After sending the Calvert County Commissioners a letter of concern last month and receiving no reply, members of the county’s chapter of the League of Women (LWV) voters decided to confront the board Tuesday, Aug. 22.
According to Calvert LWV President Anne Mychalus, she and other members are concerned about the commissioners’ “lack of openness and transparency” regarding the future use of the land where the old Calvert Middle School had been located. The parcel is located off northbound Route 2/4 in Prince Frederick. The old school building was razed earlier this year. Since it is located within Calvert’s largest and busiest town center, there has been much speculation about what will happen to the county-owned parcel.
“The commission has not yet engaged the public in this process,” said Mychalus, who opined the ultimate use of the tract contains “the whole picture of what Prince Frederick might look like.”
Currently, the commissioners have been discussing the issue in executive session. Mychalus said opening the discussion to the public for input “would offer your citizens a voice.” She cited “the symbolic and civic value of the property.” The chapter president also criticized the commissioners for not enlisting the aid of its (commissioners’) Citizens Advisory Committee in the decision-making process. “The citizens, after all, are the owners of this valuable piece of land,” said Mychalus.
While the land could be the location of additional commercial property, Mychalus told the commissioners “a multi-use park” should be an option.
The north side of the parcel, in fact, continues to be used by youth athletic groups. The southernmost portion of the tract, which parallels Dares Beach Road, was recently the site for the annual Prince Frederick Volunteer Fire Department Carnival. The site has been the venue for that event for several years.
Commissioners’ President Gerald W. “Jerry” Clark [R] confirmed the board received the LWV’s letter July 16 and the missive is now working its way through county government staff before the commissioners issue a response. “It usually takes about three weeks,” said Clark.
“We agree that the transparency is the big issue,” said Roberta Shafer, another LWV member. “More input is better for everybody.”
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