PRSTD STD US Postage Paid Permit No.

145 Waldorf, MD

Thursday, June 28, 2007 St. Marys County, Maryland

Established 2006 Volume 2 Issue 26 FREE

Man Convicted in Shooting

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The man who fired a shotgun into a crowd during a brawl at a convenience store in Oakville last year was found guilty on seven counts of first and second degree assault, one count of reckless endangerment and carrying a weapon with the intent to injure last week in St. Marys County Circuit Court, according to court documents. Three people were shot and wounded in the August altercation but no fatalities occurred. Dempsey Wayne Herring, 26, of Mechanicsville is now incarcerated at the St. Marys County Adult Detention Center pending a pre-sentencing investigation. Herring avoided conviction on attempted murder charges. The circumstances of the shooting go back to August 8, 2006 after a local softball game when one team that was sponsored by Boatmans Mini-Mart -- where the shooting occurred -- returned there for a post game celebration. Scott Boatman, owner of Boatmans Mini-Mart, said he was sad for both Herrings being found guilty on multiple charges and for the victims he hurt. I feel numb about the whole situation, Boatman said. I feel for their families. During the celebration, a physical altercation ensued between Herring and his friends and members of the softball team, the Lady Cardinals. Police reports said that Herring See Conviction page A-7

Thomas Bell, President Of Bell Motor Co., Dies

County Approves TDR Proposal, Marking Historic Change for Land Use
By Adam Ross Staff Writer The St. Marys Board of County Commissioners approved the latest transferable development right proposal Tuesday, which should go in See TDR Approval page A-7

Photo by Andrew Knowlton

A black cloth lies draped over the marquis at Bell Motor Company in honor of its president Thomas W. Bell, Jr. who died June 24. Bell was well known for his community involvement and volunteer efforts.

By Guy Leonard and Andrew Knowlton Staff Writers St. Marys County lost one of its most well known citizens Sunday when Thomas Webster Bell, Jr. of Leonardtown died after a brief bout with thyroid cancer. He was 70 years old.

Index
Thomas W. Bell, Jr.

Three of his four sons, Gary, Mark and Andrew Bell were busy Monday afternoon going through their fathers affects in his business office at Bell Motor Co. and remembered their father not only as the leader of the family business but as a leader and supporter of the community. With his passing, the motor company is entering into its fourth generation of family leadership. As a 47-year member of the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department, he would often run calls with his sons on the fire engine, even up to the point where he was diagnosed with cancer. Andrew Bell said his last call was April 17 to the report of a chimney fire; he was admitted to the University of Maryland hospital April 24. Many times the first truck to leave the fire house was all Bells, Andrew recalled of his father. Their father would listen to the fire and rescue scanner while he was in his office and would often go out on calls even if it was in the early morning hours. It was his passion, Gary Bell said. Near the end of his battle with cancer, Tommy Bell was transferred to the St. Marys Nursing Center by the Leonardtown Volunteer Rescue Squad June 19, of which he was a charter member, but not before the volunteers took him by to see his mother, who is 96, and the family farm in Breton Bay, the brothers said. The volunteers also took him by the fire station and the family business. That was really important to him, Mark Bell said. To see [him and] his mother was touching. She even got into the ambulance with him. See Tommy Bell page A-6

Deputies Increase Presence in Golden Beach

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Sheriffs deputies have stepped up their patrols in Golden Beach after a suspected arson destroyed a cottage there last week. Lt. Edward Willenborg, commander of the Special Operations Division, said more deputies are aiding the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the State Fire Marshals office in tracking down those responsible for the blaze. We have some leads were following up on the arson, Willenborg said. [After the blaze] it became very apparent there was an issue in Golden Beach. The morning of the blaze, June 18, there were also reports of multiple car break-ins, and thefts from those break-ins. Tuesday morning emergency responders also pulled a stolen vehicle out of the water at Bensons Pier in Golden Beach that residents believe was used to mow down several mail boxes on Golden Beach road. Residents reported that the cars front end was damaged and that the See Golden Beach page A-8

Bay Runners B-1

Favorite Dishes B-6

Local Track Will Host Olympics Of Motocross

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer Ever since he saw the first Motocross of Nations Race held in the United States, in Unidalla, New York in 1987, John Beasley had his heart set on bringing the race to Budds Creek. Now, after years of preparation, Beasley is getting his wish. The Motocross of Nations, which brings in racers from nearly 30 countries from around the globe, is coming to his race track in September. Its a big race, Beasley told The County Times. September is the Olympics of motocross. Beasley said that for the last 10 years he has worked to get the track noticed by international racing proSee MX of Nations page A-6

Op.-Ed ..........Page A - 4 Obits .............Page A - 8 Police ............Page B - 7 Classifieds.....Page B - 9

For Continual News Updates Visit: somd.com Local Weather

Friday T-Storms 75 Saturday Partly Cloudy 82 Sunday Sunny 80

Storm Brewing in County Government

By Adam Ross Staff Writer A task force assigned by the St. Marys Board of County Commissioners to evaluate alternative forms of government in St. Marys County voted in favor of switching to a Charter, a measure that if implemented would dramatically transform the countys political process. The straw poll an informal vote used to gauge the opinions of the 15member task force was given two weeks ago, determining that out of

John Beasley looks out over his track at Budds Creek that will host the Motocross of Nations event September 22 and 23.

Photo by Guy Leonard

See Task Force page A-7

 Section A - 

The County Times

Thursday, June 8, 007

tary School as an assistant principal. Smith joined the school system in 2001, and just finished the year as an English teacher at Margaret Brent Middle School. Mary Moreland was appointed as assistant principal at Greenview Knolls Elementary School after serving as an instructional resource teacher at Leonardtown Middle School. Leonardtown Middle Schools new assistant principal will be Khaleel Desaque, who joins the system from City Lights Public Charter School in Washington D.C., where he served as dean of students. Wendy Zimmerman was named assistant principal at Great Mils High School. Zimmerman joined the school system in 2002, and currently serves as a substitute assistant principal, mentor teacher, lead teacher for Small Learning Communities and biology teacher at Great Mills High School. Donald Hollaway will be another new face on the administrative roster at Leonardtown Middle School as an assistant principal. Hollaway joined the school system in 1996 as a social studies and physical education teacher at Margaret Brent Middle School. All of the newly appointed assistant principals and principals either hold or are working towards a masters degree. The appointment of Jeffrey Thompson as director of transportation in the Division of Supporting Services comes as DSS is reorganized, according to Weiland. Thompson is a graduate of Leonardtown High School who has recently served as a transportation broker/logistics analyst for Allen Lund Company, Inc. Meanwhile, director of maintenance for all county schools, a previously vacant position, was filled by Steven Whidden, who served as a senior commissioning specialist with an engineering consulting firm based in Minnesota. He has more than 19 years of experience in commercial, institutional and government office building maintenance management.

