Voters in St. Michaels will have the opportunity to elect three town commissioners next week. The town’s election will take place Monday, May 6, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Christ Church Etherton Hall, located at 103 Willow Street.
The term of office for the three top vote winners is four years, expiring in June 2028.
The Star Democrat reached out to the seven candidates competing for the seats to ask questions about their campaigns.
DAVID WOJCIECHOWSKIWhy are you running?
To serve our town and community. I made a point to meet with dozens of residents, business owners and community leaders. I discovered a powerful desire for better communication, transparency, and accountability from our elected officials. That means driving open governance and decisions based on data and facts. My approach is to bring a “town first” perspective to restore balance and representation between all interests in deciding what is best for our town.
What are your hopes for the town?
I believe St. Michaels can be the “town of choice” … to visit, live, work, raise a family and find a community. That means solutions to affordable housing, an attractive business climate, protecting our rich history, and representation of the underserved. To do that I will focus on:
Enhancing quality of life and safety.Fiscal responsibility and ethical leadership.Stewardship of our history and future.
What skills will you bring to the commission?
Being an executive and specialist in finance, my ability to understand diverse issues, bring all parties to the table and negotiate amicable and creative solutions, including for local governments, will help our town.
What would you like to say to the community of St. Michaels?
Twenty-two years ago, Susan and I vowed that St. Michaels would be our “forever home.” I consider it a privilege to serve the people of St. Michaels as commissioner. I pledge to be accountable and approach all my decisions with balance, clear communication, and transparency. And I will hold our town personnel to the same standard. You can count on my availability and that my actions will be conducted with honesty and integrity.
ALEXIS ROITERWhy are you running?
In my twenties I read Chesapeake and fell in love. By the ‘90s my family and myself owned homes in St. Michaels. My mother served as president of the School Board, bringing laptops into the schools. Upon my second retirement in 2024 as deputy health officer at Talbot County Health Department, I learned first-hand about the challenges facing St. Michaels and Talbot County residents. I have served as a housing commissioner and town elections judge (2020/2022), and I am currently on the Library Board and the Town Ethics Advisory Committee. Serving the community is in my DNA. Why not continue to serve in my retirement?
What skills will you bring to the commission?
I bring 30 years of government operations experience at county, state (VA and MD) and federal (State Dept. and Pentagon) levels. I have a PhD in public administration and taught graduate and undergraduate American government and public management courses and therefore understand how government should work. I have extensive grant writing/administration skills, fiscal resource planning and community-driven decision making, something we need more of in St. Michaels.
What would you like to say to the community of St. Michaels?
My goal, if elected, is “effective and accountable government operations.” I will do this by promoting:
Fact-based decision making — not based on rumors or hearsay.Stronger partnerships — we can’t do it alone. This includes partnering with Talbot Economic Development Office to attract new and diverse businesses.Consensus building where there is a balance between interests, not lopsided representation.
My hope is that by working together we can build a stronger sense of community that will keep St. Michaels the great little town we all love and cherish.
BRIAN WROTENWhy are you running?
I’m running to preserve my hometown’s identity, culture, and landscapes.
What are your hopes for the town?
I hope to return to a more pedestrian-friendly St. Michaels. I want to install trash cans and dog stations in parts of town that need them.
What skills will you bring to the commission?
I’m the only born and raised local currently running. I’m simultaneously the youngest candidate (40) while being the oldest in town years (about 30). I have the living memory to remember days when children could play in the street and not risk being run over by cars and giant trucks. Whilst being the candidate with the most years lived in Town, I’ve also spent the most time living broad (10 years between Australia, S. Korea, Thailand). This gives me the unique experience of having both very local and very international perspectives on city planning and infrastructures.
What do you want to say to the town?
This campaign is done in the name of my late mother, Commissioner Marie Wroten. She is the person who gave me the inspiration to become involved in local politics and strive to preserve our town’s unique character.
DAVID BREIMHURSTWhy are you running?
I am running to build on the successes and progress we’ve made over the past four years. I also have a pet project I’d like to see through to completion. I spearheaded the effort to buy the last large waterfront lot in town. We saved the Environmental Concern property from development. Now, it will become a beautiful 7-acre park to be enjoyed by generations to come, and we are saving millions by repurposing the office building on the property as our new town hall. I also want to have hand in formulating the town’s new Comprehensive Plan, which will help guide us for the next ten years.
