(Nov. 1, 2018) With the Worcester County elections less than one weeks away, voters will see races in four districts. Profiles of the candidates in each district begin below:

District 1

Merrill Lockfaw 

Worcester County has been good to District 1 County Commissioner and lifelong resident 70-year-old Merrill Lockfaw.

“It’s been very enjoyable working with the people, not just in District 1 but throughout the county, and I feel dedicated … the county has given me an awful lot,” Lockfaw said. “I’ve made a good living, raised a family here and wanted to give something back.”

“I see some things that maybe I could help make some changes in and improve, so for the last eight years I’ve been a commissioner for District 1, down here on the south end of the county,” Lockfaw said.

Throughout Lockfaw’s tenure as one of seven commissioners, he said he’s worked to help create an afterschool program in Pocomoke, bring lights to the Pocomoke Bridge and make a Girdletree crabbing pier handicapped-accessible.

Lockfaw, who’s running as a Republican, said he’s also worked with the other commissioners to build schools and libraries during his time in office.

“We’ve tried to streamline government and cut expenses wherever we could,” Lockfaw said.

He said he past experiences with agriculture, business management and budgeting makes him fit for the position. If reelected, he said he’d continue to work to bring such initiatives about.

As former fire chief, Lockfaw sees the importance of finding funds for the area’s volunteer fire companies, and stressed the need to address a shortage of first responders.

“That is something that I see dwindling, and I think that we need to try [to] … generate more interest in that type of vocation,” he said.

Although agriculture, tourism and education are important to District 1, Lockfaw thinks there’s room for another entry on the list: aquaculture.

“I think that it’s something that could be vital to us in the future,” Lockfaw said. “I think that sometimes because of a shortage … that you have to find a new way to fill in those shortages and that’s an area that I think is new to this area. “

Lockfaw mentioned how vineyards could benefit within the county’s landscape and bring the beer and wine industries to the area.

He acknowledged the importance of Ocean City’s economy, but thinks there should be more countywide growth.

“I would like to see some of it come to the south end of the county,” he said. “We need growth desperately on the south end, whether it be industrial or some form of tourism.”

Lockfaw emphasized the need to upgrade the infrastructure — especially high-speed internet — to accommodate that growth in the southern end of the county. In addition, he believes a well-trained workforce is vital to any economic expansion.

“We really need to work with Wor-Wic Community College, the technical schools, because if you’re going to build an area, or develop an area, you’ve got to have skilled labor,” Lockfaw said.

Wallops Flight Facility is located across the state line in Virginia, but is just a 20-minute drive from Pocomoke City.

“Also, I think we’re going to work more closely with NASA and try to get maybe some industry through them located on the south end of the county,” Lockfaw said.

Lockfaw said if reelected, he’d continue working with county officials responsible for economic development, as well as elected leaders at the state level to bring economic prosperity to the county.

“We need to let them know that we want business to come to Worcester County,” Lockfaw said. That we’re willing to do our part to maybe create some type of initiative to bring them here … and we’re willing in any way to try to encourage that.”

Joshua Nordstrom 

Joshua Nordstrom, 45, of Pocomoke, says he has plans for District 1 if he’s elected to the Board of Worcester County Commissioners on Nov. 6.

Nordstrom, who is running as a Democrat, studied political science at George Washington University and said he has been preparing for this election by attending Worcester County Commissioner meetings for the last four years.

“I just want to see good leadership here in the lower part of the county,” he said.

Nordstrom used the meetings as an additional form of education as a way to pick up on policy and connect with staff. If elected, he said he wants to “spend my first year doing, not learning.”

Nordstrom said he’s spoken to hundreds of area residents over the last couple months, and found a mounting concern is internet efficiency.

“People can’t get good internet service in a large part of the county, not just the southern part, but a large part of the county,” he said.

Nordstrom said that lack of broadband harms the county’s job prospects.

“We have lost out on several businesses who’ve wanted to relocate here or open a new branch here because we didn’t have high-speed internet in this part of this county,” he said. “So we lose out on those businesses. We lose out on the tax base.”

Providing affordable education and employment opportunities to younger residents who stay in the county is another priority for Nordstrom.

“These folks are our future entrepreneurs. They’re our future job creators, and if they go to another place, then they’re part of somebody else’s job creation,” Nordstrom said. “They’re part of somebody else’s economic development, and I want them to stay here if they want to, and be able to earn a living, and stay here and help us develop this part of the county.”

