Jesse Bane, Harford County?s Democratic candidate for sheriff, has been named the county?s “Most Beautiful Person.”
But given Bane?s political status, the award may raise more eyebrows than voices in praise.
“I?ll keep my opinion to myself,” said Norman Cochran, Bane?s Republican opponent.
About 30 people were nominated for the annual award, and Bane edged out his nearest competitor by one point, said Mary Chance, director of Harford County Community Services, which oversees Harford?s involvement in the statewide program.
“I could have probably pulled [Bane?s] name from the nominees, but I didn?t think that was right,” Chance said, adding that Bane?s campaign played no role in his being named. Chance said the situation represented a “Catch 22” because Bane is deserving of the award, but in “hindsight,” she could see how people might balk at Bane winning the award while seeking the office of sheriff.
The judges ? whom Chance would not identify ? consisted of one representative each of the volunteer, faith-based and business communities. Judges are required to vote on nominees based on the number of organizations the nominee is involved with, the number of people impacted by the nominee?s work, the number of volunteer hours logged by the nominee in a calendar year and the length of time the nominee has been volunteering, she said.
“I personally don?t think politics figures into this decision,” Banesaid. He said his sister nominated him for the award during the summer, and he was quite surprised that he won, which was announced last week.
“I would like to think it was for what I have done in the past year,” he said.
According to Bane?s resume, he is currently the chair of the Fallston Community Council, president of the board of directors for the Harford County Sexual Assault/Spouse Abuse Resource Center (known as SARC), chair of the Harford County Delinquency Prevention Policy Board and a board member of the Harford County Community Action Agency, among many other past and present activities. Chance said the process was “the same way we have handled it for the past 20 years.”
But she could foresee a future policy stipulating that candidates for political office could not be nominated during an election year, she said.
