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Representatives from neighborhoods all around the city have stepped up in the last few months to ensure that this year's election candidates' don't divert their attention away from community concerns.

Last month, representatives from 11 city's Neighborhood Advisory Councils banded together to bring all of their concerns into five questions, covering various aspects of the city's functionality and residents' quality of life, that they posed to all of the candidates during an open house candidate forum.

The Aug. 19 event was a success, organizers and neighborhood council members said, and represented for years what they have wanted to convey to city officials: Neighborhoods matter.

And what goes on in residents' backyards has implications on the entire city.

"It's not just about individual neighborhoods anymore," said Stephanie Davis-Ambush, community outreach coordinator for the city. "Candidates realize that these are city-wide issues."

Candidates praised the event as one of the best campaign experiences they had, and though it was geared toward voters, it was one that proved informative for them as they continued on their last stretch of the campaign trail.

Residents put the event on the same caliber as the city's Fourth of July celebration.

But what really mattered, organizers of the forum said, was that residents would have the opportunity to take the candidates' responses — to the questions that mattered most to them and their fellow neighbors — to their homes to read and study them.

And as the residents walked out of the William Talley Center last month, they had a profound sense of acknowledgement. No more would there be sound bites that could fade on airwaves, or be recycled with the newspaper.

They clutched folders bursting with sheets of paper outlining promises and commitments as they dispersed. The candidates' responses were contracts of sorts —something that residents will have on the Sept. 15 primary, the Nov. 3 general election, and beyond.

E-mail Erica L. Green at egreen@gazette.net.

Through Sept. 3, The Gazette will provide a series of stories and candidate forums to serve as a voter's guide leading up to the city's primary election on Sept. 15.

Each week the 2009 City of Frederick election candidates will be invited to sound off on a specific topic and question.

The mayoral candidate responses will be published in the paper, and aldermanic candidate responses will be published online on The Gazette's City of Frederick election page.

The city's primary election will be held on Sept. 15. The general election is Nov. 3.

Question: In the last installment of The Gazette's Election Series, we asked candidates to identify a neighborhood issue that they specifically want to address if they are elected. We asked for specification of the neighborhood and the issue, as well. Below are the mayoral candidates.

Democrats Jennifer Dougherty
Served as Frederick's first female mayor from 2002 to 2006. She lost a re-election bid in 2005. A downtown business owner for 20 years, Dougherty now works as a Realtor in Frederick. She is 48 years old.

Enforcement of Livability Code for Residential Properties:  Specifically on West End

Working through the NACs, we will protect against residential over-crowding, conditions of blight, abandoned properties and vehicles. We will adopt appropriate legislation to prohibit overcrowding and unsafe conditions in rental units; enforce parking restrictions; adopt home foreclosure legislation requiring face-to-face negotiations and policies that require bank-owned properties to be properly maintained and sold in a more timely manner.  We can create more opportunities by finishing Hill Street Park with the pool and then work to get a bubble over the pool and skate park for year-round use.

Jason Judd
A first-time City Hall candidate, comes from a background of labor- and community organizing. A trained economist, he works in Washington, D.C. as a campaign director for the Service Employees International Union. He is 37 years old.

I learned policy and politics helping neighborhoods, congregations, and schools get together to make sure basic city services were getting delivered.

First, we'll create a City 311 phone-line that folks can call and get connected to the right people, right departments for City services.

Second, I support Chief Dine's emphasis on community policing, and want to intensify it in older neighborhoods like Amber Meadows, Waverly, and Hillcrest. Enforcement and prevention go hand-in-hand and I want us to invest more in summer and after-school programs for older kids. I fought for exactly these kinds of investments as a community organizer. 

Chris Simpson
A newcomer to city politics, is a native of Frederick and owns a liquor store on the city’s West Side. He is 40 years old.

CRIME. I will name the streets. Key parkway, McCain, Hillcrest. I want to get together with Chief Dine and know what exactly can be done. I want to start with officers walking on the streets or at least biking.

I want the criminal element to get out because they are now outmanned and outgunned. Get the residents involved with programs already in place.

Take back Frederick.

Republicans
Randy McClement
Owner of Market Street Bagel and Deli in downtown Frederick. He ran unsuccessfully for alderman four years ago, and sits on numerous boards in Frederick. He is president of the Tourism Council of Frederick County. He is 52 years old.

Our City is made up of unique neighborhoods. No one neighborhood is more important than another. The job of the Mayor is to ensure the entire City has fair representation and anticipate and address concerns as they arise.

Through my previous work with Homeowner's associations (13 years), I have a great deal of experience working with neighborhoods and helping them solve issues specific to their community. As Mayor, I would listen to the NAC's to gain information on critical areas of concern or generic concerns relating to most Neighborhoods and find ways to address them accordingly.

Ron Tobin
Serves as executive assistant for Mayor W. Jeff Holtzinger (R), where he has overseen city infrastructure projects. He is 68 years old.

East End community is part of the Community Legacy Program. The area is enclosed by East Street on the West, Franklin on the East, South Street on the South, and Patrick St. on the North. The City should program revitalization activities in this area such as: Plant front yard/street trees; create buffer zones between Industrial Region and Mixed Use/Residential Areas; Preserve Historic assets utilizing CDBG for rehabilitation program; Streetscape/sidewalk improvements to develop pedestrian friendly connections; Purchase 33 Hamilton Avenue allowing residential and open space redevelopment. A long term goal would also be the acquisition of 55 Hamilton Avenue for redevelopment.

Clint Hoffman
Owner of Discount Towing in Frederick. This is his first political bid. Failed to respond for this story. He is 46 years old.