Recent stories regarding funding for our school system raise concerns that parents, educators and all members of our community need to note.
 
 In articles published November 30, we discovered that an enrollment “typo” has cut our student aid from the state this year by $2.4 million.
 
 Plus, Delegate Casper Taylor set the stage for another year of limping along on next to nothing with comments regarding the state’s funding formula and Allegany County’s ability to secure much needed state money.
 
 It is clear that our school system will not see the influx of funds it truly needs. In noting that our student aid would be cut, Mr. Taylor announced that the funding was not money to which the county was entitled anyway.
 
 The argument could be made that we weren’t entitled to $1.3 million in funding for Mr. Taylor’s amphitheater last year, either, but we got it. One must wonder what would take place if our delegation stepped in and addressed the current situation - would that money be restored, even in part?
 
 Possibly. It certainly couldn’t hurt. But since we’re not “entitled” to that money, apparently that won’t happen.
 
 Mr. Taylor also noted in his comments on our school system that the School Board needs to let him know how much money they will need this year “to balance their budget without substantially degrading education.”
 
 Is he serious? We’re already “substantially degraded.” We have the honor of having the lowest paid teachers in the state, libraries that are an embarrassment and next to no teaching materials. The fact that our schools continue to shine is somewhat amazing - but how much longer can our system continue in this fashion?
 
 Fully 40% of our teaching staff will be eligible for retirement within the next five years. How can we recruit teachers of the quality of those leaving when our pay is as low as it is and competition for teachers is creating a crisis in education throughout the country?
 
 Today, at this moment, our school system’s budget is at its own crisis point. The system literally has no money; it’s actually $30,000 in the hole for this school year, with no money in the reserve fund.
 
 Mr. Taylor noted in the paper that the school system will “only get the amount that the (current state funding) formula allows” this year. If the board of education wants more, he said, they’ll need to change the state’s funding formula.
 
 What does that mean? If our board (along with the boards of other improvershed systems in the state) wants to change the funding formula in order to get what the system needs instead of begging for a cash influx every year, they’re on their own? What’s the delegation for if not to work to improve meaningful state support of our community?
 
 Mr. Taylor’s statement makes sense, however, given his history in regard to our school system. In the same article of November 30, Mr. Taylor boasted that last year had he known what the school board truly needed from the Governor’s supplemental budget, he could have gotten it.
 
 So instead of getting $1 million with strings attached preventing school consolidation, we could have gotten $2 million.
 
 The message here seems to be that we can get the money we need if our need fits Mr. Taylor’s grand plan - and last year, that plan involved stopping the consolidation of our schools. But if the funding is just to operate or - dare we say it - improve our schools, forget it. He’s not interested.
 
 Mr. Taylor was able to secure millions to fund the Rocky Gap Lodge and Golf Resort. And he no doubt will prove just as successful in grabbing state moneys to fund his $10 million amphitheater.
 
 But our schools - the adequate funding of which could be the catalyst for true economic development in our county - will continue to struggle. Mr. Taylor recently bragged to the Baltimore Sun that he had secured $400 million in funding for Western Maryland projects over the past 24 months.
 
 Too bad our schools got so little of that money. Apparently, that’s not about to change.
 
 Sincerely,
 Kimi-Scott McGreevy
 
 
 11/30/00
 

Petitions to stop the Rickman / Taylor horse racing/gambling facility in Little Orleans are now being circulated. We will have volunteers at all the area shopping areas asking for signatures. The petition can also be signed at Valentine Plbg & Htg on Evitts Creek Dr. off the Industrial Blvd. If any are business, or group would like a copy of the petion, stop at my office, or generate one on your computer. Please use the following format :
 
 We the under-signed,wish to express our opposition to the construction of a horse racing / O.T.B./ gambling facilty at Little Orleans Maryland Signature Printed name - Full address
 
 Please keep signatures from Allegany County on a seperate page from those from outside the County-but ALL signatures are welcome and needed. I will need the petitions by Dec. 1 so that I can have them ready to present to the Delegation at the Legislative breakfast hosted by the Chamber of Commerce in early Dec. We DO, however, want to continue getting signatures until mid Jan., when the petitions will be presented to the Racing Commission. PERHAPS, they will see, and heed, the will of the citizens. If not, the petitions should give them a good idea of the number of votes against them next election. We need a united effort,from across the County to succeed. The citizens of Little Orleans intend to stop this travesty, but need everyone's help. The time for words with no action is over. Stand up-sign the petitions-help circulate the petitions-help win Allegany County back for the Citizens!
 
