Letter to Editor: Finally! Lakeside Sees the Light of Day

I read the Talbot Spy’s report of the County Council proceedings of August 22 under Reconsideration of Decision Regarding MDE Letters with interest.

The County Attorney and Engineer’s August 8 recommendation that the Council respond to MDE’s requests in the 2023 draft Report of the Review – an administrative tool used to catalog properly approved updates to the Comprehensive Sewer and Water Plan – was bureaucratically efficient, yet poorly-conceived, lacked transparency, and appeared to short circuit the review process. I suggest watching the hearing video and drawing your own conclusions: County Council, August 8, 2023 @ 47:42.  

Council Member Mielke introduced a motion on August 22 to reconsider the Council’s August 8 decision regarding how to proceed with requests from MDE. That decision was reconsidered with support from Mr. Lesher, Ms. Mielke, and Ms. Haythe. The Council then considered a motion by Mr. Lesher to address MDE’s requests in standalone resolutions rather than as part of the Report. The vote for that decision was 3-2, with President Callahan and Mr. Stepp dissenting. 

“Democracy Dies in Darkness” was adopted by The Washington Post and popularized by investigative journalist Bob Woodward. I applaud Council Members Lesher, Mielke, and Haythe for shining the light on Lakeside, for having the courage to reconsider a bad decision and for taking the necessary time to give the water and sewer maps for Trappe and the EDUs for Lakeside proper review and careful consideration – something many citizens have demanded, but heretofore has not occurred. The community wants to see Council Members vote straight up or straight down on Lakeside and not try to bury the matter in an administrative filing. Talbot County residents and our precious waterways deserve at least that much from our elected and appointed officials.

Keith T. Ghezzi
Talbot County