Preview: Commissioners Weigh in on Letter Sent to Other Counties by Citizens Group

Commissioners Doug Howard and Richard Rothschild told Patch that the letter sent to other counties by the newly formed group Citizens United for Carroll County (CUCC) is neither accurate nor effective.

CUCC sent a letter to 20 other Maryland counties warning them that the Carroll County commissioners embrace extreme political views, specifically regarding PlanMaryland, the state's controversial sustainable growth plan. In the letter, CUCC encourages other counties to distance themselves from Carroll County's leadership so as not to appear to condone what it called the county leadership's extreme views. 

According to Howard and Rothschild, the group is politically motivated and not interested in making real change. 

"We have a lot of people that come in and offer dissenting opinions," Howard said. "We treat them with respect and listen to them and answer them and there have even been some comments that have swayed our thinking. We respond to just about every e-mail. We are about as accessible as you can be."

Howard continued, "What good does it do to send a letter to other counties telling them that this board is not reflecting the mainstream of Carroll County? First it’s not true and second, what exactly is Queen Anne’s County supposed to do with that? This is not the way to do it."

Want to know more? Check Patch later today for a full story.