Left Handed Leftist

On the Record: Charles County w/ Lenny Proctor

• Carlos Childs • Episode 27

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In this conversation, host Carlos Childs and candidate Lenny Proctor discusses his journey from the Central Committee to running for Commissioner of District 2 in Charles County. Lenny emphasizes the importance of community engagement, addressing healthcare disparities, and improving infrastructure, particularly in the 210 corridor. He shares his vision for economic growth, including expanding the local MD airport and supporting small businesses. He also tackles pressing issues like affordable housing, traffic solutions, and the implications of data centers in the area. 

Lenny Proctor:

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SPEAKER_00

What's up you all? What's up, you all? Lenny Proctor, thanks so much for joining me today. How's your week going so far?

SPEAKER_01

Man, doing great, man. Doing great, man. Thank you for uh inviting me, brother.

SPEAKER_00

Of course, of course, of course. We need we need to hear more from our candidates, especially in Charles County, with the lack of just media that we have. So we need just as many opportunities we can to hear why candidates are running, what they're running for, and how they want to make the county better. So with that being said, let's go ahead and start it off. Tell us, tell the viewers who is Lenny? Who who is the man on this screen with me here today? Oh man.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, hold on. First, I'm gonna start off with this, all right? If they want to get in touch with me, I have and follow me. I'm gonna tell them the beginning before I forget at the end. Vote Lenny Proctor. I'm on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and join my webpage is vote Lenny Proctor.com. All right, and it gives you a little bit about my platform and a little bit about me, all right? All right, Lenny Proctor, I'm from the country. I'm I'm a Southern boy, you know what I mean? Uh this Southern uh Maryland, this is me. Uh uh I grew up here, seen a lot. I've seen a lot of growth, seen a lot of things happening, a lot of things not happening. I seen a lot of things happen in a way it should not be happening. And the future's coming. So, one thing about Lenny, I'm one of these guys, man. I'm I'm about about it. I'm about getting involved when it's time to get involved. Like everybody else. So want to work, survive a peaceful life, enjoy life, right? I don't want nobody in my business, I ain't in your business, you do you, we do each other. You know what I mean? How do we do it, right? But there's a time that things happen as we get older. What really got me, I I was already involved in a little bit because I see a lot of stuff going on. So I was with the central committee. I still am with the central committee, but I had uh I was the chair of the central committee for a few couple years. During that time, I was learning a little bit more about the politics world. And um, as chair, I did a lot. Uh, one of the big things of my achievement of that was bringing all five counties together, and that's Prince George's, And Arundel, St. Mary's, Calvert, and Charles together for election. You know, I've done several things as far as fundraisers, uh convoys through the county and through all five counties to uh TKO dinners, getting out um into the community. Uh there are a lot of folks that know me um because they went to signs. I was the man to help you get the signs, making sure people know what was going on, understanding the voting process, understanding why it's so important to vote and why your vote do count. Um, so um, let me about, like I said, uh uh, I'm from the county. I'm really from here. Um, like I said, I'm a proctor, you know. So I'm with the Piscottiway tribe, so I'm I'm native as well. And with my native ancestry, I have a lot of time and do things with my um family on that side as well. Very busy, man. Um, I like to do a lot of things. Um I don't know what else to say about me, because I, you know, I know I'm kind of humble in a sense, but people tell me I gotta get out and really tell you about me. And it's kind of hard to tell me about, tell you about me without you interacting and getting to know. I'm one of these guys, like I said, the mission gotta get done. I'm ex-military, so I believe in that mission, um, that leadership role, and understanding and listening to people. And hearing people out and listening to what they have going on. And and like I say, now get straight to the point of why I'm running. And that's one of the reasons why, is because hearing in the community, I hear people saying, hey, we're not happy. Where are we going? Why are we still stuck? I see it myself. And my mom had caught ill and uh me being a caregiver for my mom, um, learning that, and I start seeing a lot more other folks. God told us it's gonna be our time when we gotta take care of our parents. And it is what it is. So, and it's a lot. Um, learning about other folks, he's taking care of my mother and other folks in my family. I start seeing other folks that were having problems and listen to their concerns. So, that being said, I'm one of these guys that I know what I've I'm going through, and my mom is blessed to have me, and I'm blessed to have my mother, and I'm blessed to be able to do this. I know there's a lot of other folks that don't have what my mom have, and that support. So I want to give people that support. I want to be able to help folks out in any and every way I can. And that's from my uh elders to our young folks to the military folks to come here, um, and people in general. I want to make sure, like I said, everybody get out there and enjoy life.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. That's that that's awesome. And definitely want to say, um, I hope that your mother uh starts uh feeling better and does better as well. Definitely. Family is like family is the most important thing out here. So put the politics aside, all that, family is like number one. So definitely. And kind of before we talk about your uh platform and kind of some um things that are going on in the county, I want to ask you so what what made you take this leap from central committee to actually running for uh commissioner, but also noting that you first filed as commissioner president, then went to commissioner district two. What kind of um made you make make that uh switch as well?

SPEAKER_01

All right. Now what happened from the central committee was, like I said, um got into the politics world, getting into the world, understanding what was going on, the need, seeing the need, talking to folks, and saying, hey, we need to see this change. And the change wasn't going anywhere. Me going for the president, because like I said, I wanted to take care of all of Charles County. All right. Um then I had I have a friend, Dyotha. I seen that she jumped in. I wish she had told me before. And I seen her work. All right, and this is why, see, my thing is with anything, especially when you have a group of folks, you need a team. You need a team. And if you don't have the right team, you can't move forward because you always have this obstacle, that somebody blocking you from moving forward for this. And even though your team may not have eye to eye, but your vision is in the same direction. You follow me? Um, so I seen Delta Sweat work. And me seeing her work and knowing her work, I was like, you know what? I don't want us to battle each other because there's no need for it's there's room enough for for most of both of us, you know what I mean? And so I'm not on an ego trip. So I don't mind saying, hey, you know what, I'm gonna let you take that lead, and I'll just go D2 because D2 needs help as well, because you know, that's and that's my that's where I live at. And so I know I see the work in D2 that needs to be done. So, and when I looked at D2, I didn't see anyone qualified to, for my opinion, to run D2 and put D2 where it needs to be, you know, uh, and like I say, and the concerns of the people in D2. So that's what, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. No, definitely. Thank you for that. And kind of getting into some of those um uh things that you were talking about, definitely, as you mentioned, um healthcare. So given that District 2 is, for all intents and purposes, a healthcare desert, uh, there is no hospital there. There's no kind of even even having major um uh urgent cares are also lacking within District 2 as well. What are your thoughts on how to solve the the uh healthcare disparities within the District 2?