Changing Faces at County Schools

By Adam Ross Staff Writer The St. Marys Board of Education appointed one new principal, six assistant principals, a director of transportation and a director of maintenance during the boards June 13 meeting due to reorganization and attrition. The board named Tennina Fleming the new principal of Oakville Elementary School, replacing Debra Bowling, who had been principal for four years. When the superintendent looks at where they need people, they have the authority and responsibility to place people where they think they will be most effective, said Dr. Edward Weiland, director of human resources for St. Marys County Public Schools (SMCPS). Ms. Bowling had done an excellent job, and was moved to the vacancy at Benjamin Banneker [Elementary School]. Weiland said the new appointments were a domino effect, started by the retirements of Greenview Knolls Elementary School Principal Jack Hazuda and Lexington Park Elementary School Principal Rudell Jones. Hazuda was the principal at Greenview Knolls for 27 years, and a Maryland educator for 40 years, while Jones served three years as Lexington Park Middle Schools principal and 29 years in the countys public school system. I plan to take life easy, Jones said, and do a little traveling. Susan Fowler will replace Jones next year, and she comes with ten years experience as principal of Jenifer Elementary School in Charles County. She will be a perfect fit for the school, Jones added. Shes dealing with a similar student population. Sandra Oliver was named assistant principal at Lettie Marshall Dent Elementary School; she is new to the county, serving currently as an art educator in the Newport News Public School System in Virginia. Carrie Smith was added to Lexington Park Elemen-

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Thursday, June 28, 2007

The County Times

Section A - 

Thieves Steal Nearly $10 K From Paintball Merchant

shopping Center in about the past three to four months. About two weeks before the Sure Shot incident, security cameras caught vandals breaking into two business vans parked there. Prior to that, a hair styling establishment and a nail salon were broken into, Callaway said. The perpetrators of the latter break-ins were able to skillfully remove glass from the front of the store to gain entry without destroying it, Callaway said. The thieves Photo by Guy Leonard Luther Duncan, owner and operator of Sure Shot Painball in Callaway looks over his store after it was broken into and burglarized for nearly $10,000 in merchandise destroyed a candy
last week.

machine at the hair stylist shop and then got a little under $20 in loose change from the cash register at the other business, he said. These crimes were likely perpetrated by someone other than those who broke into the vans and vandalized them, Callaway said. These were people who didnt know doodly about breaking into cars, Callaway said. I dont believe it was the same ones who removed the glass. Despite the setback to his business and concerns that other break-ins will occur at the Callaway center, Duncan said he would keep the compressed carbon dioxide and paintballs flowing to the action gamers in St. Marys, Charles and Calvert counties. Sure Shot will stay and well continue to serve our community, Duncan said.

By Guy Leonard Staff Writer The showcase of paintball guns and other gear at Sure Shot Paintball in Callaway is a little low these days, not because of great sales, but because of thieves that have left their mark on one of the few dedicated paintball shops in Southern Maryland. Luther Duncan, owner and operator of Sure Shot, said the thieves made off with about $10,000 in merchandise after breaking into his store the morning of June 21. The thieves broke out the bottom glass of the doors to his establishment to get in, Duncan said. While making off with his merchandise, Duncan said, the thieves also dropped and crushed pink paintballs all over his store, staining the carpet and walkway of his store. He added that this was the first time his store has ever been broken into. You dont know how upset I am, Duncan said as he looked over a list of the stolen merchandise hed have to replace. I hope I find out who did it if I dont, Ill go bananas. Duncan said many of the items stolen were high-dollar goods. The thieves took 18 paintball guns, some that cost more than $1,000 each, four cases of paint that can cost around $50 each, three safety masks, six packs of batteries, six pairs of paintball gloves and a $129 hi-tech paintball hopper for feeding ammunition into the gun. Duncan asked the tricounty paintball community that patronized his store to be on the lookout for the culprits. Its just devastating, Duncan said. I hope theyll help us try and find these ignorant people. You try and do something [special] and this is how some ignorant people repay you. The day of the crime the thieves apparently left some clues behind, though. They left a trail of bread crumbs, said Wendy Duncan, Luthers wife. That shows me theyre not too smart. The thieves apparently left a trail of paintballs that led all the way through the woods behind the shopping center into a nearby housing development. One of the apparent perpetrators also left a pink paint shoe print on the walkway as they made off with the stolen merchandise. Duncan said the thieves ripped the packaging off of the stolen merchandise and left it in the dumpster behind the shopping center. The manager of the shopping center, Bill Callaway, said the recent break-in happened after several other incidents hit the Callaway

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 Section A - 

The County Times

Thursday, June 28, 2007

County Commissioners Set To Start The New Spending Year Beginning July 1. Bells
14 Million taken from County reserves to balance budget
A glimpse at County revenues and expenses:
Revenues: Property Taxes Income Taxes Other Revenues New Solid Waste Fee Total Revenues excluding grants Use of County Reserves Capital Construction Projects
Total Spending: Who gets money: Who gets thethe money: Dept. of Information Technology College of Southern Maryland Health Department Dep. Of Aging County Treasurer County Commissioners Dept. of Economic Development Dept. of Public Safety Dept. of Finance Curcuit Court Office of States Attorney Dept. of Recreation and Parks Dept. of Human Resources Marcey Halfway House Dept. of Land Use and Growth Mgt. Library Board of Trustees Board of Education Non-County Agencies Dept of Public Works including Solid Waste Office of County Attorney 2,087,704 2,516,000 1,155,528 1,673,110 360,632 1,131,076 2,778,953 3,862,302 1,382,473 939,664 2,051,887 3,937,192 1,703,629 473,881 2,902,834 2,250,746 76,000,000 1,720,473 17,357,036 598,857 2,115,752 2,490,000 1,141,845 1,405,923 353,141 1,092,429 2,643,174 3,669,010 1,305,677 859,303 1,873,412 3,595,270 1,555,167 431,198 2,614,549 2,015,100 67,811,488 1,496,934 15,091,597 519,351 (-1.3%) 1.00% 1.20% 1.90% 2.10% 3.50% 5.10% 5.30% 5.90% 9.40% 9.50% 9.50% 9.60% 9.90% 11.00% 11.70% 12.10% 14.90% 15.00% 15.30%

Property Taxes Income Taxes Other Revenues New Solid Waste Fee

Editorial & Opinion

$70,984,169 65,207,074 $64,018,123

10.90%

New Budget 2007-2008

Last Budget 2006-2007

Change 10.90% 7.00% 2.20%

of St. Marys
A Great Story
In 1945 Bing Crosby starred as Father Chuck OMalley and Ingrid Bergman starred as Sister Mary Benedict in the Oscar award winning film The Bells of St. Marys. It truly was a great story about saving a catholic school called St. Marys Academy from financial failure. For St. Marys County, our story of the Bells of St. Marys begun in 1918. Ours is a story of a St. Marys County family, the Bell family. This past week, St. Marys County lost another part of that story with the passing of Tommy Bell. Going back to 1918 when J. Earnest Bell and T. Webster Bell founded an implements and appliance store to now, the Bell Family each and every year make a positive difference for many people in St. Marys County. From business to politics to volunteer service, from sports to education to community involvement, the Bell family has always played a role in what was good for our community. With the passing of Tommy Bell, one of the modern day elder statesmans of the Bell family, we are all morning not just the familys lost, we morn the countys lost as well. But even the pain of knowing that Tommy will no longer be around into the future to offer his wisdom, counsel and service to our community cannot take away from the joys and blessings St. Marys County has since 1918 received and undoubtedly will continue to enjoy from the Bells of St. Marys.

