Campaign Contributions Cause

St. Clair to Quit Planning Commission Post

By Ahmar Khan

ST. MARY’S TODAY

LEONARDTOWN -- To avoid even remote suggestions that campaign contributions influenced some of his stance as a planner made him arrive at the decision. “This has not been an easy decision for me,” he said.

Chairman Joe St. Clair Monday evening dropped a bombshell when he announced at the St. Mary’s Planning Commission meeting he is resigning from his post on Tuesday, June 27.

St. Clair’s decision reflected he would be focusing his energies on his campaign to unseat Larry Jarboe (R Golden Beach). Jarboe told ST. MARY’S TODAY just two days earlier the most important thing to watch out in the elections was the money trail.

“My decision to step down has been fostered by my respect for the ethical decision making process of the Planning Commission,” St. Clair said in a signed statement released to the Planning Commission members and ST. MARY’S TODAY. “In conducting my campaign for the position of county commissioner I have received campaign contributions from many local citizens and businesses,” he acknowledged.

His resignation came on the heels of his controversial vote to include the Beavan’s Property in the Lexington Park Development Plan. And just two weeks ago, local builder Guy Curly, who was with St. Clair in the hurricane relief efforts in Biloxi, Mississippi, made a presentation about the Glazed Pine project on Hermanville Road, that the navy said would adversely impact its flight paths.

He assured that anybody who knows him understands that a campaign contribution would never affect his vote on a particular project. “However, I prefer to avoid even a hint of unethical decision making,” he said

Merl Evans said he was surprised. “I have known for years but knew nothing of it until he announced it at the table,” Evans told ST. MARY’S TODAY. Evans said he would prefer to stay on the Planning Commission and in case of conflict of interest, he could always recuse himself.

Planning Commission vice chairman Stephen Reeves felt St. Clair made the right move. “With campaign contributions coming from conflicting areas and sitting on the board at the same time to make objective decisions would not have been possible,” Reeves said.

St. Clair said he has been gratified by the Planning Commission work on the Transfer Development Rights (TDR) program. “This is a major step toward preserving our rural character,” he said.

He referred to the TDR program as the people’s document. “Is it a perfect document? No it’s a living document and subject to change as the rules are tested for the first time,” he said.

St. Clair felt St. Mary’s County was at the crossroads of history.

“Our county is at a pivotal point. We are either going to become all urban or we can become a planned community This choice will be difficult and will require a thoughtful process,” St. Clair said.

He said like or dislike of a rule or regulation did not give anyone the liberty to break or ignore it, particularly when it concerns important county business.  He warned not following regulations could end in litigation, wasting money and time that can be better spent on more important issues.

“Change the law if it is truly flawed, but until a change is made the law must be followed. Just speaking out for change is not enough, follow through is necessary,” he said.

He said the Planning Commission neither has the authority to turn down a project that meets all of the county ordinances, nor to allow variances, that is the job of the Board of Appeals.

He said working for the Planning Commission gave him a chance to see first hand the problems that the average citizens, local farmers, developers and business people are struggling to overcome. He acknowledged that some of the rules and regulations of the county were so complicated and tough to follow and understand unless someone is not involved with them on a regular basis.

St. Clair described the Planning Commission as the lightning rod for the county commissioners. “It allows the commissioners to hear well in advance the problems that will be confronting them,” he said.

He said the Planning Commission was at best a recommendations body as the final decision rests with the Board of County Commissioners.