District 5 Candidates Hold Brief, Cordial Forum

The County Council candidates for District 5, Democrat Mike Ertel and Republican David Marks, held their final debate prior to the general election Nov. 2 in front of a crowd of roughly 30 in Goucher College's Merrick Lecture Hall on Tuesday night.

If some races in the county are considered fiery, the council race in District 5 might register as "tepid." The two candidates, both from a background of community leadership, largely agreed on most of the issues during the 60-minute forum presented by the Greater Towson Committee.

Ertel, an insurance broker from West Towson, and Marks, a transportation consultant from Perry Hall, are seeking to succeed retiring Democrat Vince Gardina, who has served on the council since 1990.

The candidates took questions submitted by committee members on issues such as infrastructure, the relationship with Towson University, the county budget and the massive turnover on the council as five of its seven members are not on the ballot this year.

"It's an exciting time to come into government," Ertel said.

Both made an effort to appeal to moderates. Marks, 37, described himself at the forum as "independent-minded," while Ertel, 44, branded himself a "fiscal conservative."

Marks emphasized his experience in working with state and federal transportation officials, most recently as chief of staff in Maryland's Department of Transportation from 2003 to 2007. Ertel discussed his small business and his experience in solving problems with insurers.

Aside from one remark by Ertel ("Welcome to Towson," he said to Marks in opening remarks), neither candidate appeared to question the other's credentials, and their views differed on few topics.

On the topic of adjusting to what will certainly be a major shift in power on the council, Ertel said it would be best to work closely with an experienced county executive—referring to candidate and longtime councilman, Kevin Kamenetz. Marks offered numerous ideas, including instituting term limits for the County Council and creating an auditor position for the council office to evaluate county programs old and new.

"I'd like to see us develop benchmarks now so we are funding the right things when we get out of the recession," Marks said, though also complimenting outgoing County Executive James T. Smith Jr. on his financial stewardship.

In transportation, both candidates supported making Pennsylvania and Chesapeake avenues two way streets, if the necessary authorities approved it. Ertel suggested—as others have in the past—eliminating parking on York Road during rush hour, while finding some way to, as he put it, "tame Bosley Avenue," which he likened to the Baltimore Beltway for pedestrians trying to cross.

Another major topic discussed was economic development. Both men presented different ideas on how to revive downtown Towson. Both called for implementation of long-discussed recommendations in the county-sponsored Walkable Towson and urban design plans. Ertel suggested using the revenue authority to encourage a "restaurant row," while Marks proposed reviving the Towson Shuttle and making a grant or giving some kind of funding to the Towson Chamber of Commerce.

Both men pledged to be more open with their constituents than Gardina, who they said did not often sit down with them when they were heads of their respective community organizations—Ertel with the Greater Towson Council of Community Associations and Marks with the Perry Hall Improvement Association. The men agreed that the community organizations in the area should have a seat at the table.

"They're all resources that really have their feet on the street," Ertel said.

On crime, Marks said that while Towson is very safe compared to other parts of the county, "perception is often reality" and he would work with community groups like Citizens on Patrol and push for improvements such as lighting to create a better perception.

Ertel would advocate for a stronger police presence at night in downtown Towson, where teens and college students often congregate at local bars. He cited recent incidents, including a report of shots fired near Towson Commons, as things the county should keep a closer eye on.

"We cannot have Towson become a place we're not in control of," he said. "One of the basic things we cherish is of a feeling of safety and if that goes away, we have a problem on our hands."

Keep your eye on Patch for profiles on Ertel and Marks as we near Election Day!