Montague files for at-large county commissioner seat
Lusby woman is the lone Democrat in race
The year 2006 — when the late Barbara Stinnett won a third, nonconsecutive term as a county commissioner — was the last victory in Calvert County for a female Democrat commissioner candidate. Chelsea Montague wants to end that drought in 2022.
Montague, 34, is a St. Mary’s County native and a graduate of Chopticon High School. She filed in the crowded field for atlarge county commissioner seat on March 11.
In 2015, Montague and her husband moved to Calvert County and currently reside in the Chesapeake Ranch Estates subdivision of Lusby. The couple has three children, all in Calvert’s public school system.
When she isn’t involved in the daunting task of being a mother, Montague works with local organizations that aid the region’s neediest residents, distributing food and supplies.
She launched her campaign — her first foray ever into politics — after seeing no Democratic candidates filing for the at-large seats on the board.
“There should be options,” said Montague.
“When doing my research I saw no one my age running.
My generation also has some ideas to bring to the table. Local politics is where everything starts. I thought I’d give it the old college try.”
One of Montague’s aims is to advocate for affordable housing in Calvert.
“The average person can’t afford to live in Calvert,” she said. “Growth is going to continue. If we want to keep the next generation living here we should be reworking our rules.”
Montague stated she favors keeping the affordable housing solutions within the parameters of Calvert’s zoning laws and environmentally friendly.
“Just think outside the box,” Montague said of the development of a plan to make affordable housing a reality in Calvert.
To ensure Calvert’s residents can be confident their tax money is being wisely spent, Montague stated the board must involve the public in every step of the budget process. “I find right now a lot of people don’t see the transparency,” she said.
Currently, there are also six Republicans vying for the two at-large seats on the board of county commissioners — Steve Jones, Emad Dides, Todd Ireland, Myra Gowans, Paul Harrison and incumbent Earl F. “Buddy” Hance.
Maryland’s Primary Election was recently moved to July 19. The filing deadline for candidates is now Friday, April 15.