What are your hopes for the town?
I hope my work on behalf of the town will help it remain an attractive and resilient gem with its well-preserved history intact and protected from the threat of rising sea levels. We can enhance what we already have while maintaining our town as a safe and friendly haven for residents and visitors alike.
What skills will you bring to the commission?
I spent three decades working as an investigative journalist covering local governments large and small. I exposed numerous cases of corruption and mismanagement. That experience helped define my understanding of what works well in local government and where the pitfalls lie. It also reenforced my belief that ethics and transparency are pillars of good government and not simple catch phrases that get thrown around at election time.
What would you like to say to the community of St. Michaels?
I’ve engaged with St. Michaels residents from every neighborhood over the past four years and my message is the same for everyone. This is your town and you have a seat at the table. We are all equals here, and no one segment of the population gets to call the shots. We all have a say, and we should all be heard respectfully.
BONNIE MORRISWhy are you running?
I have spent a lot of time in St. Michaels — I married a native of St. Michaels in 1978. moved back here full time several years ago, I began attending the town meetings. I had quite a few concerns regarding the town budget and how monies were being spent. For instance, I was happy to hear that the San Domingo Creek Park was purchased by the town. However the money came out of the emergency fund, and I believe it should be replenished.
What are your hopes for the town?
My hope for the Town is that we can find a way to keep the homey, small-town atmosphere that we all love while maintaining a healthy economy for the townspeople and businesses. Over the past 48 years since I first visited St. Michaels, this small waterman’s town has morphed into a very desirable area to work, live, and vacation. I would like to find a way to keep the heart of St. Michaels the same — the friendliness, the small-town charm, the environment — while continuing to provide a healthy economy, ultimately making St. Michaels a place that both residents and guests can enjoy.
What skills will you bring to the commission?
I have been a resident and a small business owner, so I am very familiar with the issues that the residents and business owners face. I developed the skills needed for this position through my life’s experience, such as starting a business on my own, and going from nothing to having a thriving business from which I was able to retire after 19 years.
What would you like to say to the community of St. Michaels?
• By balancing the economy, environment, and community.
• By balancing costs and services for a changing population.
JOYCE HARRODWhy are you running?
I was first elected to serve as a commissioner of St. Michaels in 2012 and hope to be re-elected to continue to serve this beautiful town.
What are your hopes for the town?
It is important that we continue to embrace the rich cultural heritage of St. Michaels. The history and the legacy of this community must never disappear. We must ensure the services for the well-being of all people who live here, conduct business here or visit — health, safety, protection, education. I have always encouraged all of us to work together.
What skills will you bring to the commission?
I am running to help maintain an active, strong, and sustainable community, and to ensure that several current projects (San Domingo Creek Park, enhanced internet, etc.) are completed.
What would you like to say to the community of St. Michaels?
It is vital that we continue to improve the town’s infrastructure — our roads, internet, water, school system, and public transportation elevate our quality of life and diversify our economy.
As a commissioner, I will continue to listen, learn, influence others with proactive leadership, unity, and peace. So, vote to re-elect Joyce Harrod on May 6, 2024.
JAY HUDSONWhy are you running?
I have always helped out when needed. I saw an opening for a balanced view and as a business owner/operator, a resident of St. Michaels, and a parent of school aged children, I thought someone with a truly balanced perspective might be of use. I also wanted to inspire others to run. This is a position for any resident, who loves this town and wants to see their town succeed and flourish.
What are your hopes for the town?
Improving communication. I am not just talking about town to residents, but full circle sharing between, town, residents, businesses and organizations alike. This is the most common undercurrent I have discussed. We all need to find a better way of sharing information.
What skills will you bring to the commission?
I bring a truly balanced view. I see an opportunity for out of the box ideas which is one of my specialties. I facilitate partnerships that help and support the missions of all parties. I have never turned away from a conversation, I always make time to talk and am eager to listen and in turn offer perspective. I am not afraid not to know something and I am not afraid to learn.
What would you like to say to the community of St. Michaels?
I love this town. I can prove that by the slow and sustainable ways I have gone about being a member of not just the residential community but also the business community. I have always created an inclusive space where people are safe to express themselves. I have never tried to change anything, just enhance it.
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