By Ally Lanasa, Staff Writer

(Oct. 1, 2020) With the Berlin municipal election taking place next Tuesday, the five mayoral candidates provided their opinions and plans about town issues, specifically regarding finances and growth in the area.

What is your professional background and your connection to Berlin?

Gee Williams: I was born and raised in Berlin. My wife, Betsy, and I have lived in the town of Berlin for 46 years.  I have spent most of my life here except for the years I attended college and immediately after serving in the U.S. Army Reserve, where I obtained the rank of staff sergeant.

I received my associate degree at Chesapeake College in Wye Mills, and then earned my bachelor of science degree in business and journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park.

For 30 years, I enjoyed a career as a local newspaper journalist serving as a reporter, editor and later publisher.  Since that time — I served the Maryland State Highway Administration as the community relations director for the nine counties of the Eastern Shore. I also worked a number of years as the marketing and development director for the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore.

For the past 12 years, I have devoted my lifetime of experience to serving as the mayor of Berlin. Prior to that I was on the Berlin Town Council for four years.

I started covering the Berlin Mayor and Council as a reporter and editor in 1971.  I have spent a majority of the Monday nights of my life in Town Hall, first reporting on the town of Berlin, and in recent years serving as a town councilman and mayor.

Zackery Tyndall: I was born and raised in the town of Berlin. I am a homeowner, husband and father.

Sixteen years ago, I began a career in public service with the town of Berlin as a cadet in the Berlin Fire Company. Throughout the years, I held positions, including firefighter, EMS lieutenant and paramedic.

I have represented Berlin’s residents and business owners as a town councilmember for the past four years. In this capacity, I have taken a fiscally conservative approach regarding spending on services and infrastructure. I have argued against increased property taxes and annexation. I have also worked to improve financial and management accountability.

Other priorities as a councilmember include improved public safety, equity of services throughout the town of Berlin, and greater support of the business community. I hold a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor of science in management and finance from Salisbury University.

Additional education includes receiving a certificate in managing local governance from the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. Through this program, I obtained additional training on municipal management, budgeting, ethics and policy. I am currently the acting assistant director of the Richard A. Henson Medical Simulation Center at Salisbury University.

Ronald Bireley: I was born and raised in the Berlin area and graduated from Stephen Decatur High School. After graduation, I found employment in a local grocery store. I remained with that organization for several years and then enlisted in the United States Army.

I served on active duty for eight and a half years, of which two years found me deployed in the Republic of South Vietnam. [During my] first tour, my unit was assigned to Dong Ha, just south of the demilitarized zone at what was called the Marine Quadrangle.

On my return to Southeast Asia, I was assigned to the Regional Forces and Popular Forces as an adviser. After I returned to the United States, I received my discharge. At that time, I had attained the rank of captain. I returned to Berlin and secured a position with the same supermarket that I had worked with before my enlistment.

I remained with that firm for a year and then enrolled at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne, where I obtained my bachelor of science degree. I then enrolled at the University of Salisbury and obtained my master’s degree in education.

Shortly thereafter, I was hired as administrative director for the Town of Berlin. The staff was small at that time, and I was responsible for planning and finance as well. Five and a half years later, I became employed with the Town of Ocean City as the director of finance. I then ran for the council of the town of Berlin to fill the remaining term of the councilmember who moved from the area. I then ran for mayor of the town and was successful in attaining that position. I ran for reelection but was defeated at the polls.

The individual who became mayor shortly thereafter relocated from the area. I was subsequently voted in to the mayor’s position by the Town Council to fill the remaining portion of that term. At the conclusion of that term, I was hired by the town to serve as the director of finance.

Jennifer Allen: My husband and I purchased our home in 2015. We became full-time residents in 2016,

when we retired. I have 33 years of federal service within the [U.S. Department of Defense]. I was the only civilian department head (head nurse) at the National Naval Medical Center from 1990 to 2009 prior to changing my position to within hospital administration.

