Deborah Vollmer for Town Council
I respectfully ask for your vote in the election for Town Council.
I am a retired attorney, and I currently live in the house
where I grew up. I have served on both the Town Land Use
Committee, and the Long Range Planning Committee. Please
see my website at http://www.deborahvollmer.com, for more
about my background and experience.
My positions on issues (also discussed at length on my
website) include the following:
Although I am, in general, in favor of increasing options for
public transportation, I am adamantly opposed to the current
planned alignment of the Purple Line. The Trail with its
canopy of mature trees is a treasure: a haven for birds and
other wildlife, and for us human beings, who crave relief from
the hustle and bustle of development and construction all
around us. There is simply insufficient room along the Trail
for both a two-track commuter train and the canopy of trees.
The Trail borders Coquelin Run, and development of the Purple
Line as it is planned will negatively impact the quality of
our water. I propose that we continue to fight the
current Purple Line alignment by all legal means necessary,
including a three-pronged strategy of lobbying, litigation,
and public relations.
In addition, I propose a short Moratorium on building in our
Town, with limited exceptions for emergencies, to allow the
Town Council, with input from the residents, to revisit the
building code, with an aim to strengthen protections for the
privacy of neighbors to construction, and to protect green
space, the tree canopy, and the environment in general.
The rewrite of the building code several years ago was written
with good intentions, but the actual substance of the
ordinance has fallen short of the promise of the preliminary
language of the ordinance (all those “whereas”
clauses). While our Town has actively opposed various
threats posed by “development” outside of the Town’s borders
to our quality of life here in the Town, I believe that the
Town has caved in to the economic interests of the builders
and developers, when it comes to building within our
Town. These builders all too often, with the permission
of the Town, and with their slick sales pitches to would-be
new owners, tear down well-built older homes with large yards
and canopy trees, to build a huge houses, too big for the lots
on which they are constructed---all at the expense of trees
and green space--- and all in the name of profit.
I am also proposing that the Town, through its Climate and
Environment Committee, continue to educate us on the dangers
of excessive use of pesticides. I favor an ordinance
restricting the use of pesticides, as has been enacted in
Takoma Park, so that we may better protect bees, butterflies,
birds, and other wildlife, as well as water quality. We
all want to do what we want on our own property, but the truth
of the matter is that when dangerous pesticides are applied on
one piece of land, wind and storm water may sweep them on to
the properties of neighbors and Town right of way.
Ultimately, these pesticides seep into our water supply to the
detriment of all of us. Please see my website, for
further information.
I am also proposing electoral reforms to make our Town
Manager, who holds a well-paid, full time job with the Town
with no term limits, and who is the public face of our Town on
a day to day basis, more accountable to our residents. I
would give residents the option every other Town Council
election to either approve or disapprove the performance of
the Town Manager. A majority no vote would prompt a
special meeting of the Town Council, wherein the Town Manager
would be called upon to justify his performance before the
Council and the residents. For more on this, please see
my website.
In these last days of the campaign, I will continue my effort
to speak one-on-one with as many Town residents as I
can. Please feel free to drop me an e-mail message, or
give me a call. I would like to discuss my positions on
the issues, and also hear your views and respond to your
questions.
Thank you.
Deborah A. Vollmer
Candidate for Town Council
7202 44th Street
Telephone: (301) 652-5762
E-mail: dvollmer@verizon.net
Website: http://www.deborahvollmer.com
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