LEONARDTOWN --- As much as $4 million of taxpayers monies can be put to better use, with some creativity, but four re-elected commissioner want to put that money into a new meeting room. It was too little, too late Tuesday on the part of the lone loser, outgoing County Commissioner President Tommy McKay (R. Leonardtown). McKay not only opposed the building of the $4 million new meeting room, but also opposed the contract being awarded to Blazer Construction Company on the basis that the owners of the company had violated a critical areas commission law when expanding their home. The two motions passed four to one, nonetheless.
"It's a lot of money," was a sentence that was repeated by three commissioners in a row, Tom Mattingly (D. Leonardtown), Larry Jarboe (R. Piney Point) and Dan Raley (R. Golden Beach). Independent observers, who want to save taxpayers monies, point out the meeting room can be enlarged by incorporating in it sections of the present Public Information Office, and relocating the PIO to a first floor office.
"It's a lot money but its a project long overdue ," Mattingly said. He said some areas of the present building were a public embarrassment for the county. Jarboe said the previous night when the planning commission was holding its meeting he saw the room overflowing. "Again four million dollars is lot of money," he too admitted. Raley pointed out not only was it important for people to find seats but that it was equal important that had an opportunity to see the exhibits. He said as things stand people come afar to attend the meetings, but neither could hear what was being presented at the exhibits nor see that. "It adds to citizens frustration," he said. "It's a lot of money,"Raley too concurred, but said that the expenditure was justified. "What we have here is the nerve center of the county government," Raley said. Raley said the drawback of an off site location like board of education location or higher education center was that people don't have the opportunity to see what's going on on Channel 95.
"How much space is currently unoccupied or undesignated in county buildings right now, you know? We have 60 some buildings I believe," McKay asked public works director George Erichsen. "Undesignated or unoccupied? I don't have that on the top of my head," Erichsen said, adding "When housing authority moves we will have second storey vacant at the sheriff's office." Erichsen said, "I think there's lot of vacant space, certainly not swing space." In spite of a positive stand, McKay seemed unable to get over his massive defeat in elections last week and referred to Senator Roy Dyson as his "opponent" and that during the election campaign he had faced criticism over the 113 trailer classrooms in St. Mary's County.
That criticism seems to have worked wonders and he appeared siding with the public interest, unlike his stand on the Hackerman deal in which he supported giving away 832 of protected land to a developer."Those kids have to be in trailers all year round," McKay said, pointing there was an overcrowding at the Leonardtown High School and in the county jail, and that the issue before the commissioners was one of priorities."There's lot of talk about forward funding. I call it double taxation," McKay said. Since the county was forward funding for the school system, McKay argued the board of education meeting room could easily be used for planning commission meetings. He said those meetings there can be relayed on Channel 95. He said he had sat in the meeting room at the governmental center for four years and if not with fingers of one hand with fingers of his two hands he could count the number of times when the room was actually crowded in those four years."Today there's probably 30 chairs empty," McKay said. He said a lot of money of had been invested into a new HVAC system in the present building. He said he was going to vote no. "A yes puts terrific amount of burden on the next board," McKay said. McKay also had issues with the contract being awarded to Blazer Construction He asked Erichsen if this was the same contractor or its principles who violated a permit and critical areas commission regulations.
"I stay away from critical areas commission," Erichsen said"Has that critical area violation been resolved?" McKay asked Jarboe said he has concerned that in January the price of fuel was again to rise and there might be a serious inflation in the next couple of years, though agreeing awarding contracts to contractors who maybe in violations should be done after due process was followed. Mattingly came to the rescue of Blazer Construction and said, "The company has excellent reputation in the area of office and building construction." He said violation McKay was referring to pertained to a private matter at the Blazers's personal residence."I know they are a local company," Mattingly said. Raley mostly kept quiet as the Blazer Construction is represented by his son-in-law, Chris Longmore, who is regarded by many as the best lawyer in St. Mary's County. Kenny Dement (R. Piney Point) agreed any re-bid is going to delay the process and cost could escalate construction costs. In July McKay said something not as elaborate as the Taj Mahal, but the county needs a new meeting room, arguing the present building was not energy was not efficient. He had then voted for the new meeting room. Famous local lawyer Phil Dorsey backed McKay's stance at a subsequent planning commission meeting and said any opposition to the new meeting room was absurd and "must stop." McKay also stunned the board when he lauded the
> services of St. Mary's Election Board for their
> performance, which for some observers was the poorest ever.