At the time of my retirement, I was the deputy assistant chief of staff at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Besides my 46 years as a registered nurse, I have a [bachelor of science degree] in health care management and a [masters] in quality systems management. The [master’s degree] focused on process improvement/redesign, Six Sigma, and project management. With this experience, I was able to work in the transition process of merging an Army and Navy hospital into a Department of Defense facility

The definition of quality is “listening to the voice of the customer.” In the case of Berlin, the customer is its citizens. This is where I think the mayor and the council have fallen short. The citizens are speaking, but the mayor and council are not always listening or trying to come up with a compromise that fits everyone.

By attending council meetings (in person/online) I saw a need for a fresh set of eyes and a new voice in Town Hall. Many people tell me about the good old boy network and how some are treated differently than others. I am indebted to no one! I am running for ALL Berlin citizens!

William “Bill” Todd: My connection to Berlin, I guess, started when I was a child. My earliest memory of Berlin is going to work with my dad, when he was glassing surfboards in the early nineties in a little shop right off Main Street. Growing up in this area, I’ve always loved Berlin for its charm.

I moved here officially about 10 years ago. Professionally, I’ve worked doing many different things. I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty. I’ve also been a radio talk show personality, lead guitarist, but as of recently I’ve been working with Burley Oak Brewing Company and The Globe Gastro Theatre as entertainment director and whatever else needs to be done.

How will you keep taxes stable without growth in town?

Williams: I believe in measured, incremental and sustainable growth for the town of Berlin. Without responsible growth, the citizens of Berlin will face two disturbing alternatives. One would be no increase in taxes ever, which will only guarantee a steady decline in the quality and availability of town services for all citizens, businesses and property owners.  Over time, the cost of services goes up, but does not remain stable or go down.

Or, the second alternative if there is no growth in the supply of homes and apartments availability will stagnate while the demand for those places to live in Berlin will naturally continue to grow.

This will result in an ever-increasing demand for existing residences and the property values and prices of buying homes in our town will become affordable only to the well-to-do. In Berlin, some folks have limited financial means and there also are a few families doing very well financially. Berlin has been, and I trust will continue to be, an overwhelmingly middle-income town. I would never want our Berlin to be a place only for high income residents and lose our desirability as a classic American small town.

Tyndall: If growth is defined as using vacant land within the existing town limits or rezoning properties, I am not opposed. However, I am opposed to growth and development at the expense of the taxpayers of Berlin. As mayor, I will work with all departments, boards, commissions and organizations like the Berlin Fire Company and Worcester County Public Schools to understand the real impact and cost of our community’s growth opportunities.

As a councilmember, I have become increasingly concerned that our property tax base has grown faster than the personal income of many of our residents. During the proposed 20 percent tax increase, I realized that a change this large would be detrimental to many of our residents and businesses.

Therefore, I presented a path forward that did not involve raising taxes while maintaining services and not cutting jobs. As your next mayor, it is important to keep a close eye on the town’s expenses while evaluating alternative revenue opportunities to reduce our town’s dependency on property taxes.

One example of an alternative revenue-producing opportunity can be found in one of our neighboring municipalities where a one percent food and beverage tax has been implemented to help offset the cost of Economic and Community Development. I would like to see similar opportunities evaluated by the mayor and council moving forward.

Bireley: I find it desirable to have modest growth in the community. However if commercial or industrial firms were interested in locating in the town, I am of the opinion we should welcome this type of venture. These type of projects provide employment opportunities as well as a lucrative amount of taxes. Obviously, this would also offset the need to raise taxes.

Allen: Why do you think there will be no growth? We have several annexed properties within town that have yet to be developed. What is stopping the owners from developing? One post-annexation property has a “for sale” sign. Development of these properties will bring in revenue, during the building process, subsequent purchase and finally residence.

For example, there is the large area between Old Ocean City Boulevard and Broad Street where there are plans for apartments, townhomes and single-family homes. Another area is the commercial development planned on North Main Street and Route 50 with a proposed hotel and gas station/convenience store. Development of currently annexed properties will ultimately bring growth and tax dollars.

Todd: My approach would be to take a look at where we may be able to cut costs first. Whoever gets elected this year needs to take a very thorough look through all of the contracts the town currently has and every department’s expenditures. If there is a dollar to be saved, we need to go that route.

