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With her filing this week, Amanda Haddaway became the 12th candidate to declare a run for alderman in this year's City of Frederick election.

The Republican filed her candidacy on Monday and said she looks forward to building a campaign on a love for Frederick and bringing out the best that the city has to offer.

Haddaway, 32, has lived in the city for a little more than two years, but grew up in Frederick County. She said that her background in fiscal management, communications and her personal connection to law enforcement could help the board.

Her particular interests are focusing on fiscal responsibility, advocating for small businesses and working with the Frederick Police Department.

"I am running because I think that the Board of Aldermen needs people who need strong business and leadership experience, and I bring both of those to the table," she said.

Haddaway said, if elected, she plans to ease the burden of launching small businesses in Frederick: "If people want to start a business and that's their dream, then we should do our best to minimize the red tape and get them set up."

She also said that being married to a Baltimore County police officer helps her understand the importance of public safety. Of most concern to her are proposed budget cuts to the Frederick Police Department.

"With the economy the way it is, it's not a time to cut from public safety," Haddaway said.

Haddaway works as the director of human resources and marketing for Folcolore Equipment Corp., a construction equipment dealership in Frederick. She holds a master's degree in educational technology leadership from George Washington University and a speech and communications degree, with a minor in political communications, from James Madison University.

Haddaway is a regular volunteer with the Downtown Frederick Partnership and is chairwoman for the Frederick County Society for Human Resource Management.

Haddaway joins Joe Cohen, Senitta Conyers, John William Shupe, and incumbent C. Paul Smith on the Republican ballot. Democrats on the ballot are John Daniels, Andrew Kotkin, Carol Krimm, Karen Lewis Young, incumbent Donna Kuzemchak, Michael O'Connor and Kelly Russell.

The filing deadline for candidates is July 7. The city's primary election is Sept.15; the general election is Nov. 3.

Economic study shows First Saturday's impact

An economic impact study assessing the city's First Saturday events was released last week, and shows, among other things, that attendees not only qualify the event by coming back, but quantify it by vowing to spend more money when they do.

The study, released last week by the Downtown Frederick Partnership, showed that the event brings in an average of 11,000 people and about $450,000 per Saturday to downtown businesses.

Davidson-Petersen Associates surveyed about 800 people for the report during four Saturdays, said Kara Norman, executive director of the partnership.

Fifty-eight percent said they live in Frederick city, 20 percent said they live in Frederick County and 3 percent live in neighboring states

Those surveyed were on average 45 years old, affluent and college educated, said that they and people they were with spent about $133, and would come back to spend about $113 later in the week on other purchases.

"I was really excited to see that people were spending during the event, but also planned to come back later in the week," Norman said. "And hopefully the numbers are even better, and show an even bigger impact in future years."

Norman said that she was also pleased that attendees enjoyed the event so much that 95 percent of them said they would recommend it to a friend. When asked what they would improve about the event, most responders said parking.

Merchants attested to the event's economic impact earlier this year, saying First Saturday is their lifeline.

When asked the importance of First Saturday to her business, Leslie Atanasoff, owner of Molly's Meanderings, at 17 N. Market St., replied in March: "Let's just say, my business would just not do as well if it weren't for First Saturday."

E-mail Erica L. Green at egreen@gazette.net.