 - B.V., Little Orleans
 11/18/00

I feel it is imperative that ALL political leaders work TOGETHER for the growth of Allegany & Garrett County. Now is the time for TRUE honesty, hard work, and a focused effort to bring real jobs to the Western Maryland area. Let's put personal feelings aside, partisan feelings aside, and bring much needed jobs!!! Tourism is a good by product, but real jobs are the issue at hand. We need a future for our kids!!!
 
 -T.M., Cumberland
 11/22/00

My husband and I are planning to move to Cumberland from Brooklyn in early 2001. Your website just confirmed the decision in my mind. In addition to inexpensive houses, lots of history, great architecture and beautiful country, now I'm sure that Cumberland has active, concerned citizens who discuss issues and listen to all points of view.
 
 Someone from Cumberland Online gave me your site. I'm also a free-lance writer, and fortunately, I'll be able to keep my major clients. We look forward in participating in your forums as residents of Allegany County very soon!
 
 - L.D.L., Brooklyn, NY
 11/17/00

On Thurs., Nov.16, Gov. Glendenning will be receiving an award national award from Harvard University for his Smart Growth initiatives. This is the same Gov. that wants to destroy the rural setting of Little Orleans with a horse racing/gambling facility. Smart Growth is all about building only in previously developed areas,with existing municipal water and sewer facilities. Little Orleans is a rural area, 16 miles from the nearest municipal facilities. Wouldn't it be a shame, if dozens of concerned citizens found the E mail address to the presenters of this award (innovations@harvard.edu) and exposed this hypocracy! I believe the Emporer SHOULD be seen with-out his clothing! I would like o see lots of letters sent telling the tale of Glendenning's push to destroy Little Orleans. It is time to hold our political leaders responsible for their actions and their promises. I also think it is interesting, that Kevin Kelly, while campaigning in 98, was asked about horse racing and gambling. He said he was strictly oppossed to either being established in Allegany County. Wonder what changed his mind so fast??
 
 -B.V., Little Orleans
 
 11/15/00

I would like to commend the mayor and city council and the city employees who organized the recent community forum discussing the limited reopening of the mall to vehicular traffic. The evening was a very interesting interchange of pros and cons regarding the matter.
 
 I certainly appreciate the fears and anxieties expressed by those who were contemplating the proposed change. I would like to address some of the concerns and fears expressed by the gathering in hopes that it might spur some further brainstorming and lead to some progress in resolving this dilemma.
 
 What the assemblage seemed to agree on was that although the current mall is an aesthetically beautiful area to visit and serves as a pretty backdrop for ocassional festivals, most of the businesses on the mall do not prosper as well as they desire. If beauty was the only component to having a successful business the downtown merchants would all be billionaires. The disagreement between the parties seemed to center on as how best to increase business traffic without losing the aesthetic charm of the mall.
 
 Most of the comments seemed to suggest that customer accessibility was not a problem but instead poor business practices and/or signage were the culprits. A comment was made that it was incumbent upon local folks to undertake more personal responsibility to patronize downtown merchants, as if perhaps it was the uncharitable customer who deserved blame for the downtown‚s demise.
 
 The city of Copenhagen, Denmark was cited as an example of a closed pedestrian mall that has succeeded. Indeed it has. Copenhagen, for those who may have forgotten, is a city with a metropolitan population of about 1.5 million inhabitants, and is the national capital, industrial and commercial center of a small European country, with a great public transportation system.
 
