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The following letter was submitted to the Charles County Board of Commissioners on March 6, 2012.

I am here tonight to express my support for Planning Commission Chairman Courtney Edmonds. Kudos goes to those who selected him to serve on the Planning Commission. Chairman Edmonds does his homework and is always well prepared at the meetings.

I believe Chairman Edmonds has demonstrated to the citizens of Charles County that he is a guardian of sound planning and that he is a man of integrity.  And, the integrity of your Planning Commission is paramount. It’s disappointing for me to say that I don’t believe some of the other Planning Commission members have displayed these qualities. Certainly, I don’t think they are fulfilling their jobs as guardians of sound planning since they voted no for any additional studies in regard to the Comprehensive Plan Update. 
 
As a life-long resident of Charles County, I have attended many County meetings over the years.  Never have I seen such a display of utter disregard for order as was displayed by some of the other Planning Commission members at the February 27, 2012 meeting.  It was pretty clear to me there was a different agenda being followed by some of the other Planning Commission members, rather than the one that had been scheduled for the night.  It was a sad day for Charles County, as well as an embarrassment. 
 
As I said before, I’ve attended many County meetings.  There have always been rules to follow.  Such as, if you’re speaking for a group, you’re allowed 5 minutes.  And, no other person will be allowed to speak for that group.  Also, on occasion I’ve seen as a courtesy to the speaker, they have been allowed to run over their time within limits.  This was not the case at the February 27, 2012 meeting.  These other Planning Commission members demanded citizens to be allowed to speak without regard to time, protocol, or the scheduled agenda. 
 
Planning Commission members have an obligation to treat everyone equally, making no exceptions.   County citizens deserve no less. I am asking you, the County Commissioners, to consider removing those Planning Commission members who have shown a total disrespect for following the rules.