$70,984,169 $64,018,123 65,207,074 60,941,191 27,867,416 27,268,892 2,375,520 0 ----------------------------166,434,179 152,228,206 13,979,802 5,460,366 51,051,413 39,121,102 ----------------------------229,089,874 196,809,674

9.30% 156.00% 30.50% 16.40%

To the editor:
On May 19th, the St. Marys County Juvenile Drug Court celebrated National Drug Court Month. The activities included a softball game, cookout and awards/ graduation ceremony. Again this year, the Mechanicsville Order of the Moose allowed us to hold the activities at their facility. In attendance to lend support were Commissioner President Jack Russell and Commissioner Thomas Mattingly. Sheriff Tim Cameron and school Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano were there to also receive special awards for their agencies continued support for the program. Del-

egate John Wood presented each graduate with a state citation from the Maryland Legislature recognizing each of their accomplishment. Del. Wood has been a long time supporter of drug courts in the state legislature. There are now more than 1,700 drug courts across the country. In Maryland there are 36 in operation and more in the planning stages. Drug Courts have been shown through independent evaluations to have an impact on drug abuse and criminality that produce better results than traditional criminal justice practices. In St. Marys we are fortunate to have the foresight in local leadership to understand that

we as a community need to address the youth that become engaged with drug abuse and criminal activity. If they are not confronted in a manner conducive with motivating change, many of these young people will go on to develop increasingly worse drug and alcohol addictions and have repeated involvement with the criminal justice system. In St. Marys County, Drug Court Works! As we stood and observed the graduates on this day, you could see the marked change from when they entered the program. The smiles bestowed by the families can not be put into words. This is what drug courts can do. They help facilitate the

individual and familys move forward from a point of despair to one of hope. Does everyone make it through this tough eight to twelve month regimen of drug testing, court appearances, case management and substance abuse treatment? Absolutely not. If they did, the program would be too easy with little long term effects. It is a difficult program, more so for some participants than for others, but it tests everyone. For those who complete the process, as those graduates on this day did, they can be secure in the knowledge they have obtained about themselves, that this hard found knowledge will help them prevail without

the oversight of the program. We wish each one of them and their families continued success in their life endeavors. As the Program Coordinator, I would like the community to know that the Juvenile Drug Court is in the very capable hands of Judge Michael Stamm. The programs success can be directly attributed to many different agencies that are members of the drug court team. Dan Schaidt and his dedicated staff at the Department of Juveniles Services, Rob Prince and the insightful staff at WaldenSierra, States Attorney Richard Fritz and his Office, DR. Icenhower of the Health Department and his staff, the Office of the

Public Defender, the school system and sheriffs department staff, are all involved in the program. Thanks to all that have contributed to the success of the program in the last year. There are far too many to mention all individually. Be sure the smiling faces on this day are why you do it. Sincerely, Pete Cucinotta Program Coordinator Leonardtown

Letters to the Editor

If you wish to send a letter to the editor, please include your name, address and phone number for confirmation purposes. We will only publish your name and city of residence. We can withhold your name by request if circumstances merit it. We must receive all letters by Monday morning for publication in the next issue. Any letter received later than Monday will be held for the following issue.

James Manning McKay - Publisher Tobie Pulliam - Office Manager ...........................tobiepulliam@countytimes.net Adam Ross - Government Correspondent ..............adamross@countytimes.net Andrew Knowlton - Sports Correspondent ...... andrewknowlton@countytimes.net

P.O. Box 250 Hollywood, Maryland 20636 News, advertising, circulation, classifieds: 301-373-4125

Guy Leonard - Community Correspondent................guyleonard@countytimes.net Eileen McDonald - Advertising Rep...............eileenmcdonald@countytimes.net

Thursday, June 28, 2007

The County Times

assisted you and made sure everything was correct? I did not come in contact with one friendly or pleasant or helpful airline employee from here to Dallas to California. Thats a long trip to run into nothing but grumbly, surly, smart-aleck employees. The self check-in machine did not print out a checked baggage tag. I stand and wait, but no airline employee was within 20 feet of me. Oh, they saw me, but they werent going to walk that far so I had to take my bag to them. When I explained the problem, automatically I was an idiot who didnt know how to use the machine. Attitude was what I got from her along with the baggage tag. So I proceed to security where I did run into one nice TSA employee. Then to the gate where I found out my flight was already delayed an hour. Great, I was already getting into my final destination pretty late for a morning person such as myself, so the delay was really great news. When its time to board, they tell us to hurry along and theyll get us out 15 minutes early (early, when theyre already late!) It does no good because we just sit on the runway for 25 minutes. Grrr. Finally we take off. Now Im worried about making my connection in Dallas, which can be dicey under the best

Section A - 
conditions. We land after my connecting flight SHOULD have taken off, but of course, it had been delayed. Okay, so that delay worked in my favor. It was delayed an hour and a half so I got something to eat. Then theres a maintenance delay that makes you feel good. We get the go-ahead to board. Again, they tell us to hurry. Grrr! Were not the ones causing the problem, stop telling us to hurry when you cant get a plane off the ground on time! For an entire day, they cant get a plane off in time all their flights were running behind. We troop on and sit and sit and sit. We finally take off. So now were two hours late getting to my final destination. Just to top the day off, it takes FOREVER for the baggage to come out. Small airport, late at night I guess there was only one guy unloading baggage? Grrr. Not one ticket agent, gate agent, flight attendant or other air crew behaved in a pleasant or friendly manner. Its to the point now where apparently none of us want to get on the plane, passenger or crew. Fly the friendly skies. Come fly with me. Yea, right.