SPEAKER_01

Okay, like I said, on my platform is all real. You're gonna hear basically the same thing, but I'm gonna tell you now. Give me my give me the first 100 days. I gotta evaluate everything. I gotta see why we don't have it. Or is it in place and what's going on? All right. So I don't want to jump in and say, hey, you know what? There's no place for it. There's no I don't know. I really don't know what's going on. So I want to jump in. I do, I do know I have a vision. Like you said, my vision is to have some kind of health care there. Um I'd love to have some kind of another hospital here in Charles County. Okay. You hear so many things about, like you said, the land problem and things of that nature, WDC. It's a lot of things you hear. So I'm not gonna make that assumption. Because one thing you're gonna learn about me, I ain't gonna lie to you, and I'm a man of my word. All right. And if I don't know, I'm gonna tell you I don't know. And if I if I'm gonna look into something, and like I said, we have a concern here, and that is a major concern. I'm gonna look into it. And like I said, I'm not one of those that say, I'm gonna do this and do this and do this, and then I get in, then I feel like, oh, I see why they didn't do it. Yeah. Give me that 100 days and again and I'm gonna be transparent. I'm gonna be talking to the community. I'm gonna let the community know what's going on. Um, and that's what I'm about, man. I really, like I said, that 100 days, give it to me. Just give me that, and I promise you, you won't be disappointed as far as me coming back and being transparent with you. Now, what I can and can't do, I have to let you know. Because right now I don't know. Because, like I said, there is some things, like there's a lot of things going on, like that 210 corridor. Don't get me started. You know, because I'm telling you, to me, it's a gold mine there, and it's like George County is is is racking up on that 210 corridor. But it's some other things we can go further in on, but I'm just gonna leave that for another day, though.

SPEAKER_00

I was about to say, actually, let's talk about that. So, like, what are your or or first for the viewers, you had to tell us what do you mean by the uh 210 corridor and also what's your vision when it comes to that, that uh 210 corridor?

SPEAKER_01

All right. You ever think about Vegas? Okay, okay. I'm here with you. Okay, so what's different, okay, let's let's let me stop this real quick. What's different from me than any other these candidates? I've been to every state in the United States. And when I've been and I've been there more than once, more than twice, more than five times. And me being there, I've seen things. I've seen how different cultures and how different governors do different things. When I l and that's why I was bringing out Vegas, because I know a lot of people went to Vegas, okay? And I was trying to say that that strip, that 210 corridor, Prince Jordan's County is taking a great advantage of this with the harbor, and they're bringing this beer. What the Charles County has. You come to Charles County, and even when you see the Bronze Rose Sun, and like I said, this was from a resident, they was like, it doesn't look exciting. It doesn't look like what we represent. You know, the landscape needs to be redone. You know, show people that we're proud of Charles County. You know, it's not just some county, it's the county, you know. So I um I don't want to say, I'm gonna put it this way. I'm gonna put a small business, but a hyphen on that bad baby. And I want to say a growing business. I want to help those that are growing business because the purpose of your business is to grow. And I don't want to keep saying small businesses because that's why everybody, but I want to support those growing businesses so they can get ahead and have everything they need. So in that 210 corridor, again, give me that 100 days to evaluate everything and see why it hasn't moved the way it should be moving. Because when we look at by that base, and I understand Indian Hairs has Indian Head has their own thing, the mayor. I just feel like it should be doing a lot better. Me being pro-military, I've been to mil uh quite a few military bases. I want to see a lot more out of that base because the soldiers and and the people that works there need to have something there right there off of that base versus just it's like a dead dear manning. It's just uh ugly.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. Before we go into the vision, you kind of laid out what you see lacking of the uh 210 corridor, as you mentioned, not really as many businesses as you want to see. What else do you do you feel like is missing from the uh 210 corridor? And also how do you want to correct some of those problems that you're mentioning?

SPEAKER_01

Well, like I said, uh the landscape, you know, I want to make beautify it. You know, like I said, when you come into Owens County, I want you to come in and look at as soon as you come in, you're like, oh, this is a different county. We see this county, it's beautiful, you know. The landscape is one of the biggest things. I w I want to talk to the community and see what else they would like to know, uh, do about um certain things, you know. Because like I said, it's not just me. It's not just a many things. Like I said, I'll be the face of it, but we have to interact and tr be transparent in both ways. I need folks to talk to me and say, hey, this is what I want to see. Because I got a handful of people saying, hey, they want to see more businesses, and then some folks want to see more development, which is true. Most businesses or growth, they want to see a reason why, and give them a reason why to come to Charles County and w on onto that 210 corridor. Is it gonna be feasible for them to come there? So let's make it make it let's make it beautify, let's make it feasible for them. Let's give them a reason why we deserve that or why why they deserve to come to us, you know? Um basically.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. And I say, what type of businesses would you like to see? Because in Charles County, you know, we have this huge issue with having chain stores, chain restaurants, where you go to anywhere in Charles County, it's like going anywhere within the country. What's your kind of vision of a thriving 210 corridor? What type of businesses do you want to see? Like, like, do you want to see more of just like the major businesses like you have at the uh National Harbor, like the like uh high-end retail stores? Do you want to see more like localized businesses? What's your theory of that?

