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Channel 8 Questionnaire

How do you feel about the pace of growth in Calvert County? How do you balance growth with maintaining Calvert County’s historic charm?
Calvert County's current residential growth rate is a healthy 2%, with less than 1% growth rate in school enrollment.  Until recent zoning decisions were made, Calvert's residential growth rate was the fastest in the state, and too rapid to support with adequate infrastructure, and as high as 7%.

Calvert County adheres to the Town Center Concept where growth is concentrated in town centers to keep sprawl from overtaking the rural areas.  Also, Calvert is preserving more land than it is developing, keeping the rural character outside the town centers, and providing opportunities for growth in the town centers.

Should a new nuclear energy reactor be built at Calvert Cliffs? Are you concerned with the impact a new reactor might have on public safety?
Whether to build a new reactor at Calvert Cliffs is the decision of Constellation Energy, which owns Calvert Cliffs.  However, nuclear energy is cleaner than coal-fired, and a new, state of the art, thus safer, reactor would bring tremendous economic benefits to Calvert County.  I do not believe that a new reactor would increase the public safety risk over the current risk.

What would you do to help improve the quality of the Chesapeake Bay?
I believe that water quality in the Chesapeake Bay, rivers, and tributaries is critical.  Calvert County is partnering with Chesapeake Beach and North Beach to upgrade the Chesapeake Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant.  We monitor the water quality in the Mill Creek/Solomons Watershed.  An environmental planner, Veronica Christo, has been hired to reduce pollutants into the watershed and ultimately, into the Chesapeake Bay.  I will continue those efforts.  I support the land trusts.  Residential growth control is a critical element as well as adherence to environmental regs.  I support Transferable Development Rights for sensitive lands to preserve those lands from development.

Describe your personal and professional background (i.e. education, family, career history and residency):
I have lived in Calvert County (in Huntingtown) for almost 32 years after growing up in Wyoming in a large family of pioneers.  I have a B.A. degree in Spanish and a Master's Degree in Social Work from Catholic U. (1976) with lots of post-graduate course work, including being named a Fellow - University of MD Academy of Excellence in Local Government, Sept., 2004.  I have been a psychotherapist and clincial social worker for 30 years.  I am a widow (Colin Shaw died in 1991 in a commercial aviation accident) with a 27 year old son, Devin, who is both a homeowner in Owings and an entrepreneur, and a 15 year old recently adopted daughter, Linzi.  My fiancee is Joseph Zocchi, a lawyer for the Army.  I am an active member of Huntingtown United Methodist Church.  I have been a small business person (Shaw's Aerial Photo and psychotherapy practice) as well as a community activist and volunteer in many settings and ways.  I am a writer.  I have held leadership and management positions in many organizations and entities.  Details are available on my website at: ImChoosingSusan.com.  I feel honored to serve as a Commissioner for the citizens of Calvert County, which I love.

Please use this space to share with the voters any other information you believe will help them make their choice September 12th: