Parlett Decides Against Race for Commissioner President

By Kenneth C. Rossignol

ST. MARY’S TODAY

LEONARDTOWN ---  In what would have been a lively Democratic primary and likely a hot general election contest, former St. Mary’s School Board President John K. Parlett decided this week to bow out of the race before he entered it.

“I have talked with my family and business partners over the past two weeks and while I was prepared to run for the Democratic nomination for St. Mary’s Board President I have now decided not to run,” Parlett told ST. MARY’S TODAY.

Parlett was ready to make at least a three-way race out of the election in September up until the Christmas holiday.   Former School Board member Mike Hewitt and St. George’s Island waterman Jackie Russell have already filed to run.

Hewitt, owner of a successful auto service and rental business in California has been involved in political activities in both major parties and formerly was a Republican but served as treasurer for the 1998 election campaign of Democrat Julie Randall.  

When Randall lost the 2002 race for reelection, Hewitt donated large sums to Republican Tommy McKay while still giving money to Randall.

In the last few weeks Hewitt has told several persons he is prepared to spend from $125,000 to $150,000 of his own money on the race to become commissioner president.

Hewitt told ST. MARY’S TODAY that he is intent on bringing frugality to county government and would run as a fiscal conservative Democrat while assuring that funds would be available to fully fund educational needs.

Hewitt served on the school board while the schools were given record funds from the state and county for renovation of the older school facilities.

Changing back to Republican has been an option for Hewitt in recent weeks as he contemplated running against Parlett who was expected to be able to raise ample funds for a race against Hewitt in either the primary or general election.
Should Hewitt, who has not been winning over too much support in Democrat circles, change to the GOP, which hasn’t been able to find a candidate after former commissioner Francie Eagan opted out of the race, he is expected to be able to keep the board in GOP hands.

Democrats have other plans, and apparently are still looking for another candidate as Russell’s old-time antics of preaching the 1970’s David Sayre style of waterman politics leaves today’s electorate wondering what the hell he is talking about. 

Russell’s campaign literature calls for a crab in every pot and a fish on every plate.  He runs a skipjack on the Bay which he uses as an educational platform for teaching the importance of protecting the environment.

But in today’s world of crushing traffic on overloaded roads, overcrowded and violent schools; along with crime and drugs, the concept of plentiful catches of fish leave some voters numb.

Newly appointed planning commissioner Merle Evans is being mentioned by some as a viable candidate for commissioner president while Democrats are talking to yet others who could likely put on a stronger challenge to the likely-Republican, Mike Hewitt, who promises to bring his bulging wallet to the race.