SPEAKER_01

See, you asked this question, man. I'm gonna tell you. I'm a I'm a mom and pop kind of guy. Okay. I I like seeing the diners, you know, your 50, 60 diners. You know what I mean? I like to see your soul food. I like to see that represent Maryland, the crab's house, you know, a place where you come and, you know, like grinder and stuff of that nature. You can come there and say, hey, you know what? I'm giving me some good crab down here in Charles County, and and, you know, and that's where you're gonna go. Um, I want to see things of that nature. I want I don't I want to see a lot of mom the pops. Now, I'm not gonna, how can I say, I'm not gonna say I would never do a chain, but it would be a good, I want I like a five-star chain. You know, that's what I feel that Waldorf is missing, period. You have a lot of restaurants, but we give me those, and I don't even want to say the names, but give me this, give me this five-star, give me this four-star, give me, bring this here so we can sit, and then we can talk about it, you know, because um, I know that I go to Annapolis. I keep it real to a lot of my stuff, you know, and we gotta go to DC and Virginia. Why? Why can't I just do it here in Charles County? I don't like to drive out far. And a lot of my friends don't like to drive out far, you know. So we like to stay here, you know? And that's what I want. And like I said, and really support them and make it easy for them to do it. Come here, set up shop, and make it easy and transparent with them as well.

SPEAKER_00

No, you're definitely right, especially when it comes to people leaving the county to spend money. That is essentially cutting in on the revenue Charles, Charles County could have. So when we don't don't have the recreational services, when we don't have the roads, sidewalks, and things like that, we have a lot of those sales tax that we're just leaving uh to uh to uh blame for it, especially when it comes to uh things like a deficit. So, with that, one of the main problems a lot of people see as like coming to Charles County or even leaving Charles County is the traffic. I mean, uh you mentioned Annapolis, DC, Virginia. Even going there is is what an hour and a half, even though we're we're only a couple um dozen miles from from those uh locations. And then even looking at the uh mini sphere that's gonna be coming to the harbor, that is essentially gonna add on to people's traffic problems as well. What are what are are some of your thoughts on on how you as a commissioner can alleviate some of these traffic issues?

SPEAKER_01

Well, I can't take credit off of this, but uh I'm definitely for it. Uh, Senator Ellis, the light rail. I am really for it. Uh, support it. I also have a vision too, I believe, in a free way. Because like I said, me being around, I see things where you can but like I said, there's studies that have to be done. And again, let me get in and let me look at what I have to do and what I can and can't do. Um and I don't want to spend a whole bunch of money doing these studies. You know what I'm saying? Because that's money going out. But there's ways when I it's feasible. If it's feasible to do it, let's make it happen. Like I said, it goes back to the community. Two, the 210 corridor. Me personally, I think it's better than 301 Ralph 5. You know what I mean? I think it's better because it's quicker. And I think one of the biggest problems with that traffic is lights. And that's why I said if you have a freeway that runs, you don't have any lights. And then back in the days, you know, we had it was very little lights. And it was really, really easy to get to. But with the freeways, you have service roads. So basically, with the freeway, you have a main road, you get on. Once you're on, you can get off the exit to your service road where you need to get off to. But the freeway is is a non-stop thing, you know. So that's one of my that's one of the things I'm looking into. It's the same thing I was looking at as far as the 301 corridor. I spoke to uh Senator LSP and some few other folks before. My vision, I would like to see happen. But yeah, one step at a time, you know. But again, like I said, give me that time to get in, and and I'm I'm I'm promising you, I'm giving you my word, there's gonna be a lot of improvement. And I'm gonna go there, I'm gonna go somewhere, but you probably wouldn't even touch, but maybe you would. I would love to expand that airport. You to expand it?

SPEAKER_00

Okay, so that's a hot spot right now. So let me so yeah, so actually, can you tell our viewers who may not know what is the um airport first, but also what are your what's your vision for expanding it?

SPEAKER_01

All right, the airport is in bronze in Bronze Road. I don't know what they want to call it, Bronze Road, Indian, how they want to call it, you know. And the reason I want it, it brings income to the county. Because, okay, so we got a problem with the WDC. That's one of the big problems everybody's talking about the environment. Again, I would like to do study. Again, I you know the old saying, we're outside, so we're not in, you know? So we we don't really know all the details on what's really going on. All right. But if you ask me my opinion on how I see fit, this is my opinion. I would love to see, like I said, do the environment. I I'm definitely for the environment. On the Matterwoman River, I'm a fisherman. I love to fish, I love my nature, okay? I don't want to destroy nothing. I'm I'm T.O. right now about the Port Tobacco River. All right. As a kid, I used to go fishing in Port Tobacco River, and it's not the same. I don't know where my water is at, you know, and uh, and I I need to find out where, why my water ain't running like it used to. Because in Port Tobacco River, catch my big cob and my whole bunch of snapping turtles, you know what I mean? Okay. So, yes, I'm a nature kid. You know, like I said, that's part of my nature, part of my tribe, saving the environment. All right. But I also understand the infrastructure of growth. All right. With the growth, I would love to see more income come to the county so we can move and do things better for the county. Instead of always raising your taxes, you know. Well, you know, the county hasn't raised your taxes yet, but they will be raising that property taxes, you know. That's coming soon, I heard. So, and it's very bad enough the state is already raising it, you know, with the assessment. But uh I really want to see what other avenues we have. I love to be self-efficient. And that's what I really want the county to be self-efficient or making our own money. Like Prince George is doing, in a sense, you know, but I don't want to keep, you know, we got and I don't know how y'all feel about the I'll be nice. No, no, go ahead. Go ahead. I don't want him to try to treat bully us. And he's doing it, saying, hey, I'm not gonna give you money because you this and that. We don't play those games. I don't need your money. Oh, and that's why I want us to take care of each other. And um, I want to be a Maryberry. That's a Maryberry County where everybody take care of everybody. Everybody's here, we um everybody's looking out for and we can do it. And like I told folks, we can do it, and we need it with the leadership. And it's start with the leadership to show you we can do this. But yes.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. That sounds good. I mean, especially when whenever you talk about Mary and Barry, you get all the DC D and V people say, okay, where do we sign up? Uh they definitely love a Mary and Barry and all the great things he did. Kind of keying in more on the airport part, as and this is definitely gonna be some pushback from me, but but definitely as the airport is a privately owned entity, do you see any kind of issue with the government kind of backing that and giving tax money towards supporting its expansion? Um, and also uh do you have have any uh hesitancy when it comes to the use of like uh leaded fuel currently that the airport uses for those small um uh craft uh planes as well?