Ramblings of a Country Girl

Photo by Adam Ross

Come Fly With Me

Terri Bartz Bowles Recently, I had to travel on business, and you frequent flyers out there know what I mean when I say just one thing about air travel grrrr! Im not afraid to fly or nervous about flying; its just that flying is such a chore. There in absolutely nothing pleasant about it anymore. From beginning to end, its an exercise in frustration and aggravation. Its tiring and wearing and odious, even. It all starts with the selfservice check-in. I detest self-service anything. I dont know exactly when or how the whole self-service thing became the fabric of our everyday lives, but I dont like it. I dislike pumping my own gas, I dislike getting my own soda in a fast food joint and I dislike self check-outs. Guess how I feel about airline self check-in? Thats right. I like customer service and thats one reason I dont enjoy flying anymore theres darn little good customer service associated with the airline industry. What happened to the days when a professional

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 Section A - 

The County Times

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Tommy Bell
Continued from page A- The brothers said their father eschewed modern technology in running the family business, instead using his sharp mind to keep track of details and important information stored in stacks of binders in his office. They remembered their father fondly as a pack rat who only used his office computer to play video games. This desk is a mess to us but he could find anything on it, Mark Bell said. That was his system. He kept everything. Solitaire was their fathers preferred computer game, they said. Thats the only thing that computer was used for, Mark Bell said. Tommy Bell also enjoyed playing and coaching softball, a county pastime, watching football games, NASCAR races and boating. While running a prominent family business and actively serving as a fireman in his old age, Tommy Bell also supported Little League teams, high school football teams and awarded scholarships to top students in the county, his sons said. Tommy Bell also provided buses for the transportation of St. Marys County public school students. Tommy Bell worked as the general services manager of Bell Motor Company until the death of his father and uncle, T. Webster and Ernest Bell in 1987 and 1988, and then he and his brother Frank Bell, Sr. took over leadership of the company. While they were young, Tommy Bells sons said, they worked their way up through the company to leadership positions; owing to their fathers insistence in instilling in them a strong work ethic without favoritism or special treatment. He made sure each one of us worked for what we had, Gary Bell said. Nothing came easy. Jack Candela, a close friend of Tommy Bell who served with him in the Leonardtown Volunteer Fire Department and in the Leonardtown Lions Club, said that what defined his friend was his dedication to volunteerism and his concern for the community. Tommy Bell joined both organizations in 1960, Candela said. He was very serious about what he did, Candela said. First and foremost in his mind was what was good for the community. Tommy Bell would often comment on political issues and candidates for office but never ran for political office himself, Candela said. And if there was an issue that come up he wasnt bashful about expressing his opinion. While he could be serious in his business, family life and in serving the community, Tommy Bell had a lighter side, his friend said. He always had that dry sense of humor, he wasnt a stand up comedian or anything but he always had some kind of one liner or a punch line, Candela said. Tommy Bell is survived by his wife Dorothy Gibson, and four children Thomas W. Bell, III, J. Andrew Bell, Gary Bell and Mark Bell. He also leaves behind nine grandchildren. Tommy Bell was remembered by family and friends at a firemans funeral at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Leonardtown Wednesday and was laid to rest at Queen of Peace Cemetery in Helen.

Photo by Andrew Knowlton

Gary Bell (left) and Mark Bell, sons of Thomas Webster Bell, Jr., who passed away June 24 after battling cancer, go through their fathers things in his office at the Bell Motor Company in Leonardtown.

sley said. Valerie Gaghan, BeasContinued from page A- leys administrative coordinamoters to allow the race to ward to the race bringing tor, said support staff at the come to Budds Creek. more notoriety to the track, track have worked hard since After hosting several else he could be in financial November to ensure the track world championship events at his track, those authorities deemed him worthy, he said. We had to do all that just to show them we could do this, Beasley said. The expense of bringing the race to St. Marys was also considerable, Beasley said. Beasley already hosted the AMA Toyota Motocross national championships June 17 and he said that the September race will cost much more. I cant tell you how much, he said. But its big, its seven times what the AMA nationals cost to bring in. Beasley is looking for-

MX of Nations

wont keep him from getting the track ready for perhaps the biggest event its ever hosted. It was the most painful three weeks of my life, Beasley said. Ill just give it an-

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John Beasley owner of Budds Creek race track takes a break while two young riders practice on their dirt bikes.

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trouble. Nobody else in the country was willing to risk bankruptcy to host the race, Beasley said. Beasley must also pick up the tab for bringing three riders from each country, along with bikes and equipment, to St. Marys County. These riders are picked by their nations motocross federation. The countries that are likely to come and compete at Budds Creek include the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Estonia and a host of smaller nations. Riders from Latin American countries are also expected to compete in what Beasley calls in his advertisements the greatest show on dirt. Its a lot of effort, but Beasley was willing to put it in to ensure that Budds Creek would be only the second track in the nation, and the 72 years of the Motocross of Nations race, to be the host. Its a big deal for the country and the track, Bea-

is ready to go in September. Coordinating ticket sales and making sure vendors come through for the event have taken up a lot of her time. The work has lead to some long days and some sleepless nights, she said. Weve been extremely busy, Gaghan said. Ticket orders are going all over the world, its amazing. Beasley, who is on crutches after sustaining multiple serious injuries in an all terrain vehicle accident just three weeks before hosting the national championships, praised his hard working staff. We have a very good staff, everybodys pitched in above and beyond the call of duty, Beasley said. Beasley had to sit out most of the preparations for the national championships, which brought in about 18,000 spectators this past Fathers Day, but he said his broken pelvis, hip fractures, three broken ribs and injured left knee

other month to heal and then Ill get back to work. Beasley hopes to bring in 30,000 people to watch the race and one of them, 14year-old Tyler Webber, whos been racing at the track since he was five, will be watching intently with dreams of racing in it someday. Webber won the state motocross championships twice for the 10 to 11 year old age group riding a 65 cubic centimeter engine back in 2003 and 2004. Its really cool, Webber said of the race coming to what amounts to his second backyard. Its my home track; I live just five minutes away. Beasley just hopes that the weather holds to make his dream race a memorable one in reality. If it doesnt rain in September, well get through it, Beasley said. We just hope mother nature shines kindly on us.

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Thursday, June 28, 2007

The County Times

St. Marys County has twice before held referendums to switch from a commissioner form of government to charter - both times the idea has been voted down by county residents once in 1972 and another in 1980. In order to pass, county residents would have to approve the change by a two-thirds majority. The measure could be voted on as soon as the 2008 presidential election or as late as 2012, depending on when and if the commissioners approve the recommendation, and how long it takes to write the charter. Although, it should take 18 months to write the Charter, Murphy said. The task force is made up of different categories of citizens to give a wide perspective of the countys priorities. Each commissioner appointed three members to the committee. Commissioners Jarboe and Thomas A. Mattingly Sr. (D-Leonardtown) both expressed disinterest in changing from a commissioner form of government, but were open to the discussion. Be prepared for a war, said Ritchie, because there is a storm brewing.