The last thing anybody wants is higher taxes, and I sure would not want to do that either. It also seems that you’d be hard pressed to find anybody wanting much more growth to our town. It’s a delicate position to be in for sure. I think tourism does great things for us and with some changes in the way things are done now in regard to short term rentals, I think that could really blossom and everyone could benefit from it.

Would you support any annexations into town? If so, what?

Williams: I have supported annexations into Berlin in the past and will continue to do so when it means putting the right things in the right places. Berlin needs both responsible residential and commercial development.  I do not believe annexing property into our town limits should allow anything to be put anywhere.

I believe strategic annexations along Berlin’s three major growth corridors are right for our community.  I consider our town’s corridors for future growth to be U.S. Route 50, U.S. Route 113 and state Route 346 (Old Ocean City Blvd) that runs east to west between both of these major highways. All three of these roads already are enveloped by existing town borders and are prime for appropriately placed commercial or residential growth.

Regardless of who serves as our county commissioners, now or in the future, if Berlin does not annex these immediately contiguous areas then Worcester County is not likely to turn down the development and corresponding property tax revenue they would receive, for potential growth that is contiguous to our current town borders.

If the town of Berlin does not take responsibility for the type and extent of growth that we believe is good for our residents and property owners, then those decisions legally default to the Worcester County Commissioners. I would much rather that Berlin’s appointed and elected officials continue to make those judgments to annex, or not, any property into our town.

Tyndall: As an elected official, it is my responsibility to represent the interests of the people of Berlin. With Berlin’s current financial position, many of my constituents have voiced their concerns about the impact of annexation on town services.

Without a clear understanding of the cost associated with each annexation and the concerns of those I represent, I have voted against every annexation brought before the mayor and council.

As mayor, I will evaluate each annexation request to determine if there is a better path forward for the people of Berlin. For example, the Town Code allows us to extend water and sewer services to properties without annexation. This will allow the Town of Berlin to charge developers a premium for tapping into our water and sewer services while eliminating the cost of providing other services to these properties.

As your next mayor, I will also work with our planning commission to evaluate our infill growth potential and look at up-zoning/rezoning properties already in town limits. If we move forward with annexation, we must provide a full analysis of services provided to these new properties. We also need to involve the Berlin Fire Company and Worcester County Public Schools to better understand each new annexation’s potential impact.

Bireley: The town does not have an abundance of undeveloped land within the corporate limits and, therefore, is forced to look at properties bordering on the community for larger ventures.

Even if there is no developer currently seeking to locate at this time, it would be prudent for the town to consider annexation in order to be able to control what would eventually locate on that site.

If a property owner would like to develop one of these properties, he could develop the property under Worcester County guidelines and the town would have little control of what type of business could locate there. However, when I was mayor, I was almost successful in securing a hotel to be located on the town boundary.

Such a facility would not be unattractive but would also provide a tidy sum in the amount of taxes rendered to the community. In addition, this type of facility would provide a form of revenue called Room Tax. A very nice addition to the tax base. Even today, this type of business would be desirable.

Allen: Before I can support further annexations, I need to have several questions answered. First, we need a full review of the water and sewerage capacity. We do not currently have the funds to increase the size of the wastewater facility. Next, we need the town people to have more say and not be dictated by the local good old boys’ network and the county.

I agree with [Ron] Cascio’s comments in the recent Dispatch and [Bayside] Gazette articles that the town needs to have a proper discussion regarding growth. And I quote, “It is true that we have the water, power and sewer, but we also have some power.”

If we are unable to do this in a public forum, perhaps we can survey the community members. I would also like to investigate what properties are available within the town that have yet to be developed before we go out and annex more. We should look to develop areas where we already have water and sewer lines. Annexation should benefit the town, not just the developer.

Todd: This is something that I’d take on a case-by-case basis. I know that nobody wants any annexation, but I think it’s important to understand that sometimes it’s not such an ugly thing. Especially if it means protecting what you have. It’s certainly something that we need to make a concerted effort to discuss with the residents and make sure everyone understands the advantages and disadvantages. That being said, I’m a man of the people. If the people don’t want annexation, it won’t happen.

