A Good Resolution

 By St. Mary's Commissioner Larry Jarboe

I remember not long after the election almost two years ago, Commissioner President Tommy McKay and I had a conversation about the need for a school site to serve the Lexington Park and Leonardtown Development Districts.

Being familiar with the 800 acre purchase of the Glatfelter Pulpwood Property adjacent to the St. Mary’s Lake by Governor Parris Glendening in the waning days of his administration, I suggested that there may be an agreeable trade-off with the State of Maryland in the Indian Bridge Road area.

The needed improvements on the road were accomplished by the County Government during my first term after much wrangling with State Government over toad habitat and tragic loss of human life due to poor road conditions.

With Republican Governor Bob Ehrlich and common sense Democrats Comptroller Donald Schaefer and Treasurer Nancy Kopp working together on the Maryland Board of Public Works, a needed public school was possible in a smart growth location that would ultimately generate an increase of Eastern Narrow-mouth Toad population.

Like a conscientious farmer, Commissioner President Tommy McKay carefully cultivated this seed of an idea. School Board Administrator Pat Richardson and the Board of Ed members agreed with the logic of this location and the need to channel growth into our Development Districts according to our Comprehensive Plan.

After initial disappointments with the Department of Natural Resources over the habitat requirements for the Eastern Narrow-mouth Toad that is common further south but can hardly survive our cold winters, Commissioner President McKay developed a plan to benefit both the toad and our citizens.

Of course there were naysayers among the anti-growth activists who would create imagined impediments to stopping our children from needed education facilities. Charges of "enviro-racism" or demanding protection of uncommon toads from human contact when those same temperature sensitive toads benefit most from global warming belie the actual agenda of the no-growth proponents.

If we cannot build places to educate our children, we must close down construction in St. Mary’s County. Without homes and schools for the families who work in our County and on the Patuxent River Navy Base and Webster Field, the Federal Government might look elsewhere to do military testing and evaluation.

Although this may be the ultimate goal of a few seasoned socialists who reside among us, this is not an acceptable scenario for any of the St. Mary’s County Commissioners regardless of our party affiliation.

We have Commissioner President Tommy McKay to thank for carrying this issue to the Statehouse for a sensible resolution. When we replace bureaucratic attitude with business acumen, we can benefit our natural resources and educate our next generation.

In the toad vs. people conflict, chalk this as a win for both sides.