Westminster to be Capital for a Day
Governor, state and federal officials to tour city
By Charles Schelle
cschelle@patuxent.com
Posted 4/20/09
This story has been updated.
Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) will visit Westminster Friday and proclaim the city as Maryland’s capital for the day.
"I think it’s going to be a great day for Westminster and for Carroll County," Westminster Mayor Tom Ferguson said, adding that the designation is "neat." "I'm thrilled that the governor has made this a stop for his Capital For a Day program."
O’Malley is in his third year with the Capital for a Day program in which he conducts business in a Maryland city with the capital distinction. It is similar to an initiative by former governor Robert Ehrlich.
“The biggest focus for the whole series is to really represent Maryland as it is, with its diversity,” said Shaun Adamec, spokesman for the governor’s office.
Westminster will be the governor's first stop in 2009 for the program, and an event caused it to be moved up in the schedule, according to an e-mail Ashley Valis of intergovernmental affairs sent to Carroll County Commissioners and the Carroll County Delegation to the General Assembly.
"The governor was invited to join the new (U.S. Department of Agriculture) Sec. Tom Vilsack at an event at a local farm, and so we decided to make the entire day a (Capital For a Day) event,"
In similar stops in eight Maryland cities during 2008, O’Malley toured the towns and talked to local residents, merchants and officials, planted trees and touted initiatives. In a stop in Hagerstown, his cabinet members spread throughout the county to talk to officials, according to a report in The Herald-Mail.
O’Malley’s cabinet are also encouraged to meet with their local counterparts throughout the county and to make their own Capital for a Day schedule, Adamec said.
Tentative stops for the governor include signing an extension of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program with Vilsack at the farm of Richard Soper Jr. on Warfieldsburg Road, a walk down Main Street and a cabinet meeting featuring a question-and-answer session.
Ferguson said he is eager to tell the governor and his staff about the accomplishments of Westminster and show how state money is being used around Westminster, especially down Main Street.
"I think he’s going to be pleased with that," he said.
Ferguson said he will also take the opportunity to share with the governor some issues the city is facing and how the state can help.
"Adequate water is a big issue," he said. "We have some ideas of some long-term solutions that we would like to share with the governor and his cabinet."
Ferguson said he also wants to see how the a new high-speed fiber optic communication line called the Carroll County Public Network could play into federal and state technology stimulus plans. The line is to connect communications for for county schools, government, libraries, emergency services and Carroll Community College, as well as a tool to boost economic development.
"We think that long-term it is going to be a vast improvement for communications up here," he said.
Adamec said stops at the Cranberry Wastewater Treatment Plant grand opening at 9 a.m. and the King Park ribbon cutting at 3:30 p.m. have not been finalized. Ferguson said he expects a Maryland Department of the Environment official to tour the treatment plant in place of the governor due to scheduling.
Adamec added that the agenda usually changes up to the day of the event.
Governor's tentative agenda
11 a.m. to noon: Tree planting, press event and signing of Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program at farm of Richard Soper Jr., 523 Warfieldsburg Road, Westminster. U.S. Department of Agriculture Sec. Tom Vilsack will also attend.
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.: Walk down Main Street Westminster
1:30 to 2 p.m.: Closed cabinet meeting with the governor, The Forum at Decker College Center, McDaniel College, 2 College Hill (Visitor parking is available adjacent to Harrison House.)
2:15 to 2:30 p.m.: Presentation of local issues to the governor and cabinet by Mayor Tom Ferguson, Commissioner President Julia Gouge and Sen. Larry Haines (R-Dist. 5), Carroll County delegation chairman at McDaniel College (Open to public.)
2:30 to 3 p.m. Questions and answers with all elected officials and proclamation of Capital For a Day at McDaniel College (Open to public.)
Source: Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Check throughout the week for updates to the agenda.
Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) will visit Westminster Friday and proclaim the city as Maryland’s capital for the day.
"I think it’s going to be a great day for Westminster and for Carroll County," Westminster Mayor Tom Ferguson said, adding that the designation is "neat." "I'm thrilled that the governor has made this a stop for his Capital For a Day program."
O’Malley is in his third year with the Capital for a Day program in which he conducts business in a Maryland city with the capital distinction. It is similar to an initiative by former governor Robert Ehrlich.
