.

Candidates had more varied responses to a question on building Walkersville residents' trust in elected officials and governmental processes.

Yoder said the first step to building residents' trust in government is ensuring residents can watch meetings virtually and not miss out on anything. He referenced troubles he's had with streaming the meetings, which include lags and long buffer times.

Toohey said commissioners have to be responsive and available to residents, whether in person or over email.

Brannen went a step further, floating the idea of holding commissioner office hours for town residents to stop by and chat or ask questions.

She also suggested commissioners share email addresses and social media pages with residents.

Ragen floated the idea of hosting workshops that break down individual functions of government to interested residents. He, too, emphasized availability over social media, calling email outdated and direct messaging a quicker communication method.

Lastly, Kuster asked candidates what they thought was the most important issue and how they planned to address it.

Infrastructure was a prominent issue for Ragen and Yoder, with Ragen returning to his call for improved roads and Yoder warning about state requirements for stormwater drainage systems.

At the tail end of his answer, Yoder brought up public safety. He supported the idea of getting Walkersville its own police department and parting with the state police that currently serve the town.

Brannen was hesitant to fully endorse a Walkersville police department, but said its worth considering.

She recommended addressing her primary issue of public safety by creating more safe opportunities for younger residents to socialize, suggesting lights for basketball courts and longer library hours.

Toohey said a new police department would be more expensive than relying on Maryland State Police, as the town does now.

"I think we need to find ways where we can support the troopers to make their job a little easier," Toohey said.

The forum ended with closing statements from candidates and an opportunity for them to mingle with attendees.

Walkersville residents Ed Smarsh, 76, and Judy Smarsh, 74, said they were largely pleased with the candidates' responses.

Both were hesitant to endorse a police department, but agreed with candidates' pitches about bringing businesses to unoccupied buildings in Walkersville.

Judy Smarsh said she was unsure of how curbing development would pan out for the town.

"I hope that there's no big growth, but a town cannot stay stagnant either," Judy Smarsh said. "Woodsboro tried that for a long time. There's no growth, nobody coming in. We are what we are, and if you don't grow, you shrink."