Carroll County Commissioners Gouge and Dell have publicly leveled verbal shotgun blasts at environmentalists. This was hardly surprising from Dell, but Julia Walsh Gouge was endorsed by the Sierra Club after a strong response to the Catoctin Group's re-election questionnaire and a positive follow-up phone call. Two members of the Catoctin Group Executive Committee wrote her in concern. She phoned me with a long apology, explaining her frustration over delays in the Hampstead bypass which could add two years and $1 million in additional costs to accommodate the threatened bog turtles. Commissioner Gouge assured me that she still cares about the environment's clean water and clean air. Although, she still thinks the bog turtles could be moved. Her environmental knowledge needs some work! But she is at least listening to environmental concerns. Julia Gouge may well be our only hope for a sympathetic, moderate ear, but it will be up to her to prove that she deserved our endorsement's and up to environmentalists to voice their concerns.

The recent dismantling (reorganization) of Carroll County government is a strong statement by our newly elected commissioners and an alarm of battles to come. Abolishing separate Departments of Environmental Services and of Recreation and Parks is a very disturbing signal. The firing of Water Resource Specialist Cathy Rappe and Assistant Director of Planning Marlene Conaway smack of vendetta or just a blatant attempt to speed an already rapid development process.

Congratulations to the new Chair of the Catoctin Group, Kai Hagen. Kai is a busy family man with two young sons and a heavy workload, but he is stepping up to lead our group. I felt the need to reduce my responsibilities for health reasons, but I will serve as vice chair. Kai has helped to start a Frederick Conservation Committee, a subgroup of the Catoctin Group and has worked hard to get our group more electronically connected. You can help!