SPEAKER_01

This is how I look at this. Business is we work both ways. All right. The business is gonna give up something, we're gonna give up something. All right. That's basically how we're gonna work. But again, success. That's at the end. And foremost on everything is about Charles County. All right. And I keep it real with everybody. It's Charles County. I can't please everybody. Of course. You know, so Charles County first, the people second. I just keep it real with everybody. Because everybody's not gonna be happy with the decisions you you we make, you know? And it's and it's good that we have ideas, and I love that idea and love the great healthy debates and um not nonsense debate like the ones that we've got in in office now. But we and I'm talking about the federal office, okay? But what I love to see is that if a business one like the airport comes and we help them with revenue, they bring it back to the community. You follow me? So, and what I mean by that is you give that, and and like I said, I need that hundred days to really get inside the know something. But let's just say that we know then. Let's say it's this idea, hey, you know what, we're willing to give you what you need. We're gonna help you bring businesses because you got folks that don't want to go to Reagan. They don't want to go to uh Dallas, you know, and if that's a little small little plane, a little bigger plane, I ain't gonna say the jet, it's jet, jets, but you know, can start off of here, why not? And get that revenue, have that revenue coming to the to the county. And that's how I look at it. But I but again, it has to have a study to make sure we do not disturb the environment or make it worse than any other, you know what I'm saying? Yes, it might disturb a little bit, but I don't want to make it worse, you know. But yes, that's what I'm looking at.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. So I'll say in a perfect world. We'll say that part. In a perfect world, would you be looking for end goal something comparable to like a DCA uh Reagan BWI, or or do you want it something smaller that still has like that kind of uh passenger type of um uh uh flight mechanics? Because currently currently it's just those small planes that like you privately own your plane and stuff like that, and it's not a whole bunch of people. Would you want something that has like of an actual terminal where it's actual people traveling to to and from?

SPEAKER_01

Carlos, you said it's a perfect world.

SPEAKER_00

No, yeah, yeah, yeah. Within that perfect world, what's your end goal with the uh with the if it's a perfect world, it's already perfect.

SPEAKER_01

When that's gonna be I'll give you that one. I'll give you that one. You know, it's perfect, but uh I wouldn't want to change if it's perfect. I love it when um uh like I again, uh Carlos for me to say right now is pre pre-aturn. Okay, I understand. It's it's hard because like I said, until I know the facts, I really don't wanna put my foot in my mouth and people say, Oh, you s no, no, it's not that because I have to.

SPEAKER_00

You said this, but no, you don't.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Cause I g I have to know the facts of everything. But yeah, my whole key, like I said, the whole purpose. If it's gonna help Charles County and not detrimental to the to the environment, I'm cool with. All right? And if it's not, then yay, keep it like it is or whatever. But like I said, I do know if we can bring a little bit more money to the county and and help the county and the folks out, I'm for that. Okay.

SPEAKER_00

Cool, cool, cool. So let's um, real quick, I do want to make one comment when it came to uh healthcare. And this is something I've actually been kind of looking at because, as you know, Waldorf doesn't even have a hospital. So so the whole county only has one hospital, which is ridiculous for a county of our size. One thing definitely to look into is a uh it's called a like a freestanding hospital or a or a freestanding emergency room, which basically an emergency room without the actual large inpatient care. So that way it's less money bringing in, but it's also something where where people who need those like surgeries or or hey, it's a uh emergency problem, they have ways, ways to um to have that uh care, especially without going to what Charles Regional or all the way to to Southern Maryland uh hospital, which let me not speak too much on Southern Maryland hospital. Right, right. So, yes, so with that, but turning on to uh housing, which is a big problem throughout the county as well, what are your thoughts on the current housing situation where you see developers are basically buying up the whole county, slapping up these these half a million dollar single family homes or 400k plus town homes? A lot of people are complaining about issues when it comes to construction of the homes, topsoil when it comes to not just the environment too, but even like like issues with the foundation. What are your thoughts on building of homes within the county and how do you propose to hold developers accountable as well?

SPEAKER_01

See, that's part of the pro part of the problems right now of transparency. What folks don't know, a lot of these plans were in the 70s and 80s and they are fulfilled to come into come to tuition. So that's what's going on right now. So for my understanding, again, I need to really get in, but for what I've understand, we just gotta follow the motion because once these last many homes are built, there is no other spots for right now. That's what I've that's what I've been told, basically, okay? Again, until I really know the whole circumstance. I do believe, like I said, I totally believe if it's it's a give and take. Um if we're gonna give you something, you have to give back to the community. Definitely. Like I said, I don't I don't know the whole detail of this house. I just know that right now these houses have it was in in the making way before these guys had written these contracts out. And all they did was send it to new developers to develop these properties. Once they get to the last bit of it, I think they only have so much as land left that um well, and I think another another thing a lot of folks are I was talking to a young man uh last night. His concern was um industrial property. We don't have a lot of industrial properties. Um so that was some of the things that I said I would l definitely love to look into. Like I said, I'm I'm like you all, man. We would I was just like you all, we were working, doing our thing, minding our business, and then next thing you know, we gotta hick up and say, what the heck is going on? Right. No one's telling me everything, so I don't know. So that's why I gotta get involved. And that's why I'm saying, hey, we're in this together. You know, I'm trying to find out and get straight to the point. What is really going on? Give us answers. And I think, and that's where I personally feel that once people know what's going on, if you like it or not, you can at least say, I know what's going on. Okay. And that's where I feel about that.

