HAGERSTOWN, Md. – Washington County voters will choose five county commissioners Tuesday, Nov. 3, with decisions looming for the next Board over data center development, taxes, emergency services, school funding and aging infrastructure. Early voting started Oct. 22.
Five Republicans are seeking seats on the Board of County Commissioners: incumbents John Barr, Jeff Cline and Randy Leatherman; former commissioner and current school board member Charles Burkett; and first-time candidate Dan Young.
They are competing against four active Democratic candidates and one unaffiliated candidate. Voters may select up to five candidates, regardless of party, and the five receiving the most votes will win seats.
The candidates have outlined differing approaches to regulating data centers, paying for public services and restoring general public comment at commissioners’ meetings, which was suspended in 2025.
John F. Barr
John Barr, 73, of the Clear Spring area, is seeking a fifth term after 20 years on the commission. The board’s current president formerly owned Ellsworth Electric and served as president of the Maryland Association of Counties.
• Data centers: Voted for the 12-month moratorium on new applications. Supports allowing the facilities with a minimum 1,000-foot setback from existing residential developments, developer-funded electrical infrastructure and a prohibition on using public water for cooling.
• Water and sewer: Supports establishing a joint water and wastewater authority with Hagerstown and other municipalities to address infrastructure needs.
• Schools and public safety: Identifies aging school buildings and rising fire and rescue costs among the county’s budget challenges. Has also called for additional elementary school personnel to help teachers meet students’ needs.
• Public comment: Supports restoring general public comment at commissioners’ meetings, provided the county establishes and enforces rules governing conduct.
• ICE detention: Voted for a February resolution supporting federal immigration enforcement amid controversy over a proposed detention facility near Williamsport.
Jeffrey A. Cline
Jeff Cline, 70, of Funkstown, is seeking a fifth term after 16 years as a commissioner. The board’s vice president previously served on the Williamsport Town Council and has worked in real estate.
• Data centers: Voted for the 12-month moratorium, warning that developers could exploit outdated zoning regulations. Supports restrictions on water use, residential setbacks and requirements intended to prevent increased household electricity costs.
• Electricity bills: Warned during the June 30 moratorium debate that data center development could leave residents paying substantially more for electricity. “I don’t want the tax bills to go down and all the sudden your electric bills up $500 a month,” he said.
• Infrastructure: Identifies public safety facilities, roads and additional water supplies among Washington County’s greatest needs.
• Public comment: Says rules should be established and enforced uniformly if general public comment is reinstated at commissioners’ meetings.
• ICE detention: Joined Barr and Leatherman in voting for the February resolution supporting federal immigration enforcement.
Randal A. Leatherman
Randy Leatherman, 65, of Fairplay, was appointed to the commission in April 2025 and is seeking his first full four-year term. A 20-year Air Force veteran, he has extensive fire, rescue and emergency medical services experience.
• Taxes: At an Oct. 15 candidates forum, he proposed considering an increase in the county income tax rate from 2.95% to 3.2%, estimating that it could generate an additional $19 million annually.
• Fire and rescue: Suggested using the additional tax revenue to help fund a new county fire and rescue division, while protecting law enforcement and emergency services from spending cuts.
• County spending: Said he would consider a 10% workforce reduction across county offices if revenues fell short and spending cuts became necessary.
• Data centers: Voted for the moratorium. Supports locating facilities only where adequate infrastructure exists, with noise controls, groundwater monitoring and protections against higher residential utility bills.
• Public comment: Acknowledged supporting the 2025 suspension but now supports restoring public comment at the beginning of meetings, subject to a majority vote of commissioners.
• ICE detention: Voted for the February resolution supporting federal immigration enforcement.
Charles A. Burkett
Charles Burkett, 59, of Hagerstown, is seeking a return to the commission after serving two years as an appointed member. He currently serves on the Washington County Board of Education and works as an assistant pastor.
• Data centers: Questions whether large data centers belong in Washington County, given water supply concerns and rising electricity costs. If permitted, he wants developers to pay impact fees and cover necessary infrastructure improvements.
• Schools: Supports increasing the share of county spending devoted to public schools, particularly to renovate or replace aging buildings. “I just think we could bolster what percent we give to the schools,” he said at an Oct. 15 forum.
• Economic development: Advocates attracting manufacturing and higher-paying professional jobs to expand the tax base without increasing tax rates.
• Water and sewer: Calls for better cooperation between Washington County and Hagerstown, citing previous disagreements that complicated efforts to address shared infrastructure problems.
• Public comment: Supports restoring general public comment at commissioners’ meetings.
Dan Young
Dan Young, 35, of Smithsburg, is a fire-rescue captain and paramedic with a Northern Virginia fire department. He is seeking elected office for the first time.
• Data centers: Supports the moratorium and strict regulations requiring developers to secure their own utilities and pay for necessary infrastructure. “I will not support asking citizens to subsidize data center operations,” he said in his candidate questionnaire.
• Taxes: Advocates expanding the tax base through properly regulated development rather than increasing residents’ tax burden. Says new development should help reduce property taxes.
• Public safety: Calls for improvements to fire and emergency medical services and the sheriff’s office, drawing on his professional emergency services experience.
• Infrastructure: Identifies roads, water and sewer systems as priorities and supports requiring development to account for the costs it creates.
• Public comment: Supports restoring general public comment at commissioners’ meetings, with reasonable rules to maintain order.
Major decisions awaiting next commission
Data center regulations: Washington County’s 12-month moratorium on new data center applications, adopted June 30, is scheduled to expire in June 2027 unless commissioners extend or modify it.
County planners are developing zoning regulations addressing noise, water consumption, electrical infrastructure, residential setbacks and possible development fees. Draft regulations are expected next spring, followed by public hearings.
Taxes and emergency services: Commissioners will face continuing questions about how to fund fire, rescue and emergency medical services as costs rise and volunteer organizations face staffing and financial pressures.
Leatherman has raised the possibility of increasing the county income tax rate to pay for expanded services, while Young has advocated meeting infrastructure and public safety needs without raising taxes.
Schools and infrastructure: The commission will determine how much local funding goes to Washington County Public Schools while weighing competing demands for road maintenance, water and sewer improvements and public safety facilities.
Burkett has called for a larger share of county spending for schools, while Barr has proposed a joint water and wastewater authority to address infrastructure challenges.
Proposed ICE detention facility: The proposed federal detention center near Williamsport has generated controversy over immigration enforcement, wastewater capacity and demands on local infrastructure.
The next commission could face decisions involving county services and infrastructure, although federal authorities control detention operations.
Public participation: Commissioners will have to decide whether to restore general public comment at their business meetings.
Barr, Leatherman, Burkett and Young have expressed support for restoring it, subject to varying conditions. Cline has emphasized the need for uniformly enforced rules if the practice resumes.
Part 2 will examine the four active Democratic candidates and unaffiliated candidate Taj Smith.