Section A - 7
me. The shooting incident scarred him, Boatman said, even though he was fortunate enough to avoid being shot himself. I was numb for about three days after the shooting and when I started talking to my lawyer I started crying, Boatman said. It was a bad day for everybody. It was a sad day for Oakville when something like this happens. He said he wanted the families of those hurt to heal in the aftermath of the shooting and for Herring to turn his life around. I hope the best for everybody involved, Boatman said.

Task Force
Continued from page A- the 13 members present, eight favored some form of Charter government. The county finances and governances are becoming more and more sophisticated, said Patrick Murphy, chairman of the task force. Im not sure commissioner is the best form to quickly react to change in the future. The task force was designed and approved by the commissioners in March, in part because of what they deemed as the bureaucracy of sending small or local issues to a state delegation, at times, disconnected from the county. Task force members had five choices to vote from during the vote: no change, undecided, Charter with a county manager, Charter with a county executive, or Code Home Rule. Five members voted in favor of Charter with a county manager, three for Charter with an Executive, two for Code Home Rule, two for no change, and one was undecided. Doug Ritchie, a member appointed by Commissioner Lawrence Jarboe (R- Golden Beach), was the most pessimistic regarding a Charter government in the county. It would be a huge mistake, said Ritchie, that would [Prince George] the county before its over with. Prince Georges County was granted its charter in 1970, and has experienced massive amounts of growth over that time, a hot button issue for residents in St. Marys. As part of a Charter, residents could have a more direct say in the inner workings of government expenditures, taxes and policies. Charter is the only form of government that permits citizens to limit government, Murphy said. The only powers it has are those expressly written in a charter. The task force is scheduled to take its final and binding vote at the end of July. If the results follow suit to the straw poll, four commissioners would have to approve the recommendation, which would then go to a countywide referendum. They got their majority, said Ritchie of the task forces early voting indications, it would take a miraculous enlightenment to change their minds now.

Conviction
Continued from page A- struck one of the victims and after the initial brawl went back to his nearby home and retrieved a 12-gauge shotgun. When he returned he fired several rounds into the crowd. One victim suffered gunshot wounds to the back and legs, while another was wounded in the hand. The third victim was wounded in the right arm. Boatman said that he was right next to one of the victims when they were shot by Herring and that he just wants to put the whole memory behind him. I just saw a man snap, Boatman said of the shooting that day. I saw someone get shot three feet in front of me. That makes you rethink things. Boatman was still confused about the events of that day and why they happened. He was acquainted with all those involved, he said, and had never thought they would be involved in something like this at his establishment. I knew them all, every one of them were my customers, Boatman said. [Herring] lived across the street and he would come in all the time to buy stuff. He was always nice to

TDR Approval
Continued from page A- effect July 24 despite dissension between board members over the exclusion of an affordable housing initiative. Commissioner Lawrence Jarboe (R- Golden Beach) delivered the lone nay vote in response to what he deemed too many mini mansions in the rural preservation district, and not enough affordable workforce housing. If we adopted a TDR program that didnt take into account affordable housing, Jarboe said, there would be no incentive to build that small cottage. The very people who live on those farms [wont] be able to live there in the future. Under the approved plan, property owners can receive up to one TDR per five acres of land not impacted by sensitive areas such as wetlands and steep slopes. There has been an ongoing community concern in recent public hearings and information sessions between property owners who might wish to convey land to part of their family, a common practice in the county. Before Tuesday, the TDR proposal did not allow family conveyances without the purchase of TDRs, but Land Use and Growth Management Director Denis D. Canavan modified the proposal to be more accommodating to such circumstances. Currently, property owners wishing to convey land to children or other family members can do so without buying TDRs, if they have purchased their land before May 13, 2002. No more than two lots can be conveyed to family without TDRs, and those requests will only be afforded seven years to obtain a record plat. Changes were made to the family conveyance policy just minutes before the TDR text amendment was approved. Canavan had allowed for up to three lots to be created for conveyance to children, but only five years in which to do so. Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly Sr. (D-Leonardtown) suggested changing those numbers to two lots, at seven years, which was later approved without significant discussion. Ive had some thoughts in the last week or so to start over, said Mattingly, relenting on his positions that appeared more futile than originally thought. But we are not there, we are at the end. Commissioners Daniel Raley (D- Great Mills) and Jack Russell (D- Point Lookout) promised Jarboe that affordable housing would be addressed under the TDRs ongoing dialog, which is now set to factor in adequate public facilities and a county growth policy. The Rural Preservation District Task Force lead by Robin Hahnel has already broached these topics, but a decision is still hanging in the balance. Whatever recommendations the RPD task force makes will certainly be a critical factor of whether the community achieves the goal it originally intended to achieve when beginning the TDR initiative: preserving open space and the rural integrity of St. Marys County. St. Marys County is really at a crossroads here, Raley said. The public is more and more seeking and urging us to put methods forward to achieve the goal of preserving land in the rural preservation district in essence so we can keep and maintain a good part of what makes the county so special. Jarboe remained uncom-

fortable with putting off the affordable housing concept for latter discussion, saying if you dont do it now, Ive witnessed too many times that it gets put off. Both Raley and Mattingly expressed reservations about approving the text amendment, but did so in hopes of bringing tangible answers to the many complicating questions that the issue presents. Every time you try to resolve one problem, Mattingly said, something else goes wrong. Land uses in the RPD after TDRs have been severed include, animal husbandry, aquaculture, crop production and horticulture, farmers markets, auction houses, roadside stands, silviculture, burial grounds, day care, rural medicine practices, bed and breakfast, personal improvement to residence, extractive industry uses, production industry uses, communication towers, regional flood and storm water management facilities, utilities and various accessory and temporary uses. Any sale of TDRs, under the plan, will have to be submitted to the commissioners for final approval, similar to the way government conducts public hearings for the sale of county owned land. In lieu of purchasing development rights from a sending parcel for use in development, developers or landowners may pay a fee in lieu, which will be 120 percent of the average fair market value paid for TRDs. Meanwhile, the commissioners will determine the cost of a single TDR at a later time, Canavan said. TDRs allow property owners to sell their lands development rights to developers who wish to use them in other areas, namely the development district, where land use is often more difficult to come by.

