Candidate Profile: Lawrence Russell For Bel Air Town Commissioner

BEL AIR, MD — Four candidates are running for two seats in the Bel Air municipal election. Incumbent Mayor Amy Chmielewski will face off against Lawrence Russell, Mary Chance and Paula Etting for a seat on the Bel Air Board of Town Commissioners.

Incumbent Patrick Richards is not running for reelection, meaning one newcomer at least will join the board.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Sample ballots are available online from the town of Bel Air.

Lawrence J Russell

Age (as of Election Day): 68

Position sought: Town commissioner

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Family: Married to my wife Pat for 36 years. I have 2 boys who are married and 2 beautiful granddaughters.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Education: BS degree in business management from the University of Baltimore

Occupation: Reset Analysts for Coca Cola Consolidated for 21 years. Owned a Dunkin' Donuts for 27 years.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: None

Campaign website: Facebook - Lawrence Russell Bel Air Town Commissioner

Why are you seeking elective office?: To maintain the small-town appeal in our beautiful town of Bel Air.

The single most pressing issue facing our town is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

COVID-19. As a town we need to get out there and try to educate the citizens about getting the vaccine. Getting vaccinated is important for all of us. We need to keep businesses open and keep our children in school.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I don’t think there are any differences between the other candidates and myself. We are all trying to keep our town safe and family friendly.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

I don’t think any of our town commissioners have failed our town. I think they’ve all done an amazing job.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I think they did a fine job during this difficult time.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

I believe that we need to better our Police Department by having our police officers go out in the town and become more visible so that they can be role models for our young children.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I believe that by owning my own business for 27 years, I bring the knowledge of customer service and management to our town. These strengths will be beneficial in moving our town forward in the upcoming years.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

The best advice that was ever shared with me was from my father. He always told me that communication is the key in dealing with problems in everyday life.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

As town commissioner, I will help the town grow and at the same time maintain its small-town appeal.