How does he plan to accomplish that task? Nordstrom said it starts by taking notes from other counties on the Eastern Shore, and allocating funds for lower income students at Wor-Wic University. He said he feels Worcester County residents living in Pocomoke are at a disadvantage.

He said “it’s not a new idea,” but laying the groundwork through financial incentives for a variety of career paths can set younger residents up for success.

Nordstrom addressed the need for an “educated workforce,” and advocated for vocational careers.

“I mean these are the jobs that are open,” he said. “It’s not just college, it’s technical certification, and things of that nature that are going to allow our young people to earn a living, but also help our employers fill the open jobs.”

Nordstrom said there’s serious work to be done.

“We have roads that are crumbling here in the southern part of the county,” he said. “We have a lot of blight in the form of abandoned houses that are falling in on each other.”

Another major concern for Nordstrom is the lack of positive activity for District 1’s youth.

“Certainly young people get into trouble lots of times if they don’t have something to occupy themselves, and we want to prevent that here,” Nordstrom said.

Nordstrom offered a possible solution to encourage new business without sacrificing the area’s greatest asset.

“We are not going to alter our natural beauty here, but there are a lot of things that we can do … to let people know that Worcester County is open for business,” Nordstrom said. “I want this place to be a magnet for new businesses.”

But Nordstrom said the county can’t rest on its laurels.

“We have Ocean City, which is great, but we cannot rely on Ocean City and keep our fingers crossed,” Nordstrom said. “We have to be proactive when it comes to our economic development and educating our workforce. It’s not going to happen on its own.”

District 3

Bud Church

The job of Worcester County Commissioner for District 3 has become second nature for 77-year-old Bud Church, who is touting his experience in his reelection campaign.

Church, who’s running as a Republican, said the county redistricted several years ago, and carved a portion to create what is now known as District 3.

“I picked up the newspaper, and I looked at the redistricting and I went, ‘Oh my gosh. They cut that out just for me,’” Church said.

Church was first elected to the Worcester County Commissioners in 2002 and said his name recognition in the community was a major reason for his campaign’s success.

“So I just thought, let me try this, and I won, and the rest is history,” Church said.

Churched moved from Alexandria, Virginia to the Eastern Shore in 1959, when his parents bought an oceanfront hotel.

“They brought me here screaming and yelling, but I wouldn’t move from Worcester County now,” Church said. “I’ve had opportunities, and some of them have been very good opportunities, but I wanted to raise my grandkids [here].”

Church is the president of Coldwell Banker, Bud Church Realty, and prides himself on having a family business.

“We’re a third generation real estate company, and I’m really proud of that,” Church said.

Emergency services, health care and police protection are important issues for Church, but, as a former member of the county board of education, he emphasized education as a priority.

Church said his children and grandchildren attended Worcester County public schools, and stressed the importance of getting a good education.

“I didn’t only do it for my kids, and my grandkids, but for everyone in Worcester County. I’m a huge believer in education,” Church said. “I think it’s the foundation for their future and our future.”

Church said when he was first elected county commissioner, he was criticized by the environmental community, but eventually gained its support “because in every conservation easement that [came] through to add to our forest[s] and trees, I have either made the motion or supported every single one of them.”

Church owns a farm in the middle of a state forest, and said it’s important to preserve the area’s natural beauty.

“I’m very conscious of our environment,” Church said. “I want to protect our farmlands. I want to protect our forests. I want to protect our streams.”

Looking at the area as an emerging retirement destination, Church pointed to the efforts of Atlantic General Hospital and its provision of good health care services.

“Folks my age that move into the county are worried about doctors, hospitals, ancillary services … so that’s very important,” he said.

Church said the influx of housing, industry and tourism contributes to his district’s growth, but it comes with its own set of problems.

“I can tell you District 3 is without a doubt the most intense district in all of Worcester County,” he said.

Church added the present development allows for potential projects in West Ocean City, like the Mystic Harbor Service Area.

“That’s going to be a huge issue — expanding the Mystic Harbor Service Area to accommodate the additional growth,” he said.

“Builders, Realtors and developers have come to me as their go-to person, but the one thing I won’t do is compromise to allow them to do something other than what the regulations call for. No one gets any favors,” he said. “I never ever bend the rules, ever.”

Zackery Tyndall

Zackery Tyndall, 28, of Berlin, says he’ll shake things up if he becomes the Worcester County Commissioner for District 3.