 Cumberland however is a continually shrinking, but ever optimistic city of about 24,000 inhabitants, with no large urban universities and a very small white collar economy, which does not come close fulfilling any of the other aforementioned characteristics of a large European urban center.
 
 The heavily anticipated seasonal tourist traffic to be derived from Canal Place (about four years away) will spend their money where it is convenient, not where they are "supposed" to. Everyday local customers are usually a downtown‚s bread and butter. After the evening‚s meeting was over one of the astute downtown businessmen later mentioned that if competing retailers open up businesses in the new Canal Place area the downtown merchants are once again going to lose out, big time. Why? Because people shop where they have access.
 
 The recent opening of the Rollings Mills shopping area (the new Martin's complex) has shown that new businesses can succeed in the downtown area if they are accessible. All of those same businesses had the option of locating on the downtown mall, but they wisely chose not to. Why? As difficult as the Rolling Mills area is to access, it is more accessible than the downtown mall, and has a lot more free parking available, which is the intent behind the proposed limited reopening of the mall.
 
 Several recent new business owners testified that they moved to the area because of the attraction of the closed-up mall due to its park-like atmosphere. I have heard a lot of other former business owners (emphasis upon former) who held those same hopes and aspirations. I certainly hope that the current crop of new enthusiastic business owners do not meet the same untimely demise as their predecessors who assumed that customers will knock down their doors because of being located inside a park (which some prefer to call a "pedestrian mall").
 
 Some other commentary involved persons who lived downtown and didn't want their "front yards" messed up. I would like to ask that if downtown living were so obviously attractive to others, wouldn't there be a huge demand for housing there instead of hundred of unoccupied living units? Not everyone is cut out for high density city living. Assuming that just because a few people like it does not necessarily conclude that it is a desirable choice for many. That‚s why suburban housing for those who can afford it is much more popular than inner city dwelling.
 
 How many residents would move from the downtown mall if there was increased limited traffic? I can‚t imagine there would be a major exodos. Maybe even more persons would choose to live downtown if there was more variety in available merchants. I think both parties interests can be satisfied in this matter with some compromising.
 
 There also seemed to be a lot of hand-wringing over the projected $15,000 cost and how unfair it would be to the taxpayer. That $15 grand amounts to about seventy-five cents per inhabitant of the city, about the cost of a soda pop. With $250 million to be spent on Canal Place, and $50 million on the Rocky Gap Resort and $10 million on the associated amphitheater, why are we so worked up over $15 thousand? Considering the return on this investment to be at least one thousand dollars per merchant per month, it think it could be money well spent. If necessary other sources of federal funding certainly can be explored.
 
 I just returned from a shopping trip to the very popular White Marsh "Avenue". Its design is touted as the "new wave" in retailing. It mimics the downtowns from the days of yore, and guess what, it includes a MAIN STREET with PARKING! What a novel concept! There were thousands of people there, shopping! Look at Annapolis, Ellicott City and Bedford PA for other examples of accessible downtowns. Sure Hagerstown is having a tough time right now, but think of how much worse it would be if they shut down their Main Street!
 
 The point is this: Is it likely for the downtown business district do much worse by opening it to limited traffic? If closing streets to traffic was such a great idea, why don‚t we close more streets? In fact, a fair question might be why don‚t we close all of Cumberland to traffic if the downtown mall is so successful? Could it be that both improved business practices and accessibility are needed to revive the mall?
 
 I hope this perspective will contribute to the positive conversation regarding reopening the mall. I believe that the more ideas expressed about the matter the greater is the likelihood that something constructive will come out of it.
 
 One such very positive suggestion expressed that evening by Shirley Gioritta was to change the name from the Cumberland Mall to the Cumberland Market Place. If the matter can be kept focused on solving the problem as it was during the recent forum, instead of attacking individuals on a personal level, I think the entire community will profit. I wish both sides well in solving this dilemma.
 
