New Mayor Restores Harmony at City Hall

Spotlight-Shy Holtzinger Wins Plaudits but Is Dogged by Nepotism, Other Controversies

The former Frederick mayor's tart send-off -- "Irish diplomacy: the ability to tell someone to go to hell so that he will look forward to the trip" -- is gone, and the wall where the framed saying had hung is blank.

Gone, too, is the big City Hall group portrait, which showed the last mayor and members of the former Board of Aldermen standing shoulder to shoulder, all smiles, before their days in office became synonymous with relentless political warfare.

These days, a prominent fixture in the roomy, antique-filled quarters of new Mayor W. Jeff Holtzinger (R) is a colored map of the city's zones for future water service. And, to the surprise of some inside and outside the government, the neophyte politician has helped usher in a mood of cooperation at City Hall.

Holtzinger, 42, a lawyer and former city engineer who pulled off upsets of favored opponents in his first bid for elective office last year, convinced voters that as a newcomer, he could put an end to the bickering and get down to business. Six months into his term, he's won praise for restoring calm. But he's also suffered missteps, including a nepotism controversy at City Hall.

Since his January inauguration, Holtzinger has established a reputation as a wonkish, head-down leader more eager to talk about wastewater treatment than politics. Uneasy with speeches and the spotlight, he has been quick to share credit with the Board of Aldermen for several early successes, including an important water-sharing agreement with the county.

But Holtzinger has also been distracted by an ethics controversy over the hiring of his sister-in-law, lingering questions about his residency and criticism over a shake-up in City Hall that resulted in the demotion or departure of some high-ranking officials.

Joe Volz, a columnist at the Frederick News-Post, created a stir in June when he gave Holtzinger an "F" for hiring his sister-in-law and an overall grade of "C." All of which has fed a sense in this city of 57,000 that Holtzinger is learning on the job.

"I think he's different from what we expected," said former mayor Jennifer P. Dougherty (D). She accused Holtzinger of "cronyism" for hiring his sister-in-law and called it a sign of stubbornness.

The mayor helped hire his sister-in-law before the city's Ethics Commission ruled that it was a mistake. She resigned and was rehired without his input.

"The Ethics Commission told him it wasn't kosher. Yet, lo and behold, she applies and, lo and behold, she gets the job. If you can't trust him on something so black and white like you can't hire your sister-in-law -- twice -- how can I trust him again?" Dougherty said.

Others say Holtzinger needs more time to settle in.

"I would say for someone who wasn't a politician, he's doing very well," said Guy Djoken, president of Frederick's NAACP branch. "You have to give people time to learn how to do something."