SPEAKER_00

From what, from what you've seen now, or not even that part. So from from really the voice of the public complaining about, or not complaining, but but really uh ringing the alarm when it comes to just the way homes are built, what kind of mechanisms do you want to see put in place to kind of hold these these um developers accountable for for their, in some instances, shoddy work of building homes?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I totally agree with you. I ain't gonna say no name neither. I had a couple of friends that if you want to, you can say some names. No, no, I'm not gonna say the names of anybody. I just know I had some folks that brand new homes that have just been built a couple years ago, and they were really uh really not happy, and they was protesting and a lot of stuff. So, yes, I would look again, I would look into what I can and can't do. I said, there there's things that we can and cannot do, but like I said, I I really would like to have to look into it. Because I will I will do something. I will be trying to do something, I could tell you that much. Uh, because I don't think it's right for you, everybody, anybody, to work so hard. And then the price of these homes that they jack the price up. Ridiculous. And then next thing you know, I just moved in and my goodness, my foundation's not correctly. Or, you know, my ceiling is about to come down, or something wasn't the nails wasn't there, and they were like, well, that's just a repro No. If I buy this six, seven hundred thousand dollar home, I don't want no problem to it. I'm telling you, I wanted to turn the key and want, if I only want to keep I don't push the buttons. There we go. Or when it sees me, it's re it's to recognize me, open up. Right. Um, I don't want no problems. You know, and uh and I don't want to go through a whole bunch of loopholes to have to take you to court. And I think that's ridiculous that I have to take you to court for you to get you to do what you're supposed to do when you offer me this, you know. Uh it's like the lemon law. You know, if I can make some kind of lemon law, I think there's something they have. Um, but I would love to look more into what exactly what's going on. Like I said, I had quite a few people that I know personally, and they show me pictures and everything. And matter of fact, people probably know um they were not happy. And they got the raw deal, yes. So I am there's certain things, those those are certain things that I'm looking into.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. And oh doubt we and definitely having having some type of better building standards, better checks are definitely uh uh needed. Kind of rounding out the questions on uh housing, what are your thoughts? Because as you pointed out, we're seeing these 650,000, 700 almost basically million dollar properties being being uh built where a lot of people who live within the county cannot afford it, a lot of people coming coming in cannot afford it, and the county has severely is hard it's hard to even say severely, just barely does not have affordable housing at all. So, one, what do you kind of see as a as a solution to kind of having affordable housing in somewhere that the the people who work in Charles County can actually afford to live in Charles County?

SPEAKER_01

Okay. All right, so this is the problem again. They're just limited. That's the problem. Um again, I'm gonna say I hate to keep me that record to say.

SPEAKER_00

Do you want to expand it? Do you want to expand affordable housing or are you comfortable with the numbers that we're gonna do?

SPEAKER_01

I want to expand affordable housing. Um I think I wish there's a way that we can control the rent. Rent is ridiculous. Because here you got your pr you you got your child growing up, and they cannot move out on their own in Charles County or in Maryland, period. But let's talk about Charles County. Without these folks going ridiculous with these rents. With the rent is like, like really$2,000 starting off for a$700 quick foot apartment. Yeah, yeah, you know. So I would love to find some kind of way of making this thing adjustable if we can. Again, the one of the biggest problems is, and I'm gonna figure back on something else too. Go ahead. Going back to Brian's road, we were talking about um people telling me about the the strip. I call it it uh the little strip, uh mall strip, and whatever they want to call it. It's probably owned. So it's not much we can do about it. You know, or well, let's take it back. That's what I've been told. There's not much we can do about it. But when I get in, I'm definitely gonna try to see what we can do about it because I know number one, that's part of cleaning up. I don't want a mall that's empty, that's vacant. You have businesses going in and out, and it's ridiculous. And you only have one well, I'll take it back. Well, one shopping center, which I'll say it, Food Line and Bronze Row, then have Oasis in Indian Hand, another small growing business that I would love to support as well. All right. Um I wanna I wanna look at some things. I need to look at some things because I really not talking bad about nobody. I really want to see some things happen, and I know it can be. And and I think that, and not saying they that they didn't, but sometimes when you have a different voice, different ideas, fresh face, it can make a change. And that's what I'm saying. And so on that, yes. And then the same token is with when it comes to these properties, these builders, I want to see, like I said, I think it's ridiculous for if I come in, I can't even open my my door, my doors are slant, slanted, you know. I'm like, what the heck is slanting for, you know? Uh even though they got that little warranty, I don't care. I don't want no, I don't want to use that warranty until 10 years. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

You know? You don't want to move, move, move into a house and then say, okay, where's the warranty phone number already?

SPEAKER_01

You know what I mean? I don't want we don't want to do that. We don't want to do that. So, and that's why I say we don't want to do it, and that's what I we're not accept. So, and like I said, and that's one of the things. So, when it comes to affordable housing, um, they are in the rule book, for my understanding, don't quote me. I don't know if it's 20 or 30 percent that when a builder builds into a developer, they must see if some kind of affordable housing. My understanding, again, is that they don't want to make a builder go broke because he's in there for make a profit. All right, but there's some ways that I need to see how we can work together to offset some things or something to have that affordable housing, you know? So I think that would be great if we can do that.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. And then kind of king on, so you are a a supporter of uh rent stabilization within the county, because we've seen Prince George's County put in rent stabilization to cap rent um increases for certain uh properties at 3%. Montgomery County also did it, I think, uh, between uh three and six as well. Do you believe that should be done here in Charles County, or do you have a different kind of kind of model for rent stabilization?

SPEAKER_01

I believe something should be done. Well, you really gonna get to me, all right? I'm gonna tell you right now, because go ahead. Bill isn't people ain't gonna like me what I'm about to say. All right. Hey, me as being an agent, okay? And folks that know me as being an agent, all right? No, no, go ahead, but I'm gonna keep it real. I'm gonna keep it real, folks. I'm gonna tell you. I don't think it's right for me to buy. You got a house that's 70 years old, 30 years old, right? It's going for the same price as a brand new house. Come on. I ain't buying it. You know what I mean? But that's what they're doing. I'm like, hell no, but that's what you want. Give for it. I'm not that person. So I feel like when it comes to the rent, these houses, so many houses are not worth what they're saying. And I understand the capitalized capital society, they want to be. It's ridiculous. It's really, really ridiculous. My opinion on this thing, uh yes, I believe something should be done with it. Uh what we can do, I don't know. Again, I do not know exactly what we can do, but for the simple fact, it hasn't been done yet. So I want to know why.