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 Section A - 

The County Times

cial friends and family, especially her two daughters, Angela and Mary. Her favorite past time was watching television with her younger sister, Ladenae Smallwood and going to lunch with her longtime friend, Evelyn Holland. She is survived by her beloved daughters, Angela and Mary Young of Lexington Park, Md., adopted-son, Clarence Beachum-Young of Virginia, 3 grandchildren, LaQuan Woodland, DanVontraz Ball and Kendrah Bowman of Lexington Park, Md., 3 godchildren, Carlos Chew of Richmond, Va., Latonya Milburn of Leonardtown, Md. and Sharika Milburn of Lexington Park, Md., sisters, Donna Milburn and Ladenae Smallwood, both of Leonardtown, Md., Francis Milburn, Hope Milburn, Lillian Beander, Brenda Barnes, Pam Barnes and Darlene Barnes of Lexington Park, Md. and Lisa Barnes of Charles County, brothers, William Milburn, Bruce Owens, William Barnes, David Barnes, Timmy Barnes, Gregory Barnes and Jeffrey Barnes, all of Lexington Park, MD, Fred Milburn of Leonardtown, Md., Vernon Milburn of Hollywood, Md., Dexter Milburn of Waldorf, Md., Lord Milburn of Annapolis, Md., Thomas Milburn of Avenue, Md., and Chris Barnes of Charles County, Md., special, longtime friend, James Woodland of Loveville, Md. and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and friends. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her great- grandmother, Lucy Bennett, adopted-daughter, Melody McRae, sister, Lolia Jean Dorsey and brother, Dennis Milburn. The family received friends on Monday, June 25, 2007 from 9:30-11 a.m. at St. Matthews Free Gospel Church of Christ, Leonardtown, Md., with a Funeral service conducted at 11 a.m. Pastor Daniel S. Jones conducted the service. Interment followed in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, Md. Serving as pallbearers were Wesley Hebb, Quincy Fenwick, Claude Queen, Perry Woodland, Frederick Milburn, and Lord Milburn. Serving as honorary pallbearers were Thomas Milburn, Keith Smallwood, Carlos Chew, Joe Armstrong, Sr. Sylvester Wills, Bruce Ow ens and Brandon Sherrell. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.a. in Leonardtown, Md. and brother, Truman Lyon. The family received friends on Thursday, June 14, 2007 from 5-8 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home Chapel, Leonardtown, Md. Prayers were recited at 7 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Friday, June 15, 2007 at 10 a.m. in St. John Francis Regis Catholic Church, Hollywood, Md. Father Ray Schmidt was the celebrant. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to American Cancer Society, St. Marys CountyUnit 350, P.O. Box 1032, Lexington Park, Md. 20653. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, Md.

Thursday, June 2, 2007 Paul Martin Millham, 73

Paul Martin Millham, 73, of Leonardtown, Md., died June 23, 2007 in Maryland daughter of the late William F. Pegg and Drucy Gatton Pegg. After graduating from Great Mills High School in 1939 and some additional secretarial training at Frostburg College, she began her career at Bell Motor Company. After leaving Bell Motor, she went to work with the newly formed Kirby Motor Company and from there worked for Capps Real Estate Company while Town Creek was being developed. Most people remember her for her many years at First National Bank in Leonardtown and later in Hollywood. She retired in 1987. She married Donald Edward Smith. He preceded her in death in 2002. During her working career, she was a wonderful mother and later on grandmother. Her home was usually full of family and friends and always full of unconditional love. She will be greatly missed. She is survived by two daughters, Donna Lee Knott and her husband Johnny of Hollywood, Md. and Joan Neshat and her husband, Amir of Asheville, N.C., five grandchildren, Michael Ely of Nashville, Tenn., Mark Ely of Richmond, Va., Amy Neshat Phillips of Asheville, N.C., Bobby Neshat of Charleston, S.C., and Darby Neshat of Johnson City, Tenn., greatgranddaughter, Haley Phillips of Asheville, N.C., and sister, Ruby Morgan of Hollywood, Md.. In addition to her parents and husband, she is preceded in death by her granddaughter, Patricia Ely, two sisters, Helen Strickland and Leona Sanner, and three brothers, Charles, Ralph, and Richard Pegg. The family received friends on Friday, June 22, 2007 from 5-8 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home Chapel, Leonardtown, Md. Prayers were recited at 7 p.m. A Funeral service was conducted on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 10 a.m. in the Hollywood United Method ist Church, Hollywood, Md. Reverend Shelton Reese conducted the service. Interment followed in Joy Chapel Cemetery, Hollywood, Md. Serving as pallbearers were Michael Ely, Mark Ely, Darby Neshat, Donald Strickland, Ronald Strickland and Bruce Strickland. Memorial contributions may be made to Hollywood Volunteer Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 79, Hollywood, Md. 20636, Hollywood United Methodist Church, 24422 Mervell Dean Road, Hollywood, Md. 20636, or St. Marys Nursing Center, 21585 Peabody Street, Leonardtown, Md. 20650. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, Md.

Obituaries
Helen C. Allston, 7
2007 from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. in St. Josephs Catholic Church, Morganza, Md. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. The Reverend Keith Woods will be the celebrant. Interment will follow in Charles Memorial Gardens, Leonardtown, Md. Serving as pallbearers will be Frankie Herbert, Tyrone Medley, Paul Stewart, Ed Armstrong, George Armstrong and Francis Carter. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, Md.

Helen C. Allston, 78, of Hughesville, Md. died June 20, 2007 at her residence. Born September 21, 1928 in Great Mills, Md. she was the daughter of the late George P. and Sarah Adams. She was the loving wife of Hugh Allston, Jr. whom she married on November 23, 1947 in St. Michaels Church, Md. and who preceded her in death on December 23, 2001. She is survived by her sons Keith Allston, Sr. and Kenneth Allston, both of Hughesville, Md. and her siblings; Joseph Adams of Great Mills, Md. , Mary Thompson of California, Md., and Betty Davis of Hyattsville, Md., five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by her brother George R. Adams. The family received friends for a visitation/viewing on Friday, June 22, 2007 from 5-8 p.m. in Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, Leonardtown, Md. where prayers were said at 7 p.m. A Funeral Service was held on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 10 a.m. in Christ Episcopal Church, Chaptico, Md. with Fr. Jessee Neat officiating. Interment followed in the church cemetery. Pallbearers were Rayner Blair, Jerry Mattingly, George Heinze, Joey Goldey, Keith Allston, Jr. and Curtis Grice. Arrangements provided by the MattingleyGardiner Funeral Home, P.A.

