Baumgart challenging Cole in 4th

By Jonathan Starkey
Staff Reporter

The writer and Millsboro resident said he will stress the need for more public participation in government in his campaign, which is likely not to be too noticeable. Baumgart said he only spent about $55 leading up to the vote against Cole in 2002.

“If I had not filed, we would have had a coronation for George Cole,” Baumgart said. “I think people deserve a choice. The so-called ‘major parties’ are failing to give people a choice. The reason why I’m running is to at least uphold the theory of the democratic process.”

Cole, an Ocean View resident whose father and mother served on the council before him, will be seeking his sixth four-year term this November.

“He’s got some opinions,” Cole said of Baumgart. “I wish him well.”

In a Tuesday interview, Baumgart stressed public participation, saying that citizens should be banding together to propose ordinances. The county administrator and county finance director positions should be filled by elected officials, he said, adding that he also called for more elections in his 2002 campaign. Closed-door decisions, he added, have plagued the county government, and more public participation is vital to a working democratic system.

“If people don’t organize politically and vote for people who support those initiatives, we’re never going to make any political change,” Baumgart said, adding that he is also for a county police department. Cole adamantly disagrees with giving the sheriff’s office full law-enforcement powers. “Very few people step up and try to do something. At least I have a voice and I can talk.”

Cole labeled Baumgart’s governmental visions as unrealistic, saying that even if he was elected, none of aforementioned would be accomplished in four years.

“It all sounds good but putting a lot of this stuff into practical use is difficult,” Cole said. “A lot of what he buys into is political correctness. He’s not really going to change anything if he gets elected.”

Despite obvious differences Cole might label as realistic and unrealistic, both agree that the county’s land-use plan needs a complete overhaul. Environmentally Sensitive Developing Areas are currently receiving much scrutiny from the public but county officials seem cornered into approving development in the areas earmarked, as its name implies, for development. State and county disconnects have been revealed again as the project called The Estuary nears almost certain approval.

Still, though, despite an obvious agreement between the two on environmental issues, Baumgart, a self-proclaimed environment and science scholar who did not finish undergraduate work, said, “Mr. Cole likes to paint himself out to be the environmental candidate. But I can say I have studied the environment on a more scientific level than he has. I believe we need to have a more comprehensive environmental policy.

“Good for him,” said Cole, who has consistently argued against high-density cluster developments and building in sensitive zones. “Wolfgang, he’s very articulate but some of the issues are more directed to DNREC. Most people know where I stand. Most people know what I’m doing.”