SPEAKER_00

It's just Charles County hasn't done it, unfortunately. It's been from what I've seen, it's been a mix of, I'ma just say it. It's been a mix of commissioners who personally aren't renters and haven't been renters for a long period of time. So they are out of touch with what renters are going through. But then you also have county commissioners who own rental properties themselves. So they're looking at it from their own personal profit rather than the actual residents. And to me, it's always kind of crazy that we talk about, you know, we don't want to build too much affordable homes or actually build, but there's a way to soften the load on the actual residents who currently live here rather than just saying affordable housing that we have to build that takes years and will bring new residents in as well. So I'll do that part of talking bad about some of the current.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, great, great, great.

SPEAKER_00

Definitely, definitely. So another question that is really big right now within the county is is data centers. I need no data. I need to do that. Of course. Of course, we got to talk about the biggest thing right now. So of course we see that that data centers throughout the throughout the uh country are are having massive problems here when it comes to the use of utilities. The also diesel or um natural gas plants that are now being combined with data centers would have an environmental problem. We have noise pollution, we have all the myriad of problems that come along along with data centers, and you have currently the uh the Charles County Planning Planning Commission is reviewing a ZTA for data centers. I want to first ask you what is your thoughts on data centers for or Charles County, and then kind of ask you, um, what do you think about the current uh ZTA for data centers?

SPEAKER_01

All right. But you know, there's a legislation in September coming in the state of Maryland to regulate what we can and can't do. All right. That's the first thing. So my opinion, I'm open. I'm open. I'm not closed-minded. I'm not gonna say we we cannot compare, and I know this for a fact, we cannot compare the data centers in Virginia to us. We can only use learn from what happened in Virginia. Because Virginia was one of those, like what I said, the guinea pigs. I know for a fact because when they built those, some of those in Virginia, it was an open land. There was no homes around. They started building homes around it. It's the same thing with the airports. You have airports and people want to move near the airport, now you want to comply about complain about the the noise. Hey, well, you knew where you were moving to. All right, it wasn't that you were there first and then they built it. Okay? So that being said, then with the data centers, and I've been talking to some folks about the data centers, and I gotta, I'm I'm about to do some tours from some data centers, places. And I'm not gonna say we're, but I'm just gonna say I'm because I want to really understand data centers before I say no or before I say yay, before I give any decisions, because there's some ups and downs with it. All right? We need data. Everybody needs data. You gotta phone. Matter of fact, we on data center right now. We on some kind of electronic stuff is data, okay? I don't care how you look at it. It is what it is. It's coming no matter what. All right. Just like when they, I told folks, when they complain about the power plant, you know, in Morgantown, it came, you know, and it was one of the, you know, whatever it is. So, that being said, at the data center, for my understanding, what I was told, the water is called gray water. And it's the water from, it's a loop. And it comes from the um sewage that we don't use. Uh, for my understanding, maybe I'm getting ahead myself. Again, like I said, I like to know more about it before I speak. We already use it, other counties are already using some of our gray waters. All right, uh, if no one knows about it. So that's not the big news. Now, as far as electricity, yes, I heard that that would bring it up, increase it a little bit more, and who knows? Lord knows. I ain't gonna say the name of these companies, but that day gonna come to outrage.

SPEAKER_00

Well, it's only Smecca we got, so it's only them. We're just crazy because they're a private company and have a monopoly on the electricity.

SPEAKER_01

And I always said that, and I don't like it. Let's bring I don't care, BGE or Pepco, somebody else needs to be here as well to make it even, all right? So that being said, and I spoke to them about having their own grid. All right? I mean, you know, so that was that's something that I was looking at. I would say if if it was gonna be here, it couldn't be in the community, it would have to be in the desperate area. All right? Definitely that. If it does not come here, somebody else is gonna get it and get the money that's coming in, okay? The word is, and then that's what they the word, some of them are, I just feel like it's coming one way or the other. It's just what end are we want to be at? Do we want to be at the end where we got say and we can make the cause, or do we want to be at the other end where we don't have the say now and they got the full control of it, you know? But I always want us to make sure that we do it in a way of learning and knowing what are we doing? Are we saying why are we saying yay or why we saying nay? And that's where I'm at with that. Like I said, I'm still doing some, because like I said, the big thing going on. I had a um, as a matter of fact, I had a little uh meeting with some folks, with folks to actually build the data centers. Yes, I did. And I might have to try to do it again because I want people to come in and talk and ask these questions because that's how we're gonna find out what's what. Because, you know, some of these questions people are asking that happen in Virginia, it's not happening. Or they no longer do it anymore, because that was 20, 30 years ago, and now technology has gotten better. Like you said earlier, they was talking about earlier with, you know, the uh the diesels and stuff of that nature, and understanding when they have to use it, you know, because they want to use the data, from my understanding, they turn the machine, the generator once a month, you know, and then that's what and then it's they gotta cool it off. So there's a lot of parts in there that we have to really put together, put that puzzle together to see if it's worth it. But from what my understanding, it brings, you're talking about 20-something million to the county. And if it's gonna bring a lot of money to the, but again, like I said, just because it brings money to the county, don't like the old saying, money ain't good money. You know what I'm saying? So but don't get me wrong with that. But these are some of the things we're looking at, and I want people to understand that's one of the things I'm looking at. Okay, if it's gonna bring money, what kind of money is it gonna bring? Because it's gonna help the infrastructure. Now, this is one of the things we're talking about. Hey, are you gonna help build the roads? Are you gonna help the community? Are you gonna help with the programs that we need here? And this, and everything needs money. And this is how we can be self-efficient in this way. But again, you have other counties and do your homework that are really trying to get it, and they're trying to do some things that that we ain't trying to do, okay? And I'm telling you, for what I know, what I what I heard, okay? No, go ahead. They are trying to do some things to the to their people that's ridiculous.

SPEAKER_00

Like what?

SPEAKER_01

I won't get into it right now. Okay. It is rumors. I don't know the truth. I just know that that's what is being said. Um, that these these counties are fighting and they're willing to okay, I put this part. They're willing to pay for it.