 
 Respectfully submitted,
 
 Frank J. Clark
 
 10/30/00

The people of Little Orleans are under seige by Bill Rickman,and his political allies. He has deep pockets which can pay for campaigns and favors!We need a public out-cry against this travesty!Did you know:
  (1)The reason for the new law allowing an additional racing license
  (a) Glendenning is angered over DiFrancis' backing of Saurbrey
 (b) Glendenning wants competition in racing in Md.
  In either scenerio,Rickman MUST get the license!
  (2) Rickman paid $650,000 for his 120 acre farm in Feb.,the law allowing an additional track wasn't passed until April
  (3) Rickman has boasted that if his track is chosen,he will fund the Rocky Gap ampitheater
  (4) The County Zoning board heard over 5 hours of testimony the
 night of the Orleans hearing,and received hundreds of pages of evidence,yet made their decision in just 15 minutes. The Frostburg hearing lasted under 2 hours,but the decision was delayed for days
 so they could check the evidence. Sound like equal justice??
  (5) Over 275 heads-of-households in an area with just 292 mailing addresses signed a petition against the track-it has fallen on deaf ears.
  (6) We have official documents showing that Rickman's hydrogeological report was false and mis-leading. He failed to include the wells of any adjoining properties. Not even his own well was in his report. Why?? Because 42% of the water sources with-in 3,000 feet of the projected sight failed just last year! FORTY TWO PERCENT!!
 
  Some will say the Orleans stance is just another example of "NIMBY" I am PROUD to protect my home! When thugs invade your home,you fight them! The thugs in this case are Rickman,and our elected officials! If you have any delusions about the fine jobs offered by Rickman,the please go to:www.Delpark.com. Look at the jobs and pay offered at his other track-the track where he netted $110,000,000 last year! We need a PUBLIC OUT-CRY!We NEED to take our government back!Please contact the County Commissioners, our delegates,the Racing Commission,and tell them in no un-certain terms "NO RACE TRACK IN LITTLE ORLEANS!!
 
 -B.V., Little Orleans
 
 10/17/00
 
 

Where were Cas Taylor, Kevin Kelly and John Hafer?? They are the ones that dumped this in our laps. They seem anxious to give interviews on the matter OUTSIDE of area,but ran,and stuck their heads in the sand rather than speak to those that they supposedly represent!

Where were the County Commissioners?? Where were Cumb's Mayor & City Council?? Why did not one elected official,other than John Bambacus,let their views known to the public??

I felt embarrassed by our "leaders" With cowards like these in office,is there any question why our area has so many problems??I have no respect for anyone that isn't willing to let their views be heard! I commend all of those citizens who spoke before the Commission,even those who's views were in opposition to my own.This is one of the larger propositions faced by this area in a long time. It has the potential to split this county apart-those opposing gambling against those looking for jobs and entertainment. WHERE THE HELL WERE OUR"LEADERS??? I hope they all decide to pull the same hiding act when election time arrives.If you can't stand up,and face the music,get the Hell out of office!

-B.V., Little Orleans

To the elected officials of Allegany County

Cas, have you ever stopped to think what life is like here for people just coming out of college. There are no jobs that provide for a solid future in this area, and most of us are forced to leave. Why don't you put some younger people on the Economic Development Task Force. I am not talking about young people that are relatives or friends of yours, like everyone else that you have appointed so far. I am talking about young people that have a vested interest in the long term viability of this area. You know, the time when you hope that every building and structure in the County bears your name in one way or another. Like, The Cas Taylor Memorial Ampitheatre, The Cas Taylor Memorial Golf Course and Lodge, or Cas Taylor High School in Flintstone, Maryland. I hate to burst you bubble Cas, but instead of helping this area, you are the main reason why we are so far behind the times.

I charge all elected officials in this area to stand up against Cas, like Tim Woodring, Judy Thelen, and Moose Arnone have done, and do what you know is right. We as citizens elected you to work for us, not for Cas. If you cannot find the guts to do that, I ask that you not run for re-election, and make room for those who will.

By the way Cas, feel free to call me for the Economic Development Task Force, and if I were you, I would start packing up my office, because you are not going to be in office much longer.

- Chad W. Fornwalt
Cumberland Resident not worried about Cas Taylor retaliation.
9/25/00