Will Barrios of Dundalk sees the need for change on the east side of Baltimore County and brings his platform forward focusing on cleaner, safer streets and community engagement. He tells Nestor why there’s another Venezuelan-heritage fellow in the old neighborhood coming forward to lead as a potential councilman.
Overview
Will Barrios, a Venezuelan-American from Dundalk, is running for County Council in District 9. He emphasizes the need for change, focusing on cleaner, safer streets, and community engagement. Barrios criticizes the current political system, advocating for better representation and accessibility. He highlights local issues like the Key Bridge impact, the need for better infrastructure, and the environmental concerns of the Back River Wastewater Plant. Barrios plans to create an app for community complaints and hold regular office hours. He aims to restore trust in government and improve Dundalk’s standing, leveraging his personal connections and community involvement.
- [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Host the Maryland Crab Cake Tour event at Sorrento of Arbutus on June 10 as part of the Maryland Crab Cake Tour promotion (presented by the Maryland Lottery).
- [ ] Build and deploy a community reporting app (working with an app developer) to allow residents to voice complaints and report local issues outside confrontational social media channels.
- [ ] Hold regular constituent office hours to make the county council seat more accessible to residents if elected.
- [ ] Educate district residents about existing reporting tools (promote Smell My City and Baltimore County 311) and increase community awareness of how to report odors, potholes, and other local issues.
- [ ] Work with the Back River Water Restoration Committee and advocate for restoration projects (for example, explore floating wetlands like the aquarium project) to improve local water quality at Back River.
- [ ] Advocate for local job and training pipelines (including CCBC underwater diver/welding programs) so district residents can access work related to bridge and infrastructure projects.
- [ ] Oppose and publicly advocate against the council ‘courtesy’ practice that enables pay-to-play influence, and educate constituents about its risks.
Introduction and Election Encouragement
- Nestor Aparicio introduces the show, emphasizing the importance of voting in the upcoming election on June 23.
- He encourages listeners to register and vote, highlighting the significance of democracy.
- Nestor mentions his efforts to engage with people from various backgrounds to improve the city, state, and county.
- He announces the Maryland Crab Cake Tour, sponsored by the Maryland Lottery, and thanks his sponsors for their support.
Introduction of Will Barrios
- Nestor Aparicio introduces Will Barrios, a candidate running for County Council in District 9, and mentions their shared Venezuelan heritage.
- Will Barrios shares his background, stating he has lived in Dundalk for almost 40 years and never envisioned himself in politics.
- He expresses his desire to change his hometown and improve the community, especially after having children.
- Will mentions his platform, which includes addressing inadequacies in the community and focusing on family and community values.
Will Barrios’ Platform and Approach
- Will Barrios discusses his platform, emphasizing the importance of listening to all people, regardless of political affiliation.
- He mentions his efforts to build a platform and create an app to allow people to voice their complaints online.
- Nestor Aparicio and Will Barrios discuss the importance of solving problems rather than just complaining on social media.
- Will Barrios shares his vision of making Dundalk cleaner, safer, and well-lit, and bringing hope back to the community.
Challenges and Personal Motivation
- Will Barrios talks about the challenges of change in the county and his role as an outsider trying to shake things up.
- He shares his personal motivation, which was ignited in 2016, and his frustration with the current political climate.
- Will Barrios discusses the shift in Dundalk’s political leanings from blue-collar Democratic to more conservative in recent years.
- Nestor Aparicio and Will Barrios discuss the impact of national politics on local communities and the importance of local issues.
Community Involvement and Local Issues
- Will Barrios emphasizes the importance of community input and modernizing government to make it more accessible.
- He discusses the impact of the Key Bridge going down and the need for local solutions to address transportation issues.
- Will Barrios mentions his opposition to cancel manic courtesy, which he believes allows pay-to-play politics to thrive.
- He highlights the importance of giving people a voice at the table and advocating for the district’s needs.