How are you educating yourself about the town’s current financial situation before the election? What is your plan to correct the town’s financial situation, with or without a tax increase?

Williams: The mayor and council took the decisive and hard action last year to increase the property tax rate and the water and sewer rates to correct the town’s financial situation.

The idea that the town of Berlin is in some sort of financial crisis is simply balderdash. The actions to increase Berlin taxes and water/wastewater fees were taken to stop the drain on the town’s general fund reserves.

Berlin has practiced the policy for the past several years to set aside reserve funds in two ways. Assigned general funds and restricted funds so the money is available when it is needed for town projects and improvements or to meet financial obligations.

The purpose is to transfer appropriate funding for major projects and community needs so that money is available for public projects when it is needed.  The current balance of both assigned general funds and restricted funds is $5.6 million.

Berlin also has accounts for restricted slot revenues, impact fees, health care and disaster recovery and annual debt reduction that totals an additional $1.8 million. The mayor and council began discussions this summer to establish a debt reduction schedule of about $300,000 per year.

This fall, the next step is for the mayor and council to decide on a reserve policy that would repay the money the town borrowed from itself from the general fund. This internal borrowing was to support the sewer fund in past years, but that stopped last year with the passage of our current sewer and water rates. The general fund reserve balance will grow, not diminish, in the current budget year.

Tyndall: The mayor’s responsibility is to work with department heads to create a balanced budget and set the tax rate. It is then the council’s job to review, recommend any changes and ultimately approve or disapprove the budget.

Over the past four years as a councilmember, it has been my job to actively participate in the town’s budgeting process. I have recommended cost-saving measures without cutting town services or jobs.

Using my firsthand experience with the town’s finances and my educational background in business and finance, I can help lead the town in a financially responsible way. As mayor, I will use a modified version of zero-based budgeting to help identify cost-saving measures and build a cost management culture across all town departments. At this time, I do not see a need to increase taxes.

Bireley: Most of my knowledge as to the current financial situation of the town of Berlin has been obtained from local newspaper articles. However, my previous experience causes me to believe there exists a good deal of fat in the current budget that could be eliminated and would help to defer the need for a tax increase. In fact, I am so sure of this opinion that I have promised the people of Berlin a tax reduction.

Allen: Part 1: Reviewing the 2020 work sessions/council minutes/draft budget online and following up with reading news articles on these topics.

Part 2: I have been asked by many citizens where I think the “money has gone.”  I think the town wants information and may not know how to get it. I will be doing an extensive review of the 2021 budget to determine what is allocated and if there are items that can be eliminated or reduced.

I plan to have a basic monthly report sent to all citizens on town expenditures. I will be doing a 12-year review and plan to send out reports on where the funds were spent each year. I will be requesting a salary review and compare to other towns of comparable size and amenities. We also will need to have a full equipment and vehicle review, department assigned, purchase price and date, as well as estimated dates for replacement.

I plan a full process review of every department where I will be looking for inefficiencies that can be corrected and ultimately save money. I will spend time in each department with the work crews to see where they are spending their time and garner information on what we could do to increase efficiency, eliminate redundancy, rework and contract usage. I will be asking the question “Why do we do it that way?”

There is a need for a full contract review. If it is something we can do, why are we contracting it out? We also need to advertise all upcoming contracts to get a better pricing. We need to cancel those that are no longer needed. Just renewing contracts is not acceptable.

We also need to determine if our grant writers are adequately trained to get the most out of future requests. We should write for as many grants as possible, taking advantage of state and federal funds. Please remember that we need a specific amount of money to put against grant requests.

Todd: I wish I could sit here and tell you that I had the answers to fixing the town’s financial situation. The fact of the matter is we are living in a time that is more uncertain than it’s ever been so it’s more important than ever to have our finances in order.

I’m looking over the budget, educating myself through watching Town Hall meetings, reading every article I can find with the words “Berlin” and “budget” in it. I cannot sit here and tell you though with a good conscience that I have all the answers to that question. All I can say is I’m not afraid to ask any question. I’ll work tirelessly to do whatever it takes to get things on track and transparent. I look forward to working with everyone involved to get the citizens of Berlin their money’s worth.

