We hope to become your new source of news, information and features about the people and places in the greater Olney area,
by Judith Hruz
Editor
Three candidates running for three different offices in Montgomery County agreed on one issue: equal treatment and opportunities for all.
At a candidate forum sponsored by the Sandy Spring Civic Association and the Ashton Alliance on Oct. 18 — the second of a series of forums planned through spring – a candidate for county executive, a candidate for an at-large seat on the County Council and one for state’s attorney ticked off a laundry list of services and opportunities that all Montgomery residents should have.
Pre-kindergarten, affordable housing, fair business practices and reforming the juvenile justice system so there is no longer a disproportionate number of people of color in detention were just a few.
Businessman David Blair, a Democrat running for county executive, said Montgomery County must have universal pre-kindergarten, an opportunity to leave county public schools prepared for a career, equal access to health care, and fewer regulations and roadblocks to allow for more business development.
Blair ran for the same office in 2018, coming just 79 votes short of winning the Democratic Primary.
Laurie-Anne Sayles, a Gaithersburg City Council member who is seeking a seat on the County Council, said she has worked for social justice and believes the county must have programs dedicated to small businesses, with access to those programs and adequate resources to succeed.
The Democrat, who ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the Maryland House of Delegates from District 17 in 2016, was elected to the City Council in 2017.
Tom DeGonia, a private-practice attorney who is a former county assistant state’s attorney, is a candidate for Montgomery County state’s attorney, said he will work for racial equity and assign prosecutors to police stations to work with the community.
“A myriad of well-thought-out questions were asked from the community that have significant implications for the future of the county —racial and social justice equity, Thrive 50, environmental and socioeconomic development,” said Dr. Daryl Thorne, president of the Sandy Spring civic group. “As the reality of redistricting is imminent, the 2022 local election is more important than ever. This makes the Sandy Spring Civic Association and Ashton Alliance Candidate Forum a powerful community platform for voter involvement. Community education before entering the polls is key.”
She added, “Each forum seems to flow better than the last, I attribute much of last night’s success to our moderator, Michelle Graham. She did a fantastic job negotiating the questions, commentary and rhythm between the candidates.”
Thorne has continually stressed the importance of engaging the community in issues of local importance, including candidates seeking elected office.
The civic association also wants to ensure the candidates understand what issues are important to the community.
The forum was held via Zoom with about 10 civic association officers and others inside Ross Boddy Community Recreation Center with the candidates.
Upcoming forums will be held Nov. 15 and again in February, March, April and May.
David Blair
Blair was born in Montgomery County, went to school in the county, and started and grew a business in the county.
“I have been active in our business, civic and nonprofit communities for decades — devoted to making our county a better place,” he says on this campaign website.
Blair said the county needs strong, collaborative leadership. He said he believes in empowering local community leaders.
He also believes the county has too many regulations and fees that slow or prohibit the business community from starting or growing.
He stressed the diversity of Montgomery County and the importance of using that diversity to move forward.
That diversity is our strength, not a weakness,” he said.
“Whatever our differences, we all want the same thing,” he says on his website. “A good job with good wages and a chance to move up or a business of our own. A decent home to live in, with safe streets and equal justice for all. A quality school system to enable our kids the best of chances to realize their full potential. A place to grow old with dignity.”
For more, visit www.blairformontgomery.com.
Laurie-Anne Sayles
Sayles, elected to the Gaithersburg City Council in 2017, became the first African American council member in the city.
Her platform can be summed up by the acronym SMART:
Strengthening 21st century learning from cradle to career;
Making a living in Montgomery County more affordable;
Advancing sustainable local food production in the Ag Reserve;
Recovering from the pandemic and revitalizing the economy; and
Tackling climate change through multi-modal transportation solutions.
She called herself an activist and organizer who believes leaders must “think outside the box” in revitalizing the economy, particularly small businesses.
Sayles said she has run for office to give voice to the community and believes she knows how to build better relationships.
As a paraeducator and the mother of an MCPS graduate, Sayles said excellent schools are among the reasons she calls Montgomery County home. She served as a board member and liaison, respectively, of the Montgomery County Council of PTAs (MCCPTA) and the NAACP Parent Council at Luxmanor Elementary School, Tilden Middle School and Gaithersburg High School.
For more, visit www.laurieannesayles.org.
Tom DeGonia
DeGonia wants the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office to have a better relationship with the community and believes “everyone deserves justice.”
He said in the first 90 days of taking office, he would evaluate every program to make sure justice is being served and to offer a “more modern approach” to prosecuting cases.
Referring to the former program of assigning police officers to county school, known as School Resource Officers (SRO’s), he said police officers need to know the schools they serve, but are “not necessarily in the schools” at all times.
His key areas include:
Transparency to hold the office accountable;
More accountability for police;
Prosecutors who know their communities;
Breaking what he calls the school-to-prison pipeline;
Increasing diversity in the State’s Attorney’s Office; and
Finding alternatives to jail time.
DeGonia, an Olney resident, is a founding member of the Family Justice Center
For more, visit www.tomdegonia2022.com.
For more on the Sandy Spring Civic Association and its forums, visit www.sandyspringcivic.com or send an email to [email protected].
The information is not intended to be complete coverage of the issues nor an endorsement of any candidate or issue. Elections for county and state offices will be held in 2022. The Primary Election is set for June 28, 2022. The General Election is set for Nov. 8, 2022.
Elections for county and state offices will be held in 2022.