Robert Hartshorn, 7
Robert Hartshorn, 78, of Hollywood, Md. died June

Margaret Priscilla Dent, 52

Margaret Priscilla Dent,

Mary Beatrice Armstrong, 1

Mary Beatrice Armstrong, 81, of Clements, Md., died June 16, 2007 in the St. Marys Nursing Center, Leonardtown, Md. Born Dec. 4, 1925 in Clements, Md., she was the daughter of the late William Scanlon Herbert, Sr. and Gertrude Butler Herbert. Mrs. Armstrong had worked as a domestic worker. She is survived by her husband, John Henry Armstrong of Clements, Md., a daughter, Sharon V. Armstrong Clinton, Md., two sons, Stanley E. Armstrong of Hollywood, Md., Robert E. Armstrong of Clements, Md., 10 grandchildren, three great grandchildren, three sisters, Helene Holt of Clements, Md., Barbara Whalen of Charlotte Hall, Md., Maggie Armstrong of Leonardtown, Md. and two brothers, William Scanlon Herbert, Jr. of Ventura, Ca. and Joseph Lee Somerville of Loveville, Md. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a brother, Joe Charles Herbert, Sr. and four sisters, Theresa Parker, Betty Bray, Dorothy Bush and Gertrude Medley. The family will receive friends on Friday, June 22,

52, of Mechanicsville, Md. died June 18, 2007 at her residence. Born June 10, 1955 in St. Marys County, Md., she was the daughter of the late George Hoover and Margaret Lucille Dent. She is survived by her son Bryant L. Dent of Mechanicsville, Md. and her brother George Frankie Dent of Chaptico, Md. A lifelong resident of St. Marys County, Margaret was a graduate of Chopticon High School, Class of 1972. She was employed as a housekeeper for Chesapeake Potomac Regional Cancer Center. All services are private. Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, P.a.

Mary Ann Dorsey, 64

Mary Ann Dorsey Young, 64, of Abell, Md. died June 18, 2007 in St. Marys Nursing Center, Leonardtown, Md. Born on February 19, 1943 in Leonardtown, Md., she was the daughter of the late Leon Barnes and Lillian Milburn. Mary Ann graduated from Banneker High School in Loveville, Md. in 1961. She was employed at St. Marys Hospital as a Unit Secretary/ Nurse for over 20 years. Mary Ann, known for wanting to take care of other family members in need, served the sick and ill as a caregiver until she could no longer take care of herself. Throughout the community she had made many friends in every walk of her life. Mary Ann was known for her stern sense of humor but she also enjoyed giving everyone a hard time. Mary Ann loved spending time with her three grandchildren, LaQuan, DanVontraz and Kendrah. She also enjoyed swimming, watching baseball especially the Baltimore Orioles. But her fondest sporting events were those where her grandchildren were on the team. Mary Ann truly enjoyed spending time with spe-

Kate Emma Harris, 70

Kate Emma Harris, 70, of Hollywood, Md. died June 12, 2007 at her daughters residence. Born June 7, 1937 in Chaptico, Md., she was the daughter of Alice Louise (Higgs) Lyon of Chaptico, Md. and the late Henson Lyon. In addition to her mother, she is survived by her son, George William Harris of Hollywood, Md., three daughters, Joyce A. Johnson of California, Md., Barbara A. Trossbach of Great Mills, Md., and Ann J. Shifflett of Hollywood, Md., siblings, Roberta Keenan of Hollywood, Md., Teeny Lacey of Bushwood, Md., Alexander Thummy Lyon and Shirley Morgan of Chaptico, Md., ten grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. In addition to her father, she is preceded in death by her husband, George W. Harris, daughter, Rose Marie Harris,

17, 2007 in St. Marys Hospital, Leonardtown, Md., from complications due to a debilitating stroke suffered in April 2006. Born Aug. 3, 1928 in Kensington, Md., he was the son of the late George Ernest and Essie Johnstone (McCutcheon) Hartshorn. Mr. Hartshorn graduated from Dartmouth College in 1950, with a BA in History. He served in the United States Air Force. He continued his education at Northrop Institute of Technology in California and earned a BS in Electronic Engineering. In 1966 he moved his family to St. Marys County and began his career at Patuxent River Naval Air Test Center. He retired after twenty-five years of dedicated service to our country as an Electronic Engineer at NATC, Department of Electronic Warfare and Reconnaissance. His passions were aviation, history, genealogy and working on his small farm. He passed away on Fathers day to be with his Heavenly Father. We love you, Dad, and will miss you, but we know well meet again. He is survived by his loving wife, Mary D. Hartshorn and daughters, Susannah Lynch and Sarah Sally Brown both of Hollywood, Md. and Beth Beardall of Halton Hills, Ontario, their spouses, six grandchildren and two brothers, William Hartshorn and Elden Hartshorn. The family will receive friends on Friday, Aug. 3, 2007 from 5-8 p.m. in the Brinsfield Funeral Home Chapel, Leonardtown, Md.; where a Memorial Service will be conducted at 7 p.m. Inurnment will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to HOSPICE of St. Marys, Inc., P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, Md. 20650 and/or CareNet Pregnancy Center of Southern Maryland, P.O. Box 31, Lexington Park, Md. 20653. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, Md. 900 families living in Golden Beach but only about 30 people ever attend the civic association meetings. And then theres fear that there might be a backlash if residents stand up to crime. People dont want to get involved because of [fear of] retaliation, Livingston said. Golden Beach is one of two communities in St. Marys that has its own deputy assigned to the area as part of a community services program. The second to be a part of the program was the Country

University Medical Center, Baltimore, Md. Born June 14, 1934 in Philadelphia, Pa., he was the son of the late Edmund L. Millham and Mary S. (Pachtmann) Millham. Mr. Millham earned a Bachelors and Masters degree while attending Pennsylvania State University and University of Maryland. He was employed by Prince Georges Community College as a professor in engineering technology for 34 years before he retired. He was a member of the Rotary Club of Leonardtown and Southern Maryland Wine Society. He was a life time Boy Scout and Scout leader. He married Rhodessa Lee Millham on Aug.3, 1963. His hobbies included reading, traveling, theater, gardening, fishing, cooking, spending time with his family and friends, do-it-yourself projects, and woodworking. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Eric P. Millham and his wife, Jacquelyn of Great Mills, Md. and Keith A. Millham of Chestertown, Md., brother, Edmund R. Millham and his wife, Geraldine of Ronks, Pa., and three grandchildren, Sean E. Millham, Ian J. Millham, and J. Siobhan Millham, all of Great Mills, Md. The family will receive friends on Saturday, June 30, 2007 from 12-2:30 p.m. in St. Pauls United Methodist Church, Leonardtown, Md., where a Memorial Service will be conducted at 2:30 p.m. Inurnment will be private. Memorial contributions may be made to the Rotary International Foundation, 14280 Collections Center Drive, Chicago, Ill. 60693, College of Southern Maryland Foundation, c/o of Cindy Bowling, Dev., P.O. Box 910, La Plata, Md. 20646-0910 or HOSPICE House c/o HOSPICE of St. Marys, P.O. Box 625, Leonardtown, Md. 20650. Arrangements by the Brinsfield Funeral Home, P.A. in Leonardtown, Md.

