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Local government
Elected officials offer options for voter contact
Thursday, March 26, 2009
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Local government can be a subject of intense interest in St. Mary's County. Democrats have dominated local politics since the end of the Civil War, but Republicans have steadily made gains in recent years and are drawing even in party registration. As of October 2008, the county's 57,416 active registered voters included 24,749 Democrats (43 percent), 22,370 Republicans (39 percent) and 9,323 unaffiliated voters.
St. Mary's County is one of the eight rural counties in Maryland operating under the county commissioner form of government. A board of five commissioners is elected every four years. The commissioner form of government in St. Mary's has been in place since the October election of 1841. The commissioners' duties range from maintaining county roads, designating areas of growth or preservation, and to determining county spending.
The county commissioners can recommend new laws but cannot pass them — this can only be done by the Maryland General Assembly.
The county governmental center is located at Leonard Hall Drive, off Route 245 in Leonardtown. Located next to the governmental center is the Joseph D. Carter State Office Building, which houses the district court, the department of aging main building and Leonard Hall Junior Naval Academy. The St. Mary's County Detention Center, or county jail, is located at 41880 Baldridge St. behind the Carter building. The following is an overview on the officials now holding the top positions.
County commissioners
Main line, 301-475-4200, ext. 1300. Francis Jack Russell (D), president; Kenny Dement (R), Dist. 1 (southern county); Thomas A. Mattingly Sr. (D), Dist. 2 (Leonardtown/Hollywood); Larry Jarboe (R), Dist. 3 (northern county); and Daniel H. Raley (D), Dist. 4 (Lexington Park)
Circuit court
Judge Karen Abrams, 301-475-4585
Judge Michael Stamm, 301-475-4623
Judge C. Clarke Raley, 301-475-4320
Master F. Michael Harris, 301-475-4683
St. Mary's County Courthouse is at 41605 Courthouse Drive, P.O. Box 859, Leonardtown, MD 20650.
Clerk of the Circuit Court is Joanie Williams at the St. Mary's County Courthouse, P.O. Box 676, Leonardtown, MD 20650; call 301-475-7844, ext. 4.
District court
Judge John F. Slade III at the Carter State Office Building, 23110 Leonard Hall Drive, P.O. Box 653, Leonardtown, MD 20650. Call 301-475-4530.
State's attorney
Richard Fritz at the St. Mary's County Courthouse, 41605 Courthouse Drive, P.O. Box 1755, Leonardtown, MD 20650; call 301-475-7844, ext. 3. District Court Office, call 301-880-2700; Child Support Division, call 301-475-7844, ext. 4500.
Sheriff
Timothy K. Cameron (R) can be reached at P.O. Box 1559, 23150 Leonard Hall Drive, Leonardtown, MD 20650; call 301-475-8008.
Treasurer
Jannette P. Norris is at the Patuxent Building, 23150 Leonard Hall Drive, P.O. Box 642, Leonardtown, MD 20650; call 301-475-4472.
Board of education
Superintendent Michael Martirano, 301-475-5511, ext. 178.
School board members main line, 301-475-5511, ext. 178. Bill Mattingly, chairman, Dist. 3; Cathy Allen, vice chair, Dist. 2; Marilyn Crosby, at large; Mary M. Washington, Dist. 4; Sal Raspa, Dist. 1; Kate Rocheteau, student member.
Register of wills
Dianne McWilliams is at the St. Mary's County Courthouse, 41605 Courthouse Drive, P.O. Box 602, Leonardtown, MD 20650; call 301-475-5566.
Leonardtown
Leonardtown is St. Mary's County's only municipality and is the oldest incorporated town in Maryland. Leonardtown is governed by a mayor and five-member town council. The town council meets the second Monday of each month at 4 p.m. at the Town Hall. Leonardtown also has a business association, which meets the second Wednesday of each month at alternating business locations.
Contact the Commissioners of Leonardtown at 41660 Courthouse Drive, P.O. Box 1, Leonardtown, MD 20650; call 301-475-9791.
Leonardtown Council is made up of J. Harry Norris, mayor; and council members, Dan Burris, Leslie E. Roberts, Thomas Collier, Robert Combs and Walter Wise
State legislators
Sen. Roy Dyson (D-St. Mary's, Calvert, Charles)
Annapolis office:
102 James Senate Office Building
100 College Ave.
Annapolis, MD 21401
301-858-3673, 800-492-7122, ext. 3673
District office:
P.O. Box 229
Great Mills, MD 20634
301-994-2826
Dyson represents all of St. Mary's County, a third of Calvert County, up to south of Prince Frederick and a southern sliver of Charles County. Dyson was first elected as a state delegate to the General Assembly in 1974, and served in Congress for five consecutive terms after the 1980 election.
He was elected to the Maryland State Senate in 1994 and re-elected in 1998, 2002 and 2006.
Del. Anthony O'Donnell (R-Calvert, St. Mary's)
212 Lowe House Office Building
6 Bladen St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
301-858-3314, 410-841-3401 or 800-492-7122, ext. 3314
District office:
11840 H.G. Trueman Drive
P.O. Box 865
Solomons, MD 20688
410-326-0081
In 1994, O'Donnell was elected to a new House of Delegates seat that represents Calvert County from Huntingtown to Solomons and a small sliver of St. Mary's County including Hollywood and parts of the California area.
He was re-elected in 1998, 2002 and 2006.
Del. John Bohanan (D-St. Mary's)
350 House Office Building
6 Bladen St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
301-858-3227, 410-841-3227
or 1-800-492-7122, ext. 3227
District office:
46940 South Shangri-La Drive
Lexington Park, MD 20653
301-866-4000
Bohanan was appointed in 1999 to fill a vacancy in the legislature. His district covers southern St. Mary's County — Ridge, Park Hall, Valley Lee, Piney Point, St. George Island, Lexington Park, Great Mills and portions of California. He was re-elected in 2002 and in 2006.
Del. John F. Wood Jr. (D-St. Mary's)
Annapolis office:
422 House Office Building
6 Bladen St.
Annapolis, MD 21401
301-858-3170, 410-841-3170
or 800-492-7122, ext. 3170
District office:
28231 Three Notch Road
P.O. Box 406
Mechanicsville, MD 20659
301-884-2345
Wood was elected to his first term in 1986 and most recently re-elected in 2006. His district covers northern St. Mary's County — Mechanicsville, Charlotte Hall, Chaptico, Avenue, Sandgates, Compton and Leonardtown.
Representative in Congress
St. Mary's County's congressman is Steny Hoyer, a Democrat from Prince George's County, who lives in Mechanicsville.
Hoyer was elected as House Majority Leader in November 2006 by his peers. Correspondence to Hoyer can be mailed to 1705 Longworth House Office Building, Washington DC 20515. The telephone number is 202-225-4131.
U.S. senators
Maryland's senators are Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin, both Democrats. In 2006, Cardin replaced Paul S. Sarbanes, who retired from the seat he'd held since 1977.
Correspondence to the senators can be mailed to:
Barbara A. Mikulski
503 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-4654
Ben Cardin
509 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-4524