What level of the unrestricted fund balance, or the reserves, do you believe should be maintained in the general fund for generally accepted accounting purposes (GAAP) and budgetary purposes? What is your plan to increase the reserves fund to that amount?

Williams: I fully support the town’s Finance Department’s recommendation to maintain a general fund reserve equal to three months of general fund expenses, or about $1.5 million. I also support the proposed policy that designates targeted balances for the general fund of three-months equivalent of operating expenses; a capital reserve of $100,000; a debt reduction reserve to pay principal and interest on all long-term debt for one year; and a disaster response and recovery reserve of $250,000.

The policy to be adopted this fall would determine what amount of the borrowing the town should forgive to itself, and what amount should be paid back to the general fund over time, about 10 to 15 years. The proposed policy recommended by the Finance Department is to build-up the general fund reserves to cover three months of annual general fund expenses, or about $1.5 million.

Here’s the interesting thing, the town already has millions in reserve funds, but would be setting a standard for general fund reserves going forward and also setting specific minimums for the other reserve funds. The action that was necessary to make all this work was taken during the formulation and passage of last year’s FY 20 budget.

The town is now operating in the FY 21 budget and in the process of fine-tuning policies for these reserve accounts and establishing a minimum for the general fund reserves and should move forward in establishing a reserve policy for these various funds.

Tyndall: Over the past four years as a councilmember, I have worked to put the town on better fiscal footing by addressing budgetary borrowing and eliminating excessive spending. The answer to establishing an adequate reserve fund relates to the management of public funds and the adoption of reserve goals.

I believe it is important for the mayor to provide regular reporting of the reserve fund balance and notify the council any time money is taken out of this account. The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) recommends that municipal governments have three months of operating expenses in a reserve fund for emergency purposes.

In the town of Berlin, this would be approximately $1.5 million. Currently, the Town of Berlin only has $16,000 in their emergency fund. As mayor, I will adopt the GFOA’s recommendations to ensure that the town of Berlin is adequately prepared for unanticipated expenses that may arise. I will work to reduce unnecessary spending and find revenue-generating opportunities for Heron Park, which will alleviate $200,000 of debt service on the general fund.

Bireley: I am not sure of the need for a reserve fund. Proper budgeting would not cause this to be necessary. But not only that, but why is a slush fund of this nature necessary if it is only going to be used in the case of an emergency. But currently it seems this fund could be raided at any time at the whim of the mayor. And if such a fund were created and funded where would the revenue come from to establish this fund? TAXES!!!!!

Allen: Part 1: Establishing a reserve policy is considered a best practice. The purpose of the Berlin Reserve Policy is to provide budgeting for the unexpected. The question is how much should be kept in reserve? The Government Finance Officers Association recommends that there should be a formal policy on the level of fund balance to be maintained. They also recommend a minimum level of 16.7 percent of the general fund revenues or two months operating expenses. Other sites recommend from eight percent to 50 percent.

I think we should work towards increasing our reserve fund to at least three months’ operating expenses, this would equate to 25 percent. My rationale is that if we had a major problem with sewage treatment plant, we would have funds available without impacting our general fund.

Part 2: Following an extensive budget review, I plan to have the council agree to move a small percentage of the operating funds into the reserve fund each month to slowly build up the reserves. Until the review can be accomplished, I cannot be specific on the exact amount. I also plan to look at current work processes, identify areas that can be improved and/or redesigned, and save money that can be added.

Todd: I’d like to make sure that this is something that is definitely discussed further once anyone is elected. I just found out through the last question and answer session that the mayor and council do not agree on the reserve amount that they have now.

Reserves are for emergency purposes only, in my opinion, and the fact that we do not understand how much money we currently have is beyond me. If this year has taught us anything, it’s that it never hurts to have some money backed up. I’d like to see that we could sustain ourselves for three months. That may be a lofty ambition, but it’s a good goal to have. I think a good start is to understand exactly what is going on with the reserve policy that we may or may not have in place now. Then we can go from there.

