A local developer and community activist, who firmly believes in diversity, is the choice of two different commissioners on two separate task forces.  John K. Parlett Jr.‘s name surfaced twice on the list of twenty residents serving on two different task forces.  At the St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, Commissioner Dan Raley (D. Great Mills) nominated Parlett for the new fifteen-member Form of Government Task Force.  Last week, Commissioner Kenny Dement (R. Piney Point) had named him to the five-member Rural Preservation Task Force.

The first is a five-member agriculture preservation team –formed at the insistence of Commissioner President Jack Russell (D. St. George Island).  The second task force compares the present commissioners’ form of government to Code Home Rule, which is practiced in Charles County.

Speaking at the local Democratic Club meeting at Lenny’s Restaurant Monday evening, Parlett said there is a dire need to change St. Mary’s political culture so the field of nominees is more diverse.  So five white men aren’t being elected time and time again.  In addition to St. Mary’s Board of County Commissioners, St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Office also has an all-white, all-male leadership. 

“All we are doing is giving lip service to women and minorities,” Parlett told the gathering of nearly three dozen Democrats which included Russell and Raley. Elfreda Mathis, Joe St. Clair and former sheriff David Zylak, who were defeated in the November elections, and local notable Sonny Burch were present at Monday’s meeting.

The commissioners’ nominations for the Rural Preservation Task Force last week were:

  • lawyer Philip Dorsey III, a scion of one of the well-respected Dorsey family, nominated by Raley,
  • Parlett, chosen by Dement,
  • businessman Merl Evans, picked by Commissioner Tom Mattingly (D. Leonardtown)
  • agriculturist James “Bubby” Norris, selected by Commissioner Larry Jarboe (R. Golden Beach)
  • economist and conservationist Robin Hahnel was named as the chair by Russell

Commissioner Dement complained bitterly that the chair should be elected by the members of a given task force, not thrust upon them from above.

Tuesday’ meeting saw the commissioners pick three nominees apiece for the Form of Government Task Force.

  • Russell named black activist Elmer Brown, Ann Bell and Dr. Kathleen O’Brien,
  • Raley named Dr. Francine Dove-Hawkins, Patrick Murphy and Parlett,
  • Jarboe named community activist Clare Whitbeck, Doug Ritchie and Pat Woodburn,
  • Dement named Dick Gass, John Model and Dan Rebarchick,
  • Mattingly named John Mattingly, Patty Robrecht and Judy Spalding.

Although it was clear the Form of Government Task Force was to focus its study on the merits of the Code Home Rule form of government, County Administrator John Savich broadened the scope of the task force to include studying which of the three forms of government is best suited for St. Mary’s County.

The Code Home Rule form of government is the brainchild of Raley and enjoys full support of Dement and Mattingly. The main aim of Code Home Rule is to make local decisions in St. Mary’s rather than wait for a nod from Annapoli