Zylak opens a fortune cookie, after lunch, on the day commissioners voted to appoint him as the new Director of Public Safety
– The Bay Net Photo by Anna Bedford

“I’m looking forward to it,” said former sheriff David Zylak, of his new position as Director of Public Safety for St. Mary’s County, which he will assume on Monday.

Last week he interviewed for the position that had been vacated by Sheriff Tim Cameron, and was called and offered the job the next day. “I called my wife to discuss it, and accepted the job,” Zylak told The Bay Net. Yet, it is an unusual application process, because the offer was not enough to secure the position; the commissioners still had to vote to sign the contract. They did this Tuesday, with four backing Zylak and only one, Commissioner, Larry Jarboe, voting against him.

“It seemed like they took forever to make the motion, and then forever to second it,” Zylak laughed Tuesday, after the contract was signed.

When asked how his new role will differ from that of sheriff, which he left in November, Zylak said, “It’s very different in a lot of ways. One of the biggest changes is that I’ll deal more closely with Emergency Management, Fire and Rescue, and Advanced Life Support (ALS). I’ll also be more closely intertwined through drills we have with the nuclear power plant.”

“It’s the same in a lot of ways, too,” he added. “I’ll still be responsible for the safety of all of the people in the county.”

The Public Safety department is comprised of three main sections – emergency management, animal control, and communications. Among the immediate projects Zylak will undertake in office is a rebanding of the 800 Megahertz radio system. The deputies currently use the 800 Megahertz frequency but will be moving all communications to a lower portion of the 800 band because the company Nextel wants the frequency of the upper band, Zylak told The Bay Net. Thus, one of his first tasks will be negotiations with Nextel and ensuring a smooth transition of communications to a new frequency.

“The budget is also coming up,” said Zylak, “and then there are personnel issues.”

“I’ll look at personnel and staffing,” Zylak told The Bay Net. He would like to build up more full-time staff where currently there are part-time positions. “One of the biggest issues for the staff is their need to have someone there to give consistency,” Zylak observed, pointing to the one-year term of the former director Tim Cameron (now sheriff) and the director before him, Pat Walsh, who also led the department for only one year.

“I’m not planning to make any great changes,” Zylak told The Bay Net, “I’m going to find out what’s going on and what needs to be done.”

One plan Zylak does have is to serve as a good advocate for the volunteer fire and rescue departments in the county. “I’ve always enjoyed working with volunteers,” he enthused. “They do a great job – they really do, and I’ve been working with them ever since I was a forest ranger putting out