The campaign for the Calvert Board of Education (BOE) is off to an acrimonious start already. According to documents on file at Calvert County Circuit Court, Current BOE President Rose C. Crunkleton has filed a petition to challenge the residency of her lone opponent in the race for school board representative from the Third Election District.
Kelly D. McConkey, who filed earlier this month for the Third District race, asserts his residence is Dunkirk. An attorney representing Crunkleton stated that is not the case.
“He should have filed in District Two, that’s where his residence is,” said attorney Carl W. Buchheister. “We believe we are going to establish that his residence is in District Two.”
McConkey said Jan. 20 that after filing for the BOE race he sent Crunkleton a letter, telling her his candidacy was “nothing personal.” McConkey stated Crunkleton sent a letter back to him.
“She asked me to withdraw,” said McConkey, who responded to Crunkleton by stating he had no intention to do so.
“I’ve lived in Dunkirk six or seven years,” said McConkey. “In my opinion she’s taking desperate measures. I was shocked by it.”
A call to Crunkleton has not been returned.
A hearing on the petition to challenge is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday morning, Jan. 24 in Calvert County Circuit Court, Courtroom 2 at 9 a.m.
McConkey’s residence has been the subject of controversy before. In order to comply with the Calvert County Zoning Ordinance, McConkey had to build a house at his business, Kelly’s Nursery, in Dunkirk. In 2010, the issue came up again when McConkey ran for county commissioner from the Third Election District. A Dunkirk resident living near the nursery claimed in a letter to the editor that the house located at the nursery was not the candidate’s primary residence. McConkey finished seventh in the 11-candidate race for county commissioner.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
