Politics & Government

Aberdeen City Council Members Back Bennett

The four council members will soon know if they will serve with Mayor Michael Bennett or Patrick McGrady over the next four years.

With elections in Aberdeen one week away, four City Council members—running unopposed—are backing fellow incumbent Mayor Michael Bennett over challenger Patrick McGrady.

City Council members Bruce Garner, Ruth Ann Young, Sandra Landbeck and Ruth Elliott have all said they want Bennett to serve a third consecutive term, which would last four years because of the charter amendment the council passed last year.

“I’m concerned that Mr. McGrady doesn’t always do his homework, and I hope we’re always going to need somebody to do their homework. We can’t base government on good guesses,” Young said.

McGrady’s campaign website states he will restructure government and find private sector solutions to lower water rates and maintain roads and sidewalks. It also states that McGrady would find ways to lower property taxes.

McGrady will be speaking at a town hall meeting at the Aberdeen Library on Tuesday at 6 p.m. He invites people with questions about the details of his campaign platform to attend.

The mayor holds only one vote on a five-member council. If McGrady wins, he would have to convince the majority of the council to pass ordinances and resolutions that differ from Bennett’s principles.

“I’ve talked to some of the City Council people and they agree with me on these points, some of them,” said McGrady. “Some of them think that the city has been spending more money than they should be and they’re tired of fighting the fight internally.”

Garner said the operations of this current council “runs as smooth as silk” and highlighted the business that Ripken Stadium brings to Aberdeen. The council recently voted to that were used to construct the stadium, city hall and the city shop building.

“The rapport we have with them now is incredible. The council and myself have worked real hard to work on our relation. We so we deal directly with Ripken baseball. We’ve had two meetings with Cal [Ripken] Sr., and he’s listening to us. There’s a lot of stuff on the horizon that is good for the city,” said Garner.

Garner said he currently can’t release details of future plans because Ripken Stadium officials would make such announcements.

McGrady has said he is

“I, for one, am very glad that I can work with a group of people where someone doesn’t always have to be the lead dog—doesn’t have to be No. 1,” said Landbeck. “We strive to not try to one-up each other.”

“I don’t see anyone on that council that has an agenda. We’re here to do the work of the citizens of Aberdeen, and that’s all we’re concerned about,” Bennett said.

Bennett said that a legislative high point for this council was passing a code of conduct for elected officials. The ordinance states that elected officials cannot give orders to city employees beyond the government’s hierarchical structure or threaten them with disciplinary action for expressing opposing views. Also, officials are supposed to make it clear when they are speaking on behalf of themselves or the city.

“At council meetings there’s not a lot of attendance,” said Bennett. “That says either one of two things. Either people are apathetic or we’re doing our job and people are satisfied with the job we’re doing. The people of Aberdeen have never been apathetic about anything. This community will let you know in a heartbeat if we do something wrong.”


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