Tyndall, a Democrat who serves on the Berlin Town Council, graduated from Salisbury University in 2015 and received his bachelor’s degree in management, with a minor in finance. He then obtained a master’s degree in business administration in May.

Tyndall said he’s previously voted for his opponent, Republican Worcester County Commissioner Bud Church, of District 3, but “I have watched his complacency hinder the success of our local economy, negatively impact our education system, and hurt local nonprofits.”

He said he felt it was time for a change, and believes he is the person to do it.

“I was compelled to stand up and represent the people of Worcester County,” Tyndall said in an email.

In getting to know the community, he said he found a common theme: people want action.

“The overwhelming consensus is that residents want a commissioner who will represent the people,” Tyndall said in an email.

Tyndall said he found three issues on the minds of District 3 residents: the economy, public safety and education.

Tyndall also said finding steady employment is paramount to residents.

“People want more year-round jobs, and many are disappointed that they have to seek unemployment during the offseason to make ends meet,” he said.

If elected, Tyndall said he’d strive to make pedestrian safety a priority, and find a solution for the scarce sidewalks throughout his district, which includes West Ocean City.

“As your next county commissioner, I will continue to make sure that Worcester County is a safe place to live, work and visit,” he said.

Tyndall graduated from Stephen Decatur High School and Worcester Technical High School in 2008, and said he strives to continue to push for effective vocational education. He added that he does not believe the technical high school is being used to its full potential.

From a political standpoint, Tyndall said he sees local concerns being neither Democrat nor Republican issues, but matters that affect the citizenry.

Make no mistake: Tyndall said this is an important election.

“This election is critical for Worcester County’s future,” he said, because a key problem in county government is the lack of teamwork with other jurisdictions.

Tyndall said a key problem with the current administration is the lack of teamwork on the part of the commissioners, who he said work separately from other local entities.

“If we are going to continue to succeed, then we need to elect commissioners that are capable of working with leaders throughout the county,” Tyndall said.

When Tyndall isn’t participating in council meetings or campaigning, he enjoys exercising outdoors and being with his family.

“My family plays a huge part in my life,” he said. “I enjoy spending time with my wife, our three dogs and other relatives that live nearby.”

District 4 

Ted Elder 

When Theodore “Ted” Elder, 67, of Whaleyville, isn’t sitting in Worcester County Commissioners meetings, he works as a school bus contractor for the county. It’s something he’s been doing for several decades.

This isn’t Elder’s first campaign. He’s running as a Republican. His first term, but he’s sought the office more than once before winning four years ago. His second time running, he said he lost by 90 votes in a close race, and a big advertising slogan for him is “your vote counts.”

What brought Elder to politics were issues he said he had with the county during a previous business dealing.

“Everybody deserves to have equal … treatment from their local government,” he said.

Elder said he has conservative views, “but at the same time we have to have the services to the level that the people expect.”

If reelected, Elder said his priority will be is to find a solution to an ongoing problem in his district: quality, high-speed internet.

“My district is mostly rural. One of the big problems we have is the broadband, and I know my predecessor had worked on it for several years,” Elder said. “He was commissioner for 16 years, and was not able to get it done, so I’m going to push really hard to try and get something done.”

Elder went on to say many of his constituents work out of their homes, and the lack of efficient internet is a cause for concern. It’s something he says he knows all too well.

“Actually, I don’t have it here at my own home,” Elder said. “I can’t get it.”

Elder said he hopes to work with an IT department “and hopefully we can get something done in the next couple of years.”

When initially pitching a proposal before fellow commissioners, Elder emphasized the importance of doing research and being prepared. However, he said it’s also about compromise.

“The only way you’re going to get anything done is by being a team player with them,” he said.

Elder added as “one vote out of seven,” there are bound to be some disagreements, but the result is usually positive. He’s pleased with their “working relationship,” and their ability to see each other’s points of view.

“I can get on the phone and call any one of the commissioners right now and I feel comfortable calling either one of them about any subject and they’d be willing to discuss it with me,” Elder said.

As for the economy, Elder says the county’s cash cow is farming.

“Agriculture … is the number one industry in the state of Maryland and Worcester County, [it] surpasses tourism,” Elder said. “It’s an important role in my district. It’s very important to the financial well-being of the whole county.”

Consequently, Elder said another of his priorities is “protecting the farmers” in his district as the county’s housing inventory expands.

“[The farms] come under a lot of pressure from residential growth,” he said.

Elder said people moving into these farming areas may not have realized what comes with the territory.

