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  • DEV. BOARD LOADED WITH DEVELOPERS? • VOLUNTEERS RESCUE TWO IN FLIP • BOARD COZY MAKING SECRET DECISIONS • JANUARY TOP NEWS STORIES • NO MARC TRAIN SERVICE IN SO. MD. • ALLERGIC TO SHRIMP? • EARLY VOTING PUSHED AHEAD • NEW LAW TO KEEP BOOZE FROM KIDS • PREZ POPULARITY PLUMMETS • HERTZLER'S HOUSES HERALDED • CAP ON ROCKFISH REMOVED • CONGRESSWOMAN NOT A WHORE • AT LEAST ONE SAN FR OFF. AIN'T GAY • FLU PANDEMIC CURBS WOULD COST • DAVIDSONVILLE SGT MAJOR KILLED • PG GUARDSMAN KILLED IN IRAQ • O'Malley Would Sign Death Repeal • PG COP SHOT DELIVERYMEN AFTER ASSAULT • SO. MD. HOUSING BUBBLE...NEAT READ ON BUCKS • SCHAEFER BARBS FLY AT MILLER, GOV. • Griffin Back to DNR as Secretary • O'MALLEY BUDGET: $400 M TO SCHOOLS • O'MALLEY LOOKS WEST FOR PRISON CHIEF • NAVY CANS SUB CAPT AFTER DEATHS • NEW WINTER STORM STALKS MIDWEST • SIMON SAYS: NO TALENT FOR JUGGLER • GOV. RICHARDSON INTO PREZ RACE
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By Sean Rice ST. MARY'S TODAY LEONARDTOWN (Jan. 30, 2007) - ST. MARY'S TODAY has learned from several sources that former St. Mary's Sheriff Dave Zylak has been offered the position of Director of Public Safety by the Board of County Commissioners. The voters of St. Mary's County spoke loud and clear last November with a vote of no confidence that Zylak is not the man they want as the county's top cop, but as usual, the occupants of the Walled City in Leonardtown have played a trump card on the citizens, choosing to offer Zylak what is possibly the second most important position when it comes to citizen safety. Ironically the position was last held by Sheriff Tim Cameron, who soundly defeated Zylak in the election. In yet another top secret decision, the Board of Commissioners voted on Monday to extend the offer to Zylak, but no commissioner would own-up to the decision when contacted by ST. MARY'S TODAY during a break in Tuesday's meeting. Commissioner Kenny Dement said he has no comment. Commissioner Larry Jarboe said the board considered the position in executive session Monday, as stated on the agenda. He refused to comment on whether Zylak is being considered. After executive session, the board voted on one of their typical vague post-executive session motions to "move forward as discussed in executive session." Jarboe was the only commissioner to vote against, but still he refused to reveal the true intent of the motion. The St. Mary's Board of Commissioners have for quite some time been handing certain issues in secret executive session meetings. While certain issues are allowed to be taken to executive session, when a decision is made that decision is to be made public. By routinely making motions "to proceed as discussed in executive session" the commissioners are violating the spirit of Maryland's open meetings laws by keeping the issue secret even when its brought to the public's table. At the very least these decisions can be viewed as deceitful and secretive, and in the most extreme case all cases decided in secret could be declared null and void by a judge. The offer to rehire Zylak is the second major decision made in secret within seven days that directly effects all residents of the county. Last Monday, the board voted to buy out County Administrator George Forrest's contract, to the tune of $80,000. The commissioners have yet to make the Forrest deal public, or even engage in any public discussion about the issue. And as an added subversion, both the Zylak and Forrest decisions were made during special Monday meetings, which are not televised and are generally lightly attended by the local media. |
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