VIENNA – William Layton on Dec. 14 announced his campaign for the Fifth District seat on the Dorchester County Council. The incumbent is Libby Nagel.

Mr. Layton, a Dorchester County native who owns Layton’s Chance Vineyard and Winery with his wife, Jennifer, promised to use his knowledge and experience to address challenges that will define Dorchester County’s livability for future generations. His list of priorities included public safety, agricultural preservation, and fiscal responsibility.

“Having traveled throughout every region of our country, I can attest that there is no better place to live and raise a family than Dorchester County, Maryland,” Mr. Layton said. “However, we now must work together to preserve what makes Dorchester County special. I respectfully believe my record of public service and leadership in the private sector makes me uniquely qualified to lead in these times of uncertainty.”

Layton pledged that as the next Fifth District Councilman, he will ensure that the county’s volunteer fire departments, Department of Emergency Services and Sheriff’s Office receive the financial support they need to keep the county’s residents safe.

“The first and most important responsibility of any county government is to ensure that people are safe and that they feel safe,” said Layton. “Without strong and reliable public safety infrastructure, our hard-earned reputation as a good place to live, work and invest will suffer, and our economy will inevitably decline.”

Layton also pledged to preserve Dorchester County’s natural resources from sprawl development. “As a farmer whose family has lived off the land for generations, I know that our natural resources are vital to our culture and economic well-being,” Layton said. “Yet our county, like places throughout the Eastern Shore and across Maryland, remains under the constant threat of over development.”

“While we must grow responsibly as a county, we cannot, and we must not allow our farms, forests, rivers and streams to be destroyed by sprawl development. It will ruin the character of our county and put even greater strain on our schools, roads and water and sewer systems,” he said.

Finally, Layton pledged to be a responsible steward of taxpayer money – expecting accountability and results from county agencies while advocating for proven, innovative strategies to deliver better results at a lower cost.

Mr. Layton was born and raised in Dorchester County, attending Vienna Elementary and North Dorchester Middle School before graduating from North Dorchester High School.

After graduating with a degree in Business Logistics from the University of Maryland and beginning a career with the Toyota Motor Corporation, he returned to Dorchester County to join his family’s farming operation.

In 2010, Mr. Layton and his wife, Jennifer, opened Layton’s Chance Vineyard & Winery. Over the past decade, Layton’s Chance has earned acclaim as one of the finest wineries in the Mid-Atlantic region and one of Dorchester County’s premier hospitality and tourist destinations.

Layton has also served as the Chicone Ruritan president, Dorchester Farm Bureau president, on the Maryland Farm Bureau Board, as chairman of the Maryland Soybean Board, and serves on the national United Soybean Board.

William and Jennifer Layton have been married for 25 years. They have two children, Stephen 20, who currently attends the University of Pittsburgh, and Alison, 18, who attends the University of Maryland, College Park.

Mr. Layton said he inherited his commitment for public service from his father, former Dorchester County Board of Education President Joseph Layton Jr.

“Dad served on local, state and national organizations throughout his life, and dedicated much of his life to providing Dorchester County with schools that prepared our children for success in a 21st century economy. He always taught me that you had to give back to the community you belonged to.”