District 9 and Community Connections
- Will Barrios explains the changes in District 9, which now includes parts of Rosedale and Fort Howard.
- He discusses the importance of making each district smaller to allow for more personal interaction and response to constituents.
- Will Barrios mentions his work with the Back River Water Restoration Committee and the need for innovative solutions to environmental issues.
- He shares his vision of making Dundalk a priority again and advocating for the community’s needs.
Technology and Infrastructure
- Will Barrios and Nestor Aparicio discuss the importance of technology, such as AI and electric cars, in improving the community.
- Will Barrios mentions the pushback on data centers and the need for community input in decision-making.
- They discuss the impact of the bridge issue on the commute and the need for local job opportunities.
- Will Barrios highlights the importance of modernizing government infrastructure while maintaining community input.
Education and Community Resources
- Will Barrios emphasizes the importance of education and making community resources more accessible.
- He mentions the Smell My City app, which allows people to report environmental issues, and the Baltimore County 311 app for reporting potholes and other issues.
- Will Barrios discusses the need for regular office hours for county council members to make them more accessible.
- He highlights the importance of representing diverse demographics on the county council and advocating for the community’s needs.
Final Thoughts and Vision
- Will Barrios shares his final thoughts on his candidacy, emphasizing his commitment to making Dundalk a better place for his children and the community.
- He discusses the importance of trust in government and the need for transparency and accessibility.
- Will Barrios mentions his vision of preparing for the future, such as the new bridge project, and making the community a priority.
- Nestor Aparicio and Will Barrios discuss their shared connections and the importance of community involvement in improving Dundalk.
Nestor Aparicio 0:01
Welcome home. We are W N S T A M 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We are Baltimore positive. We’re positively into the election season here as we get up on june 23 I’m encouraging everyone, vote. Damn it, if you’re registered, vote. If you didn’t register, get registered. Make sure you’re available to vote. We need you in this country, democracy dies in darkness, and I’m here to shed some light on that. And I’ve been talking to Republicans, Democrats, black, white, male, female, east, west, county, city. And if folks want to come on and talk about making my city, my state, my region, my county, my area, my country better, I’m here for all of that. We’re going to be doing the Maryland Crab Cake Tour, doing exactly that at Sorrento of Arbutus on the 10th. We are moving around town, doing the Maryland Crab Cake Tour, presented by the Maryland Lottery. I will have Maryland Treasures Scratch, let’s play a Maryland Scratchers. Look at Ocean City, Maryland, it’s 80 degrees. I feel like I want to get over the bridge. I got a bridge one too. Here, there you go, go over that bridge. Also, our friends at GBMC and Farnon and Dermer, they are the comfort guys, keeping me comfortable. I am made more comfortable by the fact that people actually listen to this show. No one listens, but everyone hears, especially in my homeland of Dundalk. This guy hails from the east side of town. I think we have more in common than I realize. I do not know a Will Barrios or Barrios in in, he is a Venezuelan descent, as am I. Will I don’t know that I’ve ever met you. I do eat some Chick-fil-A food from time to time when I’m over the east side of town, and I’ve seen your messages, and a lot of other messages, because I live in the county, and your stuff suits me. And we’ve got two more seats. A lot of county people don’t know that, so I’m trying to educate people that if Ertel was your former councilman, you may be into, you know, a different.. you may be in David Marx’s. Things are moving around, things are shifting, including up in the Hereford zone. Dude, you’ve rolled your sleeves up, you’re like not a politician at all, you’re an East Side guy, Todd Crandall. How are you, Todd, by the way? And I went to middle school and high school together. I’ve known Todd 45 years. He sent me a text, quite frankly, about the Orioles melting down about two weeks ago, and I heard from him, but I haven’t had him on the show. You’re running in a seat that there’s gonna be some change in the East Side of the county, will, and I think she wanted to be a part of, so I don’t know you at all. Welcome on a pleasure, and even more so, I don’t meet anybody whose dad’s from Venezuela who’s a gringo like me. So, shout out to you, bro…