How will you approach the issue of the Berlin Fire Company EMS being understaffed? Do you believe it is the town’s or the county’s responsibility to provide the Berlin Fire Company EMS with sufficient financial support?

Williams: Berlin does not have a problem with funding firefighting services to protect our town. We do have serious concerns with the growing accelerated cost for Emergency Medical Services. Berlin in the 21st Century has provided more annual funding for Fire/EMS than any other town in Worcester County — with the exception of Ocean City.

In the past four years, Berlin’s grant to the [Berlin Fire Company] for firefighting and EMS services has totaled $1,950,000. This is an average of $487,500 per year.  This is a larger average annual grant from any incorporated community in Worcester County, except Ocean City.

During this same time period — grants from Snow Hill are $110,000 per year; Pocomoke $150,000; and Ocean Pines (which has a year-round population of just over 12,000) averages $400,000 per year.

The Berlin Fire Company says they need an additional $200,000 each year to provide two additional paid EMS staff.  The town’s position is that a significant percentage of EMS calls in Berlin result from transient traffic on U.S. Route 50 and U.S. Route 113 which both intersect our town’s borders.  The additional demand for these EMS services should not be paid for by Berliners. The town of Berlin should not be expected to put up an additional $200,000 for EMS.

The growing cost of EMS in Berlin and other local mainland communities should be the responsibility of Worcester County.

Tyndall: The Town of Berlin and the Berlin Fire Company share a common goal of protecting the people, businesses and visitors of Berlin. More now than ever, our fire company is called upon to provide a wide range of emergency medical and fire services.

Our fire company has struggled to contain costs without sacrificing services for several years. Currently, the [Berlin Fire Company] provides fire and EMS services to both the town and the county. I believe that it the responsibility of both the town of Berlin and Worcester County to help offset some of the [fire company’s] funding needs.

With the demand for increased services, the fire company needs to add capacity by recruiting additional volunteers and adding career staff. This is important in order to prepare for emerging threats to public health and safety, such as the current covid-19 pandemic.

As the next mayor, I will continue to be a strong advocate for the fire company and work closely with them to seek alternative funding and revenue-producing opportunities.

Bireley: Where did this data originate that claimed that the EMS is understaffed? We cannot drain blood from the taxpayers to create a perfect world. We must seek advice from everyone in the community and listen to their input on how to solve this problem, if, in fact, it is a problem.

However, I am of the opinion that the county should fund all EMS units in Worcester County. They do have sufficient tax base to support such a proposal and they would ensure all citizens in the county are equally protected and provided for. I am told Sussex County funds their EMS programs.

Allen: Part 1: We need to resolve the funding issue between the town and [the Berlin Fire Company]. During the April 13 work session, Mayor Williams informed the [Berlin Fire Company] that the town would be cutting the annual funding for the [fiscal year].

(See information in the Bayside Gazette March 20 and July 30 and the Dispatch on April 16 and July 30 issues). Until this can be done, the [Berlin Fire Company] will need to support the 3 FTE EMS members with a volunteer EMS member. Until I can get into the books and determine where we are and what we have, I do not know where or how we can replace the funds previously designated to the [fire company].

Part 2: According to the Report for Fire and Emergency Medical Services Funding Study dated April 5, 2018, the funding of the [Berlin Fire Company] is a shared expense between the town and the county.

In the world of quality, you bring all the stakeholders together. You sit at the table and discuss all the issues and identify the broad direction you wish to go. This is followed with meetings to discuss goals and objectives. These form the vital link between direction setting and deployment. Goals cover the organizations’ broad intent by defining what is to be attained over the long term. Objectives specify what is to be achieved in a scheduled period to progress to the goal.

As of now, we appear to be at an impasse. The county, town, and fire company need to meet and discuss where we are and come to a consensus of where we want to be. When Berlin votes in the new mayor, this may bring a new perspective to the table and a resolution can be worked out. (Note, this is a countywide issue with several towns and there was a request for subsequent meetings.)

Todd: If I am elected, I will do everything I can to make sure that the Berlin Fire Company is sufficiently funded. I will continue to do so as long as I am in office. Fire and EMS are some of the first people there in the worst situations in your life.