“The biggest focus for the whole series is to really represent Maryland as it is, with its diversity,” said Shaun Adamec, spokesman for the governor’s office.
Westminster will be the governor's first stop in 2009 for the program, and an event caused it to be moved up in the schedule, according to an e-mail Ashley Valis of intergovernmental affairs sent to Carroll County Commissioners and the Carroll County Delegation to the General Assembly.
"The governor was invited to join the new (U.S. Department of Agriculture) Sec. Tom Vilsack at an event at a local farm, and so we decided to make the entire day a (Capital For a Day) event,"
In similar stops in eight Maryland cities during 2008, O’Malley toured the towns and talked to local residents, merchants and officials, planted trees and touted initiatives. In a stop in Hagerstown, his cabinet members spread throughout the county to talk to officials, according to a report in The Herald-Mail.
O’Malley’s cabinet are also encouraged to meet with their local counterparts throughout the county and to make their own Capital for a Day schedule, Adamec said.
Tentative stops for the governor include signing an extension of the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program with Vilsack at the farm of Richard Soper Jr. on Warfieldsburg Road, a walk down Main Street and a cabinet meeting featuring a question-and-answer session.
Ferguson said he is eager to tell the governor and his staff about the accomplishments of Westminster and show how state money is being used around Westminster, especially down Main Street.
"I think he’s going to be pleased with that," he said.
Ferguson said he will also take the opportunity to share with the governor some issues the city is facing and how the state can help.
"Adequate water is a big issue," he said. "We have some ideas of some long-term solutions that we would like to share with the governor and his cabinet."
Ferguson said he also wants to see how the a new high-speed fiber optic communication line called the Carroll County Public Network could play into federal and state technology stimulus plans. The line is to connect communications for for county schools, government, libraries, emergency services and Carroll Community College, as well as a tool to boost economic development.
"We think that long-term it is going to be a vast improvement for communications up here," he said.
Adamec said stops at the Cranberry Wastewater Treatment Plant grand opening at 9 a.m. and the King Park ribbon cutting at 3:30 p.m. have not been finalized. Ferguson said he expects a Maryland Department of the Environment official to tour the treatment plant in place of the governor due to scheduling.
Adamec added that the agenda usually changes up to the day of the event.
Governor's tentative agenda
11 a.m. to noon: Tree planting, press event and signing of Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program at farm of Richard Soper Jr., 523 Warfieldsburg Road, Westminster. U.S. Department of Agriculture Sec. Tom Vilsack will also attend.
12:30 to 1:30 p.m.: Walk down Main Street Westminster
1:30 to 2 p.m.: Closed cabinet meeting with the governor, The Forum at Decker College Center, McDaniel College, 2 College Hill (Visitor parking is available adjacent to Harrison House.)
2:15 to 2:30 p.m.: Presentation of local issues to the governor and cabinet by Mayor Tom Ferguson, Commissioner President Julia Gouge and Sen. Larry Haines (R-Dist. 5), Carroll County delegation chairman at McDaniel College (Open to public.)
2:30 to 3 p.m. Questions and answers with all elected officials and proclamation of Capital For a Day at McDaniel College (Open to public.)
Source: Office of Intergovernmental Affairs
Check throughout the week for updates to the agenda.
user comments (4)
user rockothemagnificent says...
Tell O'Malley to stay out of Carroll County all together. We don't need him declaring Westminster to be the "Capital for a Day." We do not need him spouting his nonsense in our great county. Stay in your Annapolis dreamworld Martin and leave us alone.
Posted 8:31 AM, 04.21.09
user scottpet says...
I think it's great that O'Malley get's out of Annapolis to come listen to real concerns from real people. Like him or not, it's more than any other governor has done for westminster or carroll county
Posted 11:38 AM, 04.21.09
user rubicon says...
I am a Westminster resident and I think it's great that we are going to get this type of exposure. I wish we could have more.
Posted 12:12 PM, 04.21.09
user ravens1 says...
This is awesome, there are a lot of great things going on here in Westminster, and we'll have a chance to show the state. This is the most exposure we've gotten in a long time Go Ravens!
Posted 3:46 PM, 04.21.09
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Way to go Chris!!!!!!
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