As a possible solution, Elder said his research suggested a compromise: an agricultural buffer. Elder said the result harmonized the interest of the “residential, the farm and the environment, and we came up with what I think was a very good balance.”

While District 4 is not densely populated, Elder said parts of Berlin and Snow Hill are within its boundaries.

“I think Berlin’s doing real well as far as the things they’re doing,” he said. “Snow Hill is on the uprise. I think it’s going to be a great little town for tourism and small businesses.”

Virgil Shockley

It’s time for a change, according to 65-year-old former Worcester County Commissioner Virgil Shockley.

“You have no idea the frustration it’s been to sit still for four years and watch opportunity after opportunity not happen in Worcester County,” Shockley said. “And those opportunities are gone. You’re never gonna get them back.”

Shockley said high speed internet is a priority for his campaign.

“Along with broadband comes economic development,” he said.

Accessibility is a key issue for Shockley when dealing with bringing “high speed internet service” to small businesses in existing buildings, not new construction.

“By solving the … broadband internet problem, you also provide the opportunity for businesses to come in here,” he said.

Shockley pointed out the Eastern Shore of Virginia, an area he says is more rural than Worcester County, has access to a grant to provide expedient internet service, while the Eastern Shore of Maryland does not.

“Why didn’t someone with leadership skills at the county level go for this grant?” Shockley asked.

If elected, Shockley said he plans to take this issue up with Gov. Larry Hogan, and ask him “who do I talk to about getting this kind of service for Worcester County?”

Shockley said while District 4 is not a populus area, it does account for approximately 45 percent of the county’s total land mass.

Shockley utilized district maps to illustrate how the lack of Wi-Fi surpasses isolated areas. While residents of Worcester County’s towns have access to Wi-Fi and decent internet speed, other nearby areas do not, and the many unlucky have to deal with satellite.

“We pay $70 a month for internet service, and I’m not talking unlimited … just basic stuff,” Shockley said.

Shockley said he checks his emails, surfs a few sites, “but I guarantee you by the 20th of the month, I will have used my service up.”

When that happens, Shockley puts up with slow, almost “dial-up” like speeds. He added the weather can make service temperamental.

Providing internet service is also a priority for Worcester public school students, who Shockley said receive tablets when entering ninth grade.

During his experience as a school bus driver, Shockley noted the time students spent with their technology while on the bus. As his route progressed, he said fewer students could connect to their devices after crossing Route 113, heading toward Stockton.

“If you’re a sixth grader in Worcester County public schools, we’re not training you for today, we’re training you for 10 years down the road, and we have to continue to look at how we train these kids for their life,” he said.

Another priority for Shockley is to develop a closer relationship with Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.

“It’s an opportunity for us to work with Wallops and say, ‘you’ve got people coming in … have them live here. What can we do to entice them?’”

If Worcester County can build it, will they come?

“We have a great school system,” he said. “This is a great county to live in.”

Shockley served his district for 16 years, from 1998 to 2014, and cited his previous experience as a qualification to be elected once more.

Shockley was born and raised on a farm in Snow Hill. Agriculture holds a special place in Shockley’s heart, as his family is in its seventh generation of farming. He said he’s been running farms for 53 years.

“When you’ve lived here this long, and established yourself as a family, this is truly home to me,” Shockley said.

District 5

Chip Bertino 

Chip Bertino, 53, of Ocean Pines, said if reelected, he’s looking forward to a second term as Worcester County Commissioner of District 5.

“I’m very confident I will be reelected, and I will continue to do what I’ve been doing these past four years,” he said.

Bertino is originally from northeast Philadelphia, but moved to the area nearly 30 years ago, and raised his family here.

“I wasn’t born in Worcester County,” Bertino said. “I got here as quickly as I could, but I wasn’t born here.”

When his District 5 predecessor then-Commissioner Judy Boggs announced her retirement four years ago, he decided to run for the position and was successful.

“I’ll tell you it’s very humbling to be elected by your community, to represent them, and I’ve taken that very seriously,” he said.

Bertino is also the publisher of The Courier newspaper, but stressed the importance of being helpful to the people of Ocean Pines.

“Since then, I’ve worked very hard to be effective and responsive, and because I really don’t want them to exchange their gift come November,” he said.

Bertino’s perspective is that local government shouldn’t indulge in superfluous spending. He’s running as a Republican.

