St. Mary’s County Planning Commission member Merl Evans on Wednesday filed as a candidate for St. Mary’s County Commissioner from the 1st Commissioner District. Evans, a Democrat, is the first candidate to file in the Democratic primary. Tom Jarboe is the only Republican candidate so far.
Cynthia Jones is the current commissioner for that district. She is not seeking re-election to that position and has instead announced her candidacy for the Maryland Senate from District 29. Jones is a Republican.
This will be Evans’ third try for county commissioner. His last bid was in 2006 for County Commissioner President, where he came in third in the Democratic primary in the election won by Francis “Jack” Russell, now in his second term and seeking re-election for a third term. The other candidate in that primary race, Mike Hewitt, has announced he is a Republican candidate for county commissioner from the 2nd Commissioner District, although he has not yet filed.
Evans was appointed to the planning commission for a second term in 2011. That term expires in December of 2015. He is a management consultant and lives in Piney Point. Evans told the Bay Net that he expects to have a formal announcement in January.