The least we could do is stop playing games and support them adequately. I think it’s absolutely the town’s responsibility to do so. Berlin needs to be as safe as it is cool.  If we are going to bring people to town, we need to make sure that we can keep them safe.

What are some of your objectives to increase the town’s resilience and sustainability amid climate change?

Williams: I have led the way in Berlin to address two areas that are meaningful in reducing the negative impacts of climate change. Those areas are mitigating stormwater flooding and starting the conversion of our town electric power generation to a more environmentally responsible and financially beneficial alternative, natural gas.

In Berlin, as with much of the Mid-Atlantic region, shorter winters, earlier and much rainier springs, followed by summers dominated by longer and more severe heat waves is already becoming a norm.  For the past two decades, this has resulted in unprecedented flooding in some residential neighborhoods in our town.

As mayor, I led the effort that resulted in creating a Berlin Stormwater Utility. I also made a top priority [of] mitigating and significantly reducing the damage caused to homes and property in Berlin resulting from heavy rainstorms.  In 2012, the town of Berlin was the first municipality in Maryland to earn certification as a Sustainable Community and since that time has been recertified.

It is my pledge to all, that our town continue to lead by example and continue to qualify for recertification going forward. This requires ongoing investments to significantly reduce stormwater flooding in those neighborhoods where it remains a threat.

Since 2016, the town of Berlin has invested over $2.5 million in eliminating stormwater east of Main Street. The next challenge is to attack stormwater flooding that still plagues neighborhoods along and bordering West Street.  I am fully committed to that goal.

Tyndall: Local government has an obligation to inform residents about climate change issues and why building resilience to climate change is important to our community. By doing so, people, their property and their livelihoods will be better protected.

As the next mayor, one of my goals is to collaborate and coordinate with county and state agencies to help Berlin respond to extreme weather events such as intensified rainfall, hurricanes, and fires that may have a damaging environmental impact.

During my tenure as a councilmember, I participated in developing the draft Comprehensive Climate Change Resilience Plan. This was the initial effort to brainstorm how best to prepare Berlin to respond to climate change events.

As the town moves forward in developing its resilience plan, it’s imperative that it include initiatives related to public health, such as emissions from power plants, quality drinking water and an efficient wastewater management system. The plan should also have a public information campaign to promote recycling in every home and business.

Bireley: After the second World War, many oil companies drilled off the Atlantic seashore. They apparently did not find a lot of oil, but they did learn there is substantial warm water underground.

When I was serving as administrative director, I was fortunate in obtaining a grant to study this geothermal energy. The study revealed that as you moved inland away from the coast, the amount of warm water declined.  The study also revealed at that time there were sufficient homes in the town that used warm water to heat their homes, that this would make such a system profitable. And add in the need to require all newly constructed homes to use water to heat their homes would only make the project more desirable.

As mayor, I established a recycling program for municipal waste. The program is still being used; however, not everyone is utilizing it. Simply follow the recycling truck on its route and note the number of homes with no pickup. An education program is needed to convince the citizens of the need to recycle and the benefits from such a program.

I am aware that in recent years a company contracted with the county to construct wells at the county landfill to extract methane to be used as fuel to generate electricity. The project has since been abandoned. I was told the failure was because the landfill was too new, and the methane had not yet developed. We have a much older landfill near Berlin that may contain sufficient gas to make such a possibility a reality. I find this possibility intriguing.

Allen: I would recommend that homeowners and businesses purchase and install solar panels to reduce our dependency on fossil fuel. We have installed solar panels on our home and have a net zero use of electricity.

To assist the townspeople, I recommend that we provide anyone who purchases and installs panels a four percent Berlin tax credit for one year. This will make up the difference of the original federal tax credit from 30 percent to 26 percent.

I would also like to obtain grant funding to convert the remaining diesel generators to natural gas and increase the size of the units.

Todd: I think I may have been one of two candidates that did not say that they would want to sell parts of Herron Park or the whole thing. I love green space, and I think it’s vitally important to keep as much of it as we can. That space could be beneficial for stormwater, wind farms [or] anything of the sort. I’m a firm believer in alternative energy sources, and I’d love to embrace that as much as possible.