Four of the five members of the Board of Carroll County Commissioners bid farewell Thursday to each other, county staff and residents at the board’s weekly meeting.
Commissioners Dennis Frazier, Stephen Wantz, and Richard Weaver served two four-year terms in office, while Commissioner Eric Bouchat served one four-year term. Bouchat was elected last month to serve District 5 in the Maryland House of Delegates.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/46IE74DBWRAUVHFIXMA2TAKUQQ.jpg)
At 3 p.m., Monday, the county’s four new commissioners – Joe Vigliotti (District 1), Kenneth Kiler (District 2), Tom Gordon (District 3) and Michael Guerin (District 4) – will join District 5 Commissioner Ed Rothstein for a swearing-in ceremony. All five are Republicans.
Rothstein praised each of the outgoing commissioners and wished Bouchat good luck in the Maryland General Assembly.
Wantz, who has represented District 1, said his time as a commissioner has “been a ride.”
“I’ve learned a lot from these people sitting in this seat. Some of the eight best years of my life were spent here with staff, and my colleagues,” Wantz said. “Even though we bickered at times, and we disagreed with one another, we got ‘er done. And, the county is a hell of a lot better for it as a result of our efforts.
“And to my colleagues, I can’t say enough about the experience. It’s been amazing, and I’m going to miss it, but, you know, life moves on.”
Weaver, who has represented District 2, thanked the county staff.
“You don’t know how much you mean to us,” he said. “You’ve always been there every time we needed something. Thank you for what you’ve done. You don’t know how much. You make us look good. More than you think.
“And for you guys, it’s been a great run,” he said to his fellow commissioners. “Nice bunch of guys to be here with. This has been a great eight years, but, here again, I have a great deal of confidence in the incoming group. I’m sure [staff] is going to support them, the same as you supported us. I hope they can even do better. I look forward to the next eight years doing something else.”
[ Read about the outgoing commissioners' future plans. ]
Bouchat called himself “a better person now than when I came into this building.
“I’m more intelligent, and have a grasp on how the county is run as I move onto a new position. I want to thank all my colleagues for working with me. I think we are friends. Even though people see we might disagree on issues, that’s part of the process. All of us are here because we have a deep commitment and love for the county, and I’m looking forward to working with the new board that comes on.”
Frazier, who has represented District 3, said he enjoyed all eight years he served.
“It’s been a great ride,” he said. “Thank you all for your help.”