Kanstoroom running for vacant District 4 seat

Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2008

Kanstoroom running for vacant District 4 seat

Ashton man uncovered unfair delays in benefits to disaster victims

by Margie Hyslop | Staff Writer

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Activist Steve Kanstoroom of Ashton said he will run for the District 4 County Council seat vacant since Marilyn J. Praisner’s death Feb. 1.

Kanstoroom, 50, a pattern recognition and fraud detection expert, ran his own company, Varidyne Corp., in Wheaton until he retired in 2003. Through his company, Kanstoroom created computer systems designed to ensure even application of federal regulations and managed multibillion-dollar bank portfolios.

He has recently been in the public eye as a volunteer advocate for Sandy Spring residents who have been prevented from building on their property because a long-used right of way disappeared from planning department records as new developments were approved.

Kanstoroom gained national attention by uncovering how the Federal Emergency Management Agency and some insurance adjusters unfairly delayed and denied disaster victims’ federal disaster benefits and insurance claims.

Asked why he was running, Kanstoroom said: ‘‘I recognize the loss the community and council have suffered.”

The ‘‘depth and breadth” Praisner brought to the council was ‘‘unparalleled,” he said.

Kanstoroom said his background ‘‘as a retired successful business person, innovator and advocate” would help him ‘‘further the wonderful works that Marilyn [Praisner] shepherded and supported.”

‘‘I’m an expert at finding the root cause of problems and finding lasting solutions,” Kanstoroom said.

The council has not set dates for the special primary and general elections to fill the District 4 seat.