Michael W. Dawson Files for Cecil County Council in Dist. 4- Broomell Seat- in ’14 Election
Michael W. Dawson, a longtime Perryville resident and former candidate for a state delegate’s seat, has filed as a Republican candidate for the Cecil County Council in District 4 for the 2014 election—looking to replace the controversial incumbent, Councilor Diana Broomell (R).
Michael W. Dawson (MWD) – NOT to be confused with another local political figure, Michael A. Dawson, known locally as MAD Mike (MAD)—ran as a Constitution Party candidate in 2010 for the delegate seat held by longtime incumbent David Rudolph, a Democrat. MWD Dawson held the balance of power in that three-way general election contest, winning some 750 votes that ended up tipping the election to Rudolph in a close race against Republican and “Campaign for Liberty” candidate Ted Patterson. [SEE Cecil Times election report here: http://ceciltimes.com/2010/11/rudolph-swims-against-gop-tide-in-delegate-win-sen-jacobs-re-elected/ ]
“I’m concerned that, as a county, we are wasting precious time,” Dawson said in explaining his reasons for running for the County Council. Since the recent transition to Charter government, he said, County Executive Tari Moore has shown leadership but the County Council has been mired in internal bickering.
“I’m a roots and wings type of leader,” Dawson said in an interview with Cecil Times, explaining that his approach would be to address fundamental issues of concern to most citizens, while also taking a future-oriented approach to “take us far beyond the commonplace.”
His past run for delegate “taught me a lot,” Dawson said. On that election night he realized he hadn’t done enough to “meet voters where they were.” So now, he plans to engage citizens out in their local communities, listening to their concerns and suggestions for how to improve Cecil County government.
“What I realized,” he said, “is I have to be where the voters are.” And that will take a lot of one-on-one discussions with local residents, which he said he is eager to do.
Dawson’s family roots run deep in Maryland, dating back to the same time frame as the founding of Cecil County in the late 1600’s. As part of his respect for Cecil County history, he recently researched the county’s official seal that had been lost in time but unearthed a few years ago in the state archives. As a result, he put forward a proposed resolution—introduced recently by Councilor Alan McCarthy (R-1)– to restore the historically accurate seal as the official emblem of the county.
As a fiscal conservative, the seal resolution would not require a costly immediate overhaul of letterheads and other official materials, Dawson said. But as stationery supplies ran out, they would be replaced with the revised seal—which depicts two leopards and appropriately vintage design flourishes, in contrast to the much more modern current county seal showing ducks flying over the Chesapeake Bay in a colorful graphic display.
Dawson is currently employed by Verizon, working as a cable-splicing technician and a repair “troubleshooter.” “I’m a problem-solver,” he said. He is married, and he and his wife Carolyn have three children, including a son who recently graduated as the Valedictorian at Perryville High School.
The candidate is a graduate of John Carroll High in Harford County and Mount St. Mary’s College in Emmittsburg, Md. He also recently graduated from the Cecil Leadership Institute that trains future leaders of the county to understand and explore county issues.
Dawson said his experience dealing with “customer service” gives him “patience” and an understanding of how to address the concerns of voters. “I’ll take the time to explain issues, and listen to what people are worried about,” he said.
In filing for the District 4 County Council seat, Dawson could be facing incumbent Republican Broomell in a GOP primary. But Broomell is widely expected to give up her Council seat to run for a vastly re-districted state delegate slot in the 35th District that includes a broad swathe of western Cecil County and a majority voter slice of eastern Harford County. Broomell briefly worked as the “Main Street” business/economic development co-coordinator in Havre de Grace in Harford County until she was fired.
Broomell’s controversial tenure as a Cecil County Commissioner/Councilor has created “divisiveness” on the county’s legislative body, Dawson said. “She’s distinguished herself by taking the far extreme” positions and “making herself the point,” Dawson said.
Dawson has also filed as a candidate for the Cecil County Republican Central committee, which is currently controlled by the Smipkin political machine—led by state Del. Michael Smigiel and Sen. E.J. Pipkin, both R-36.
Dawson has researched state law and previously written, in a letter to Cecil Times, that the county’s new Charter does not require an elected official such as a Councilor to resign from a party committee such as the GOP Central Committee—if the party committee has properly written its bylaws. He said that part of his intent in running for the GOP panel is to correct the flaws in the local party committee’s bylaws.
Mike Dawson is a good man and I trust that if he is elected, he will do an exemplary job for the citizens of Cecil County.
As far as the qualifications of Councilwoman Broomell to run for anything and accomplish something beneficial to the people and the business community, you said it all when you reminded us that she worked briefly as the “Main Street” business/economic co-coordinator in Havre de Grace in Harford County until she was fired. I trust that the people of Cecil County have learned their lesson with her and will think twice before electing her to anything higher than dog catcher.
Lets just hope that we can get the word out to Harford County so that they don’t repeat the same mistake we made in 2010.
Thank you for distinguishing between “Mad” Mike A. Dawson – who was angry with big government spending, waste and fraud (and stuck his neck out to fight it) and Mike W. Dawson , whose top priority is restoring the ” historically accurate seal as the official emblem of the county.” Citizens have the right to know what a candidate and /or elected official’s priorities are.
As usual Mr. Willick, you don’t let facts influence your Campaign 4 Lunacy rants. “Big government spending, waste and fraud”, in Perryville? Really? MAD Mike lost the Mayoral election to Eberhardt 65%-35%. Eberhardt won a 5th term.
Please don’t nominate Councilwoman Broomell for a position of dog catcher; she would get a share of the $60,000 monthly fee paid by the county, and ride around in a $32,000 pickup truck, also provided by the county!