HdG Election Candidates Discuss Concord Point Property

Should the City of Havre de Grace buy the property next to the lighthouse? The question of whether to purchase property at 701 Concord St. for $1.29 million is on the ballot, and at a forum earlier this month, one citizen asked the candidates in the May 7 municipal election how they would vote.

Below is how each candidate responded. Six of the seven people running were in attendance; city councilman John Correri, who had a family member in need of his attention, could not make it, according to Cathy Vincenti, executive director of the Havre de Grace Chamber of Commerce, which hosted the candidates at its April luncheon.

Mayor Wayne Dougherty: I am in total support of that. We’ve been working on that for a little over a year. It went through two councils. There was negotation. Everything has been transparent in terms of everything that happened up to getting it to the ballot. It is very important to place it on the ballot so citizens would have the opportunity to answer it. My personal vote on that day will be yes. 

Mayoral Candidate Jim Miller: I was on the city council when the proposal first came to the council. I supported the proposal back then. There was more information needed as far as proposals, prices and things, but I think it will be a great addition to that area of the city. It will help protect our most valuable land there, the Concord Point Lighthouse.

City Council Candidate Fred Cullum: I was on the council when it was first proposed as well. It went through the whole process of negotiations. I support the purchase because I think the city should take control of the property if possible and make it open space and provide more space, more access to the waterfront for our citizens....The thing that I heard most from citizens [during a previous term on council] was that they would like to have more access to the waterfront. They were upset that the city had sold off all the waterfront property, which wasn't necessarily true. In a lot of cases, the city didn't own it to begin with so the city didn't sell it. It did sell some street ends and little pieces of property but yes, I support the purchase. I wish the price was better but it is what it is. The property on the other side, which is pretty comparable in size, I think, was purchased for $1.4 million. It was a different deal; it was done with bond issues between state and county. The city put up $200,000 of the $1.4 million at that time. But this is the deal that we have in front of us , and I think it's a good deal and I think we should do it.

City Council Candidate Bob Greene: I support the purchase of the property as well. I am a Friend of the Concord Point Lighthouse, and I support that transaction to the fullest.

City Council Candidate Tom Barnes: I support it because we have two choices: we can either own the property as a city or we can turn it over to a developer and we end up with more condos down on the water and our lighthouse is blocked. This is part of our history and there’s no way I can’t support that purchase. 

City Councilman Randy Craig: I think it’s a fantastic idea. If you look at an aerial photo and you look at the city of Havre de Grace and this waterfront, you’ll see a piece of land that extends from Tydings Park all the way around to one of the most historic structures not just in our city but in our country. It looks fantastic. Tydings Park has been a great asset to our city for a long time. But if you’ve been down there on the weekend, you know our city has outgrown that park, and there’s not a lot of opportunities to expand it. They’re not making any more land, and they’re not putting it near the water. This is a great opportunity for the city. I agree with Mr. Cullum—I wish the price was better, but you take the deals that are in front of you and as far as how the process went, I hope that you appreciate the city could have taken other approaches to purchase this property, but the city council intentionally took an approach that would put this property to referendum for all the citizens to have a say. It’s an important decision for the future of our city and it should be for all of us to say, not just a few members of the city council.

Should the city of Havre de Grace purchase 701 Concord St. for $1.29 million? Tell us in the comments!

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