Live Blogging: scroll down for more details:

7:45 — I’m going to shut down the live blogging at this point and start doing some networking. Feel free to share your comments if you were attending the meeting tonight (or otherwise).

7:36 — Smigiel announced he just launched a new blog. You can read it at: http://smigiel.wordpress.com. He currently has one post:

In just a few short months the bastion of capitalism, the American economy, has collapsed into full-fledged socialism.  here is the outrage? Where are our leaders who should be extolling the benefits of capitalism and free markets? Those we would expect to be the leading voices in opposition to the current shortsighted monetary policies are the very same people standing in the front of the line to receive the largest percentage of the approximately two trillion dollar bailout.

Read the rest of the essay here.

7:27 — Smigiel: If Obama keeps his promise in investing in infrastructure, there is a possibility of some of that infrastructure money would come to Cecil County for bringing the rail service and improving the bridges.

7:25 — Smigiel mentions that the government said that we’re going to restrict the growth in government. That’s good news!

7:22 — Whats coming: Mike Miller’s suggestion to the State Senate president was to not raise taxes, but to shift the responsibility to the county.

7:20 — There is a large percent of Cecil County educators who live out of state. Interesting.

7:20 — He talks about the importance of holding the board of education accountable on their expenditures and spending.

7:15 — Delegate Smigiel from the Maryland Legislature is speaking. He confirmed that he received a letter from the Cecil County Treasurer that rescinded her request for pay increase.

7:10 — Hodge responds to a question about the Treasurer’s request for a salary increase. Hodge expects the request to be withdrawn and said he did not support the increase.

7:09 — Hodge: It is going to be a challenge to hold the line on taxes while maintaining services. Hodge assures the audience that he got the message on resident’s being fed up on real estate taxes.

7:07 — Robert Hodge is up next — he is on his second week on the job as Commissioner. He is outlining some of the specific tasks and work he and the commissioners have been working on.

7:06 — Cecil County has a 17% unaffiliated registered voters. Those are the voters that tend to determine the election.

7:03 — An audience member asks if Teri noticed a correlation between areas where they did door-to-door and where the numbers showed positive for Hodge. She believes there was, though its not a science.

7:01 — In Cecil county, it costs over $13,000 to get a mail piece to every resident. Interesting.

6:58 — She just passed around a 2008 general polling precinct unofficial election data spreadsheet for Cecil County and discussing the Hodge campaign.

6:56 — Tari Moore, Robert Hodge’s Campaign Consultant is sharing some thoughts on the past election.

6:52 — Several attendees are discussing with Chris the up coming county meetings on January 13 at 7pm related to the new budget.

6:49 — Chris Zeauskas from Cecil Citizens Against Taxes is talking about the organization. He says they currently have 50 members. They don’t have a website yet, so we’ll be looking for that as soon as its ready.

6:43 — Cosans mentioned Michael Steele’s Blueprint For Tomorrow – En-Route to a Republican Revolution that was distributed to RNC members. She encouraged attendees to look it up and read it. She would welcome Michael Steelle for RNC Chairman. You can read more at http://www.draftmichaelsteele.com.

6:41 – The Cecil Republican Women’s Club is looking for a webmaster. http://cecilgopwomen.com

6:38 — Chan Cosans from the Republican Women’s Club is up next. She is giving a club update as far as officers and club membership.

More after the break:

6:30 — Demmler: “Replacement of our bridges has been one of our shinning successes.”

6:29 — From the report: One of DPW’s main functions is the maintenance of an estimated 570 centerline miles of County roads, over 90 bridges, and associated stormwater management facilities. DPW’s Engineering & Construction Division is responsible for the management of major construction projects funded through the County’s Capital Improvement Program budget while the Roads Division is responsible for maintaining the facilities and infrastructure once they are built.”

6:25 – Cecil County is projected to be the fastest growing county in MD. (Demmler)

6:19 – Commissioner Demmler is providing a county report, and answering some questions from the audience on the county budget. You can read the report she is going over right here.

********

6:05 — The room is starting to fill up at this evening’s YR Club meeting–looks like we’re going to have a good turn out. We have an all-star line up tonight:

Commissioner Demmler, Cecil County Government
Commissioner Hodge, Cecil County Government
Delegate Smigiel, Maryland Legislature
Cecilia Poole, Campaign for Liberty
Tari Moore, Campaign Consultant
Frank Perrin, Cecil County Republican Central Committee Chairman
Chan Cosans, Republican Women’s Club
Chris Zeauskas, Cecil Citizens Against Taxes

If you want to change Cecil County it starts with involvement and educating yourself on the issues. These are the sort of meetings that let people connect and work together to lower the taxes, cut the spending, and make government more responsive to the people.

Let’s protect the freedoms that we all cherish and stop the growth of government that strangles our ability to take control of our own destiny.

If you’re in the area, come on by. We’re about to start in about 10 minutes.