Forest Heights to elect new mayor Wednesday

Spires was suspended by the council in September amid allegations that he embezzled town funds. A county judge ruled that the suspension was illegal because the council acted without having a quorum present.

A new council was elected in March. Its members changed the town charter, reducing the term of mayor to two years from four years, and effectively ending Spires’ term.

Separately, a Prince George’s County grand jury returned a seven-count indictment against him on embezzlement charges on Feb 23.

Spires is not the first Forest Heights mayor to run afoul of the town politics.

He was on the council when his colleagues chose him to serve out the remainder of the term of former Mayor Joyce Beck.

The Town Council voted to dismiss Beck in January 2006 when charges were filed against her for assaulting a police officer and a council member. The charges were later dropped.

Each of the four candidates running this week has pledged to bring stability to Forest Heights and make improvements if he or she is elected.

The candidates vying for the mayoral seat are Councilwoman Andrea McCutcheon, former Councilman Quincy Hines, Former Councilman Larry Stoner and former Councilwoman Mary Wimbush.

‘‘The town needs strong leadership, someone that knows what they’re doing,” said Stoner. ‘‘The town has not had stability for quite a while...some don’t understand that when you’re dealing with people, it’s not a game.”

Hines, who served as the council member for ward 3, said in a campaign statement that he would ‘‘work diligently to create responsible, accountable fiscal management.

‘‘I hope to see a total transfiguration of the town into a peaceful place...a model town that people are proud to be apart of,” Hines said.

Wimbush said she believes the mayor of the town should be honest and make sure to keep residents informed.

‘‘These people, this town deserve the best,” said Wimbush. ‘‘The town’s people should have some say so in how the town is run ... everybody in this town should have a voice.”

The town council appointed McCutcheon, the council president, as the acting mayor after Spires was forced out. McCutcheon was one of the council members responsible for removing Spires from his position.

‘‘I’m working on the budget with [the town council], seeking grants to offset expenditures that have to be made for the town to facilitate community programs,” said McCutcheon. ‘‘We have a responsibility to the constituents ... we can come back from this and make our town a beautiful livable community.”

All the candidates agree that the town charter needs to be amended to require greater accountability from council members.

One amendment that has been made to the town charter allows the mayor to be recalled by 20 percent of registered votes. Overall, the candidates said, there needs to be more of a checks-and-balances system to keep the mayor and other elected officials honest.

Wednesday would be the third election for town residents this year. The previous two determined council seats for wards 1, 2, and 3.

With the election less than a week away the candidates are hoping that a change at the top will be a change for the better.

‘‘We are not doing this for ourselves. We’re doing this for our community ... it’s not what we want, it’s what the town wants,” McCutcheon said.

The candidates will have an opportunity to present their platforms to the Forest Heights community at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the town hall.