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Henderson announces second bid for county commissioner

Yesterday, Tom Henderson announced that he was going to run for Frederick County Commissioner. Mr. Henderson joins Charles Jenkins as another candidate who lost in 2002, hasn't been seen around Winchester Hall for four years, but wants to spend the next four years there.

I don't know Tom personally. Only what I've read from him and about him, and a few things I've heard from others. Here are a few bits...

From a Gazette article in September, 2002 entitled "Builders step up candidate contributions:"


Note the reference to the "Defenders" in that paragraph (a group that claimed commissioners Cady, Lovell and Reeder as members). Here's how Commissioner John "Lennie" Thompson described the Defenders on his 2002 campaign website:


From a Frederick News Post article about the Defenders in July, 2002 ("Defenders new force in politics"):


Here is the Gazette article from the launch of Mr. Henderson's 2002 campaign: "Henderson seeks BOCC spot"

Henderson has to be considered a longshot in what is becoming a crowded field for the Republican primary nomination (counting those who have filed and a few who are certain to do so soon).

From the FREDERICK NEWS POST: Henderson enters BoCC race Wednesday, June 14, 2006 By Clifford G. Cumber FREDERICK -- Republican Tom Henderson announced his second bid to become a Frederick County commissioner Tuesday on an everyman platform that includes lower taxes, smaller government and a zero tolerance plan to control spousal abuse, sex offenders, rapists and child molesters. "I'm not some highfalutin real-estate mogul, I'm not," the 73-year-old Spring Ridge resident said. "I'm not a builder, I'm not a developer, I'm not a lawyer. I'm just one of the plain folks, just a regular guy. And that's why I can relate to the problems that you have, because I have the same problems." But there is no magic bullet or quick fix for county problems, Mr. Henderson told about 25 supporters. "The way that we solve problems in this county is with hard work and sacrifice," he said. "And there's gonna be some." Frederick County Republican Central Committee Chairman Chuck Jenkins, who is running for sheriff, introduced Mr. Henderson, who ran in 2002 and lost in the primary. "I think he's a great candidate, a wonderful person, a good family man," Mr. Jenkins said. In Mr. Henderson's campaign literature, he promised to cut county government spending to lower taxes. In his speech he said he would protect farmers and farming "no matter what it takes." Mr. Henderson declined to reveal specifics of his plan to clamp down on domestic violence and sex offenders. He said he will provide details closer to the general election. The plan would involve the media, he said, and once known would take off in the county and nearby jurisdictions. It would not require any authority from the Maryland General Assembly to enact, a requirement for certain types of county legislation because of Frederick's commissioner form of government. "I have a plan, it's just a matter of implementing it," Mr. Henderson said. "I'm not going to tell about it now because some of the other candidates, when they hear about it, are going to take the plan and run with it É But we will be playing extremely hard against those people who take advantage of our children to the extent that it is bothersome to everyone." One of the central driving issues of the 2006 election is growth. Growth is inevitable, Mr. Henderson said. The county needs to refocus its growth policies to attract new, clean, environmentally friendly businesses -- as many as the county can get -- to boost the tax base. "We can't look at growth as being evil and being bad. It's not bad," he said. "It's just not managed properly and we have to manage it properly." Mr. Henderson said he would oppose school board plans to build new offices on Carroll Creek. "As far as this 'Taj Mahal' thing on Carroll Creek, well if they come to me and ask me about building this Taj Mahal thing along Carroll Creek, I hope somebody's there to help me up of the floor when I fall off the chair laughing, because it ain't going to happen, not on my watch," he said. Mr. Henderson said school officials could use portables, like school students, if they needed more space. Mr. Henderson, who moved to Frederick from Anne Arundel, served on an affordable planning task force there that developed more than 40 recommendations, all of which were turned down by the county council. He hopes to make some of that happen in Frederick, he said. Fees to build a house topped $35,000 before a builder begins construction, driving up housing costs, Mr. Henderson said. He called for elimination of some, but not all, of those fees. Mr. Henderson was an account manager for Sears and Roebuck. Now retired, he works part-time at the Sports Authority as a senior sales associate, so he can afford to pay his taxes, he said. "(It's a) terrible situation with the taxes," he said. Mr. Henderson is married with three children and five grandchildren. He is Gov. Robert Ehrlich's appointee to the Maryland Handgun Roster Board, and a member of the Monocacy Pistol Club, Stoney Creek Shooting Club and the National Rifle Association.

From the GAZETTE: Henderson to make another bid for county commissioner http://www.gazette.net/stories/061506/fredcou185116_31943.shtml Thursday, June 15, 2006 by Sherry Greenfield Staff Writer Thomas C. Henderson promised supporters Tuesday that he would be elected to the Frederick Board of County Commissioners this time. ‘‘I won’t let you down,” said Henderson, who lost his bid for commissioner in the 2002 primary election. ‘‘This time it’s a different situation. I’m happy I’m not a county commissioner running for re-election.” Henderson (R) is referring to the controversy surrounding some members of the current board over the last four years. ‘‘I’m going to need your help if we’re going to be successful,” said the 72-year-old Henderson to supporters, local land-use attorneys, and Republican leaders at the C. Burr Artz Library in Frederick. ‘‘Thomas Henderson is going to win and work for you, the taxpayer.” A resident of Frederick, Henderson worked as an account manager with Sears for 21 years before retiring in 1992. He now works part-time as a senior sales associate at Sports Authority. ‘‘I’m doing it so I can pay my taxes,” Henderson said. During his speech, Henderson acknowledged that the county is facing many problems, with high taxes topping the list. ‘‘Taxes are severely hurting the citizens of Frederick County, especially our senior citizens and persons on fixed or limited incomes,” Henderson writes in his campaign literature. He is also pro-business, and believes the county should be more active in bringing new jobs into the county. ‘‘Tom Henderson means business, and I want to bring more business into this county,” he said. Addressing over-crowded schools, Henderson said he sees no problem with students and teachers using portable classrooms to save money. ‘‘Let them use portables like our kids used portables,” he said. Finally, as a member of the Defenders of Citizens’ Rights Inc., a group of local landowners that in 2002 endorsed pro-growth candidates, Henderson continues to believe development is needed in the county. ‘‘We can’t look at growth as being evil or being made bad,” he said. ‘‘It’s not evil, it just has to be managed properly.” Henderson and his wife Elizabeth ‘‘Bette” have three daughters and five grandchildren. Eight candidates have filed to run for Frederick County commissioner as of this week. Democratic candidates include: Kai Hagen and Richard Floyd. Republican candidates include: incumbents John ‘‘Lennie” Thompson Jr. and John R. Lovell Jr.; Samie Conyers, Thomas C. Henderson, Charles Jenkins and Billy Shreve. The deadline to file is July 3. The primary election is Sept. 12; the general election is Nov. 7.

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