Lillian Pegg Smith, 5

Lillian Pegg Smith, 85, of Hollywood, Md. died June 17, 2007 in Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC. Born June 24, 1921 in Great Mills, Md., she was the

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Golden Beach
Continued from page A- vehicle was almost completely submerged in the river. All these incidents occurred within just two days, Willenborg said. There was a lot happening in a short period of time, Willenborg said. Janet Sullivan, a long time resident of Golden Beach, said thieves broke into her daughters car and stole the CD player and some country music recordings. They took the country music and left the Christian, Sullivan said, adding that the Christian CDs were thrown around the car. They need to listen to the Christian music. Carolyn Livingston, an active member of the Golden Beach/Patuxent Knolls Civic Association, said residents of Golden Beach are still on edge after the blaze and some of the subsequent crimes. Theres not a whole lot we can do except be alert, Livingston said. People are

locking things up that they didnt lock before. You just have to keep your eyes open. Livingston said hiring security was not an option and that the citizens had to be more alert in stopping crime in their community. We dont have the money to [hire extra security], Livingston said. Every done down here is done by volunteers. And getting those residents to help patrol their own streets may be tough, Livingston said. She said there were about

Lakes community in Mechanicsville after community complaints of vandalism, speeding and illegal drug trafficking prompted the sheriffs office to send aid there. But there is only one deputy assigned to the two areas and residents in Golden Beach. Things have been getting better [until the arson], Livingston said. But thats a large area to cover. The arson was the most serious crime that has occurred in Golden Beach in recent memory, Sullivan said,

and it had people up and down the block talking. Ive been here for 15 years and this is the worst damage Ive seen, Sullivan said. Its got people really upset because we have such a nice community. Residents, she said, are unsure who committed the recent spate of crimes, but wanted to get some answers quickly. They dont know but Im sure theyd like to, Sullivan said. I certainly hope that whoever set that fire they catch.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

The County Times

Section A - 

Superintendent Mends Communication Lines with County

By Adam Ross Staff Writer Superintendent Michael J. Martirano squared off with the St. Marys Board of County Commissioners Tuesday for budget approval, while simultaneously renewing tattered communication lines with county government that gave way last month to an additional budget cut of $193,000. Martirano praised the commissioners for their support of a historic budget increase, and their loyalty in the capital improvement plan, vowing to keep dialog omnipresent and ongoing. We are building solid relationships between [myself] and county administrator [John Savich], Martirano said, talking about where we are and where we are going. With nearly the entire board of education just behind his right shoulder and schools Chief Financial Officer Daniel Carney to his left, Martirano reminded the commissioners of the new initiatives public schools are undertaking and the successes its achieved through his tenure. Our budget has been defined on needs, Martirano said, and continues to allow us to achieve high levels of performance. Strengthened Maryland State Assessment scores indicate Martiranos vision for St. Marys County pupils is well on its way toward meeting No Child Left Behind goals, and can be used as a bargaining instrument for next years budget process, although next year is considered largely unpredictable as the state prepares to hand down additional funding priorities to local governments. But the lesson learned this time around was that the school board can never have too much representation at budget work sessions, nor can communication lines afford obstruction. Martirano said he is now meeting with Savich on a regular basis, something Commissioner Daniel Raley (DGreat Mills) praised the two colleagues for doing. I think [the dialog] has been started, Raley said. Its been a learning process for me, we need to do that now, rather than four weeks before the budget is due. The commissioners had criticized the school board and Martirano for not showing up to a May budget work session, and failing to supply adequate information about $200,000 for employee hires. So, the commissioners cut the money on top of $2.5 million that had already been stripped from the school boards initial budget request. On Tuesday some of the hiring questions were finally answered for the public record. The school board allocated funding to 73.8 new positions, with 5.7 of those positions rolled over from last year. Carney said three out of four of the 73.8 positions were not considered administrative, but rather, services for students either in the form of the office of the principal, nursing or instruction. Administration as percent of budget and percent of full time employee has gone down very single year since we started the bridge to excellence, Carney added. We are aware of the sensitivity of that issue and are addressing it. Meanwhile, Commissioner Thomas A. Mattingly Sr. (D- Leonardtown) reminded the public and superintendent that per pupil spending is not an accurate indicator of school achievement. Community members passed out a graph at a May public hearing for the school budget that outlined St. Marys County school spending from its total operating budget had declined over the last 13 years. Those results correlate into less per-pupil funding. I would hope thats not the attitude of the [Parent Teacher Associations] and people who support you all, Mattingly said. I think it was a lack of understanding because we are providing a complete budget to the entire [county]. The commissioners unanimously approved Tuesday the largest increase in county history of $8.3 million bringing the countys funding level up to approximately $76 million. The state increased its funding by $10 million, and board of educations total budget allocation was $169.9 million for fiscal 2008. Mattingly made the motion to approve the St. Marys County Public Schools budget, and it was seconded by Commissioner Lawrence Jarboe (R- Golden Beach).

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sponsored by G & h Jewelers

Fireworks at dusk on the Fire department Grounds

sponsored by Guy distributing and dean Lumber Company

Food and refreshments will be available throughout the activities

Parade & Concert will take place rain or shine rain date for Fireworks: July 1, 2007

Events are proudly sponsored by the following:

Thompsons
Furniture City
Our Furniture Doesnt Come Back... Our Customers Do!

301-373-2151 or 1-800-273-1959 www.thomsponsfurniturecity.com

So bring in yours!
n ring I B ers... m Custo The

Advertise Your Business In The County Times!

(301) 373-4125
A community based publication, The County Times reaches over 11,000 households weekly.

 Section A - 10

The County Times

Thursday, June 28, 2007

FARMERS MARKET & AUCTION

Ben Burroughs, Jr. 29890 Three Notch Rd. P. O. Box 487 Charlotte Hall, MD 20622
Come Visit Us This 4th of July!

9 Acre Flea Market

Open Every Wednesday and Saturday 8:00 A.M. TILL 5:00 P.M. Over 150 Vendors, Inside and Outside Shops

The ClassicBed by Tempur-Pedic Extravagant design, unsurpassed luxury.

Mechanicsville
28967 Route 5 South

LL FO CA N FOR I 4 -3966 301-88

thIS

Sleep Better, Live Better

1-800-794-0693
of

th

July

301-884-2513 Fax: 301-884-5382

20835 Callaway Village, Unit 1 Callaway, MD 20620

20% Off Clothing Until July 6th.

Mention this ad for 20% off clothing

Happy

301-994-9124

pbsureshot@yahoo.com

th of

www.pbshureshot.com

July

Ice Custard Happiness

Cool Off Your Summer at Ritas Water Ice!

301-884-6002
30135 Three Notch Road Charlotte Hall, MD 20622

50c Off ANY Item