ST. MARY’S COUNTY, Md. – Ronald E. Verbos is running for St. Mary’s County Commissioner President as an Independent candidate.
When TheBayNet.com spoke to Verbos, he gave us some personal background on himself.
“I am Ronald E. Verbos, and I have made 60 trips around the sun. I am the Business Manager for the Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum. I am a retired U.S. Navy veteran and federal employee. I have been in the county since 2003 and a Marylander since 1988. I am an unaffiliated write-in candidate for the Office of St. Mary’s County Commissioner President. Maryland does not allow for “Independents” to file as independent candidates for the elections. If Maryland did, that is how I would have filed.”
Verbos also gave us the reasons why he decided to run for public office:
“I want to be able to have a government that works for the people. Too often it is the government telling us how to live our lives. Government is becoming too big and is starting to tell us how we should live. Far too often, the people have lost the ability to be free and make their own decisions on what is best for them. I believe I offer a fresh set of eyes to looking at how our government should run. I believe my ability to listen as opposed to just making policy is what the citizens of this county need now. I offer leadership and a common sense approach.”
Verbos spoke about some of his greatest accomplishments, saying, “I am most proud of is raising my daughter as a single parent and watching her become an adult, a productive citizen of this county, and her choice of careers in being a teacher. That accomplishment far outweighs anything I have done professionally. Career-wise, I have been blessed to serve this country in both the military and in federal service. I would have to put two things from my naval service, being a part of the Presidential Inauguration for President Clinton and also being selected as the runner-up for Naval District of Washington Sailor of the Year. “
On the topic of the important issues St. Mary’s County is facing, Verbos said:
“The number one issue facing St. Mary’s County is crime. There is no other way to say it. We must come to terms with this, and I believe my four-prong solution is a start:
1) Making sure our law enforcement has the proper resources
2) Stop crime at the schools to stop the gang influence.
3) Getting families involved.
4) Prosecute criminals to the fullest extent possible.
I cannot single out a second issue because there are so many: Education, infrastructure, controlling the growth, finding competition for cable/internet services, the Thomas Johnson Bridge. However, if I had to select a second, it would be our budget.”
“Infrastructure”, was among the things Verbos most wants to help change in the county.
“I want to get the state government off their behinds and find a way to replace the Thomas Johnson Bridge. Enough with the studies. I also want to review our growth and make sure it is at a responsible pace. I want growth, but I also do not want to lose our rural charm,” he said. “I want to find competition for broadband and internet services. I want to streamline our government services and reduce fees and costs. We must focus on the needs and not the wants. I want to find a way to increase our county employee’s wages.”
When discussing the potential easiest and hardest parts of the job if elected, Verbos said, “I honestly do not believe there will be anything easy about the job. I will have to make hard decisions, and it will require careful thought on what is best for the county overall. If I have to choose the easiest part, it probably would be meeting the great citizens of our county. The hardest part will be balancing the needs of the county within our budget. That is why we need to streamline government services. The more streamlined it is, the costs should go down. The second hardest part is convincing Annapolis of what St. Mary’s needs and why it is important.”
Verbos told us there are two mottos he likes to live by, “Adversity is a true test of a person. It is easy to walk through life when all is well. It is how you react when times get tough that builds your character. It is when the chips are down that you need to find a way to work through it and learn from it and become a stronger person. If you can do that, you will never ever fail. The second is “live life to the fullest”. Let’s face it, life is short and you must enjoy it. You never know what tomorrow will bring, so live your life to the fullest.”
Verbos believes that there are several reasons people should vote for him.
“ I am an independent and will not be beholden to a party platform. I offer a fresh set of eyes and will be very proactive. I want our government to work for the people, not vice versa. I will offer leadership, and I will use a common sense approach to the problems,” he explained. “I am a firm believer in a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people”. I will have the vision to understand that the decisions we make today will impact the future of our county. I want to leave the county in a better place for the most important people and that is our children.”
Verbos also talked about the technicality that is preventing one of his opponents from being elected, as he gave some final thoughts:
“This election has recently taken a twist. It is unfortunate that the democratic candidate cannot be elected. I offer all of her supporters an opportunity to join me in leading our county into the future. True, I am not a democrat, but I will listen to everyone. That is the luxury of being an independent; I am not beholden to a party view,” he explained. “I am a person that can sit down and talk to a farmer, a plumber, a waitress and then turn around and have a discussion with senior leadership of the government and or corporations.”
“I fully believe in ‘We the People’ is how we are going to solve the issues of today. Remember, WRITE-IN Ron.”
Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com
If he can actually get us something better than Breezeline out here than he deserves a lifetime appointment