Strange Bedfellows

Who’d have thought a ribbon-cutting ceremony for new library could stir up hard feelings?

David Marks and other representatives of the Perry Hall Improvement Association showed up to a ceremony to officially open the new library branch in Perry Hall armed with an oversized $20,o00 check — money raised from community residents and business to support on-going programs at the long-anticipated facility.

Marks, president of the association, said he was disappointed when the group wasn’t mentioned during a 30-minute ceremony featuring County Executive Jim Smith and library officials. (more…)

It’s no surprise that Councilman Vince Gardina, a Perry Hall Democrat, supports two other Democrats: presidential candidate Barack Obama and congressional candidate and Queen Anne’s County State’s Attorney Frank Kratovil, a candidate in the 1st District congressional race.

But placing the stickers on his county-owned Ford Escape Hybrid is a violation of county rules governing the use of the vehicle, which bar the display of political paraphernalia. Drivers of county-owned vehicles are also prohibited from affixing other types of bumper stickers or otherwise altering the vehicle without permission.

The photo above was taken by a reporter in July outside the Old Courthouse in Towson after a council meeting. The vehicle shown is assigned to Gardina, according to county records. Since then, Gardina has added a Kratovil sticker , according to a recent e-mail from David Nawrocki, president of Republican Club of Northeast Baltimore County.

“There are many of us Baltimore County taxpayers that live in Perry Hall that do not want this partisan display on a Baltimore County owned car,” Nawrocki wrote. Nawrocki is a Perry Hall Republican who has worked for various campaigns, including Wayne Skinner’s council run against Gardina in 2006 and is volunteering for Republican state Sen. Andy Harris, Kratovil’s opponent in November.

Gardina, the first councilman in county history to win five terms, did not return a call from a reporter seeking comment about the issue.

Gardina is believed to be interested in running in 2010 for the 7th District Senate seat currently held by Harris.

It’s not the first time Gardina has violated this rule. In 2006, Gardina was asked by his fellow councilmen to remove a bumper sticker supporting Martin O’Malley’s run for governor from the county-owned Jeep Liberty he was driving. He did remove that bumper sticker.