Issues
Local government is the most effective and efficient form of government(when compared to state or Federal government). Your elected County Commissioners are your neighbors, friends, members of your church or club or civic organization. You see them in the grocery store and the Post Office. The decisions they make effect you and them on a daily basis. That is why it is critical to select the right people for the job.
There are many issues big and small that effect our county. An issue might appear simple and unimportant to you, but if your neighbor ends up with a flooded basement because of ineffective storm water management, you can be assured the issue will be important to them! The below list is not intended to be all inclusive. It is merely a sampling of topics and Commissioner Eric Colvin’s thoughts on them. Please reach out if you have any questions on the below issues or want to hear more about other topics of concern.
Transparency
Your elected officials work for you. You should know what they are doing with your tax dollars and your government’s policies and laws. You may not agree with every decision I make, but I will strive to always be open and transparent with my votes and reasons. Follow my Facebook page for summaries of every decision your commissioners make or search for the hashtag #CommmissionerUpdate.
EMS
Every citizen should be confident that if they pick up the phone and call 9-1-1, someone will answer who can assist them with their issue and an ambulance will arrive in a reasonable amount of time. Our volunteer Rescue Squads have performed a herculean effort in keeping our county safe and protected for so many years! We all owe them a huge debt of gratitude for the countless hours dedicated to protecting their neighbors.
Our volunteers need help and support. COVID-19 brought to light an issue that not all were aware of, but steps have been taken and are continuing to be taken to support the volunteers and ensure that an ambulance will be available whenever and wherever it is needed in St. Mary’s County. The commissioners have instituted EMS Billing and have hired career personnel in order to plug the holes and help our system to operate. The legacy of our volunteers is a legacy of service and tradition and we must continue to serve and protect our citizens.
Education
Simply put, good schools benefit everyone. Working with the duly elected Board of Education is an important part of the responsibilities of county commissioners, and I look forward to maintaining strong lines of communication and building budgets that benefit our entire county.
Rural Legacy and Heritage
St. Mary’s County has an incredible history and an important legacy. There is a delicate balance in preserving and fighting for our rural way of life and at the same time helping to foster growth and expansion. It is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Our open farmland, bountiful waterways, clear airspace, and monumental history are all elements of what makes St. Mary’s County an incredible place to live, work and raise a family.
Infrastructure
Roads, bridges, buildings, parks, drainage ditches, water lines, the airport, sidewalks, storm water retention, the detention center, our libraries–these are all areas of the county’s infrastructure and they all require regular maintenance and upkeep. We must continue to improve upon our infrastructure to keep pace with the growth of population within our county.
Additionally, access to broadband internet is critical to continue to help our citizens prepare for the future. Strategic and deliberate use of COVID related Federal Grants by your commissioners has allowed for millions of dollars of broadband expansion and high speed internet access. The investment in broadband infrastructure is, in my mind, similar to the investment in building the Solomon’s bridge–it is a critical area of growth for our county and will have lasting impacts long into the future.
Unfunded Mandates
St. Mary’s County is managed by a Board of Commissioners, but it falls under the rules and regulations of the State of Maryland. As such, the Maryland General Assembly considers thousands of pieces of legislation every year. Sometimes the bills that they pass come with additional costs, which then are passed on to the county. Every year the commissioners monitor the new and emerging legislation being debated, submit written letters of support or opposition and testify before committees in Annapolis. We must continue to be guarded and on lookout for additional requirements and additional costs that are passed down from the state as a burden to the county. Building relationships and partnering with other counties and MACO is critical in the process to protect our interests.
Additionally, our method of governance means that we are required to get approval from the General Assembly for certain things that we wish to accomplish in our county. Not all counties have to do this, only counties with the Commissioner form of government. It is not right that delegates from Baltimore City or Montgomery County get to determine simple things like whether or not St. Mary’s County should allow golf carts to drive on a county owned road (true example).