“I very much believe in limited county government,” he said. “I don’t believe in spending taxpayers’ money unnecessarily; I don’t believe that the county treasury is an ATM.”

Transportation is also an area of great importance to Bertino. He’s advocated for improvements to Route 589 as the area has expanded, transforming the once “small artery” into a “major thoroughfare” that he said requires attention.

“Route 589, dualization of Route 90 and the Route 50 Bridge are three projects that the commissioners feel very strongly the state should move on,” he said.

As for his position on education, Bertino says he is well aware of the schools’ needs.

“I’m a big proponent of education. I’m the husband of a teacher, the son of a teacher and the brother of a teacher,” he said.

Bertino said he believes in the continued support of public schools and the “high caliber of people” working in them.

Referring to school Superintendent Lou Taylor as “an asset,” Bertino said, “as much as I can support his objectives and the objectives of the board of education, I will do so.”

At the same time, however, Bertino said he worked to reduce the Showell Elementary School construction cost by approximately $14 million. He joined other commissioners to help bring that number down when the original estimate was $60 million for the new school.

“Taxpayers were not going to fund that level of cost for the construction of this school,” he said.

Bertino said he also backs efforts to solve the county’s internet inadequacies, understands the need to preserve the area’s environment for future generations and touted his approach to learning what else is on the minds of constituents.

“I’m the only commissioner that holds town hall meetings, and I’m very fortunate and pleased that Commissioner Jim Bunting joins me at those meetings,” he said.

Judy Butler 

Judy Butler, 70, of Ocean Pines is campaigning for the District 5 seat on the Worcester County Commissioners, and says she has a vision for the future of Ocean Pines.

Butler, who moved to Ocean Pines from Howard County, was a former clinical laboratory scientist. She’s since retired and spends much of her time volunteering with her church, being a docent and working with the Democratic Central Committee.

“Service is important,” she said.

Butler was also health chairwoman of the state’s chapter of the National Parent Teacher Association, and served as the Howard County PTA president.

“You have to start with empowering your youth … if youth are active, and feel productive and are learning, then the opioid crisis isn’t going to grab them,” Butler said. “They’ll stay.”

Transportation is a priority for Butler, who is running as a Democrat. She said she wants to fix the controversial and somewhat problematic Route 589.

“It needs to be moved up on the priority list, and it needs to be done,” she said.

Butler said safety is a paramount issue for the connecting road, between routes 90 and 50, and the area’s increased expansion has caused a concern for the heavily trafficked area.

Butler added it’s “nerve-wracking” in the summer for students working in Ocean City, because they often rent in Ocean Pines and bike to their jobs.

“Residents are very worried about them because the road is dark and narrow,” she said. “It’s a problem.”

Butler said she also strives to provide accessible transportation for Ocean Pines’ budding senior population.

“We have an older population here and there is no public transportation in the Pines to help people who cannot drive anymore,” she said.

Butler also pointed out an imbalance in the county’s age demographics.

“We are graying in terms of there are more seniors coming than there are youth staying,” Butler said.

She also stressed the need for a solution to a countywide problem: broadband.

“You don’t have to go very far outside the gates of Ocean Pines, or across the bridge from Ocean City to run into these high-speed internet issues,” Butler said.

Butler said the lack of efficient internet throughout Worcester County could be detrimental to the future economic prosperity “because businesses are not going to come if they don’t have high speed internet.”

She also said she has a plan to preserve the natural beauty of the ocean and coastal bays. She added it starts by creating a resilience plan and using environmental technologies including solar, wind and agriculture.

“We can be a shining star to show the way. We have to do this,” Butler said. “We have to have a better plan for our future environment if we want to keep this beautiful environment.”

How can all of this be done? Through teamwork, according to Butler.

“I believe that you have to build coalitions. You have to seek to work with your fellow elected officials,” she said. “Be creative in what you’re trying to do.”

She added the county needs to work to accomplish its goals by working with officials and other elected leaders.

“We can’t just sit back and just wait our turn.” she said. “We have to make sure people understand what our needs are, and I think that can be done.”

For Butler, she thinks it’s simply time for a change.

“Ocean Pines needs strong representation,” she said. “We need to make sure our voices are heard in the county, and that our commissioners for our districts represent us and work for us.”

Candidates running unopposed

Commissioners Diana Purnell, Dem., of District 2 (Central District); Madison “Jim” Bunting, Rep., District 6 (Northern District) and Joe Mitrecic, Rep., District 7 (Ocean City District) are running unopposed.