SPEAKER_00

For data centers to come in or to come in. Wow. Okay. Wow. Yeah, I have heard that when it comes to especially like Calvert County too, too, is being one of the counties that are to being one of the counties that are like saying that they want data centers, which is kind of the opposite when you look at Montgomery County is actually talking about putting in a data center moratorium, just like as uh Prince George's County currently has a data center uh moratorium because of all the residents that have been coming out. And kind of um on the data center topic a little bit more is what is your thoughts on the current ZTA? Given that at the recent planning commission public comment session, it was two to one from residents in in opposition to having the uh ZTA to uh permit um data centers currently within the ZTA, it does not prohibit uh data centers from using drinking water. The only language it has is that it it recommends non-potable or the uh gray gray water. But as we all know, you can recommend something, who cares, but you don't uh follow it. It also uh people it has within the ZTA that that um they can be billed in like low, low density residential neighborhoods as well. So, what are your thoughts on the current ZTA? And do you think the ZTA uh right now should be pooled and they should instead the county should have a uh task force set up for people to actually look at recommendations and when I say task force, a resident-led task force too. So it's actually people from the community keying in on what the uh ZTA should have or just legislation uh around uh regulation.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I'm gonna be honest with you, I don't know much about it totally. Um, but I will tell you this much. Again, it's about the county. It's about the county. I will also this though, fresh water, I don't want us to touch fresh water.

SPEAKER_00

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

And that that's one of the things I definitely know from what you're just telling me. I don't want to touch the fresh water at all. Okay, I'm cool with your the gray water, but our fresh water is us. That's what I'm talking about as far as nature-wise and things of us, our resources. I don't believe in them touching us. So, but I do have to do more research on that because I haven't really done much research enough.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, definitely. I'm switching topics here. This is kind of a Waldorf specific, but your district also touches parts of Waldorf too. It's been a lot of talk in Waldorf about uh creating a municipality so that they have a city onto themselves, the people can govern themselves and actually get some of the benefits that come from an actual municipality similar to La Plata. As commissioner, would you support or would you vote to put whatever municipality charter that that the residents of Waldorf come up with, given that they get the required number of petition signatures, put it on the ballot for residents to vote on, whether it is stuff in the charter that you agree with or disagree with?

SPEAKER_01

All right, my thing is, again, some stuff I gotta look at, but uh if it's gonna be about Charles County, I want the input. So I wanna I wouldn't have a problem for right now for what I know. Putting on ballot, you choose. No, I I really don't have a problem with that. For right now that I know of, like I say, there's a lot of things in the area that we don't know about or what, you know, with the purpose and and how it would work and benefit from Charles County Waldoff in the p in the um in the community. Um so that's how I feel about that. Um either way, to be honest with you. Yes.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, cool, cool, cool. And then closing out the last question. You become, let's say, you become commissioner of District 2. What are two I will be.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, go ahead.

SPEAKER_00

There we go, there we go. What are two of the first bills you want to sponsor as uh commissioner?

SPEAKER_01

That's a good question. I don't know. I don't know, because I don't know all the bills on that's are um on the table. I don't know um the what the community I know some of the things the community community like I said, I definitely know about small businesses, growing businesses, helping them to succeed. Okay. Um but I have to look at the everything. I just can't just say one or two right now. Again, 'cause like I said, it's it's not just It's me, it's the community. There's a lot of things that I'm gonna run across and talk to folks in the community. And I need to see what all do we want and what all do we need to happen. You know what I mean? Uh so that's where I'm at with that. I don't know right now. It's premature for that me to ask that question, to be honest with you.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. No problem at all. So one thing that you kind of mentioned to the start is that in your conversations with people throughout your district, throughout District 2, you've heard about some of the highlights, some of the extreme lowlights of people not being happy when it comes to businesses, when it comes to traffic, transport, transportation. Do you think that the current uh commissioner of District 2 has done a good job, given that there are so many challenges, especially uh when you look at uh places like uh Nanjimoy, where people don't have indoor plumbing, people don't have like the basic necessities.

SPEAKER_01

Ooh, I love it. I think so. I'm gonna say yes. I'm gonna also say this, and the reason I say yes, I think the commissioner has what they've done now, she done some leg has some legacy work done. The boys and girl clubs, and stuff of that nature, right? There's some other things they've done. But it is not just one. See, when you got to vote on them, and that's where the problem is. That's why I said, remember early in the first, why I took a step to D2 from president, because we need a team. If I have somebody going against me, and this is what I was telling, again, someone last night I was talking to, what ticked me off is if I'm in D, okay, probably, let's say, let's say D1. All right, coballing. I had nothing to do with carbon, right? But let's say coballing, I knew one time, let's say uh they want to drive golf course down on the highway or on the road. That was one of the big issues I knew one time before, right? Mm-hmm. I'm not in D1. Right? That's a D1 situation that he's resolving, right? He talks to his folks there in the community and they say, hey, this is what we want. And he agrees with it. Because he lives in that area, whatever, you know, that's his area. He comes back and says, hey, this is what we want to do. This is what we need to do. We want to drive the have the golf course down here, they're gonna be safe and everything else. But if I want to be a butthead just because I'm a butthead because I don't like him or her, no, I don't. You went, you lost the vote. You follow me?

SPEAKER_00

So what's currently happening?

SPEAKER_01

I'm just saying, all you gotta do is look. That's what goes on. When you you can see when people are deliberately doing stuff against people for no reason because they had a problem, a personal problem. Put all your personal problems aside. It's not about them, it's about the county. It's about their district. And that's what you have to do. And I can I can give you several scenarios where I had people say, No, I ain't gonna, no problem. I'm still cool, I'm still gonna help you out. And they're like, You're still gonna help me, even though I'm not, I didn't care less. You know how you feel about me on that certain, it does not want to change me how I feel about you. And then what happens? Like God said, sometimes it touched that person's heart and say, you know what, you're not like everybody else. And I'm not. I'm one of these guys, like I said, I can care less how you feel about me. I just want to know, tell the truth about me, though. You know? Just tell the truth. When you say, hey, you know what? Yeah, he he had just a playing side and he got a serious side, you know? And depends on what's going on, you're gonna get. And you get that serious side, he's on a mission, he's focused, he's going forward. Don't come back and say, oh, he ain't playful. You know, you caught him when he's on a mission, you know? And then when I'm on that playful side and stuff, and I hang with the family, that's what I'm on. I'm on that side. Don't say, oh, he ain't that serious. Because I'm not. That's not the time for me to be serious. It's time for me to let my hat off play around.

SPEAKER_00

There you go. You know? So, no, I definitely get you there. And and kind of final question here uh to you. We kind of touched on it for like two seconds, given that your district is expansive, but it includes Nanjamoy, and like we said before, you have people who do not have indoor plumbing, people who do not even have proper driveways. So if an emergency happens, EMS services can't even get to their property, not to mention uh mental health care, all that different problems. What are some of the things that as commissioner you want to do to fix?

SPEAKER_01

And that's one of the issues I want to do. I want to work on this thing, man. This is 2026. I don't care, 2,000. And I'm gonna share with y'all. I was a guy that didn't have the run of water. I know how it is. I had a bucket of pissing to keep it real. You know what I mean? I had a tub to wash my hands in, excuse my French, but let's keep it real, you know? So I know how it is. And I I want to do everything I can to make sure that everybody in this county, period, have run of water. I want everybody to have electric internet electricity. There's no reason why. I'm really serious about that. Okay, and there's something else you said about Nanjamore, which a lot of folks may not know. When we talk about the airport in Browns Road, there's a private airport, looking at a little strip anyway, in in Nanjimore. Really? Oh, I told you. I'm a county boy, man. Yeah, I didn't I didn't know that. I I tell people I know all five corners of the county, you know what I'm saying? Ain't much I don't know about the county, especially back in the old. Now, this new stuff, I don't know, they tearing things up. But anyway, I know about. And I forgot the guy's name. He used to have a fly his little plane in there. But anyway, that's what I'm talking about. If we're able to get that and make that happen, let's do it.

unknown

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

You know? Um, so yes, that is really, there's so many things I want to do in my first hundred days. But I'm really gonna evaluate to see why these folks do not have the the proper uh uh essential that they need in life in their house, and how we can make it happen. And that is definitely where I'm at with this. I really am. Yeah, because like I said, there's no rema and and and I'm gonna tell you right now, Nanjim, I know a lot of Nanjimore folks, they want to keep it country and stuff, but I want to keep it moderate. I need I need to bring us up, because there's some things that we need down here in Nanjimore. A lot of resources. And that's the point, that's another reason why I'm running, because the resources are not divided like it should be. And it's like people are being forgotten, forgetting about down in the Nanjore area, the Greyton area, you know, when you talk about uh rising, all that stuff. No, bring them up. Let's give them what they need. I would like, and I'm gonna I'm gonna hit it. I know you didn't ask, but I'm gonna say No, go ahead. I would like to do it like a market. Have like a uh a farmer market or something. Okay, and I want to talk to I I spoke to a couple folks in the area. I would like to have some kind of market where it doesn't have to be brick and border, uh, uh a supermarket, but some kind of market that they can come to. And they don't have to come go 15, 20 miles to La Plata or Lines Road. We have it right here in this central spot, you know, on Welcome, Riser, no, or Nanjima, wherever, and we have it. So yes, that's what I I I really have so many things I'm doing, and but uh that's what I'm trying to. I don't want people to think that I don't want to answer questions. I just want to make sure I I answer the question correctly on the knowledge I have, because I don't want to sound ignorant when I say something and then I find out that I don't know you don't know what you're talking about.

SPEAKER_00

You know, I understand.

SPEAKER_01

So that's why, you know, but yes, trust me folks, you won't go wrong by me. And and I ain't gonna and I ain't gonna do no wrong to y'all. Just keep it.

SPEAKER_00

Awesome. So before I give you the opportunity to tell people how they can follow you, stay with you and all that, would you ever participate in a debate with the other district two candidates separate than a forum where they just go down the line and ask you question by question, an actual debate where you all can kind of discuss your policy platform and kind of go back and forth to actually challenge each other as well.

SPEAKER_01

I would love that. I would love that because I like that because again, it gives you an idea of what's going on. And like I said, even though some things you may not know, because like I said, if someone's already in the office that knows certain things, I may not know, but I have an idea how I would go about certain things, you know, and how I feel about certain policies. Like we were talking about the housing. I definitely agree with you. Or like I said, running water, you know, certain things. I may not live it now or whatever, but I do understand.

SPEAKER_00

That's awesome. Thank you, thank you. So, Lenny Proctor, please tell people how they can stay involved with your campaign, learn about what's going on, how just give your, yeah, this is you, give your spiel.

SPEAKER_01

All right, look here, brother. You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and any of those days on social media, vote Lenny Proctor. And then you can follow me and get more in-depth on my information about me, my platform, um, a little bit of bio on me on my website, vote Lenny Proctor. I am having an event coming up at this bowling event, all right? At a bowling uh um in Waldorf.

SPEAKER_00

Not related to the commissioner vote.

SPEAKER_01

No, no, no, no, no, no. No, no. There's a bowling at the AFF, whatever it's called in Waldorf, the bowling, it's a bowling place in Waldorf on March 7th, uh, nine until close. I'm planning on doing that. Um, if you're gonna join me and vote with me, you must pay, go through my site, and pay um before March uh 5th. So we have accountant knows who's gonna be showing, who's gonna be there. There you will be meeting with me and probably some other folks that are running or some other officials as well. I can't promise you. You know, I can tell you what I'm gonna do. And I ain't I ain't gonna promise I'm gonna bowl neither, right?

SPEAKER_00

Oh gosh. Yes, if you if you hey if you're hosting, you gotta bowl. I gotta bowl. People gotta see you bowl.

SPEAKER_01

If Carlo said I gotta do it, I gotta do it.

SPEAKER_00

You gotta do it. Awesome. And you all, all the links uh to what Lenny talked about, his website, social media will be uh in the um description below. So uh please, please check that that out. And you all thank you, thank you so much for joining us here today. Remember, this is a podcast, so please rate us five stars, like, subscribe, hit that notification bell so you can get alerted every time we drop a new episode every Wednesday. And again, Lenny, thanks so much for joining us here on Left Handed Leftist.

SPEAKER_01

Hey, thank you for inviting me.

SPEAKER_00

Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01

All right, brother.