I have served for two terms as a commissioner and have demonstrated my dedication to the county and the job. I am active in MACo and serve on the NACo IT Standing Committee and Resilient Counties Committee. I am the commissioner rep on the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance and actively attend Tri-County Council meetings. I have an MBA from The College of William & Mary and work as a financial analyst on Webster Field. I previously served as the Chair for the Commission for People with Disabilities
My goals for my next term in office are to continue to advocate for local government transparency and ensuring that we have a county budget that meets as many needs as possible while minimizing the tax burden on our residents. I want to see St. Mary’s County remain a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
Over the next several years St. Mary’s County will be updating its Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and it is important that the commissioners ensure it is a balanced look at all areas of our economy and that it has reasonable and actionable steps that can be taken to benefit our local economy. We must protect the economic resources we currently have and help facilitate the right kind of economic growth for our future. If we get that right, the jobs will be there.
St. Mary’s County is currently in the middle of updating its Comprehensive Plan. Getting this plan right will show what we want our county to look like in the future, including with the types of housing we want to see. Following that, the really important step is to update our Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, that will be a major job for the next Commissioner board and will help with housing in St. Mary’s County.
As a county, we have done a great job in preserving rural and agricultural land, especially in leveraging State and Federal resources. The majority of future development should occur in the development district. One major challenge is the escalating cost of materials and maintaining our aging infrastructure. That is a non-glamorous but absolutely critical priority that needs to be addressed in every budget.
Building a budget is the most important job of the county commissioners and one that I do not take lightly. A budget is a policy document, where we place our money is where our policy priorities are. My priority is a fair budget that meets needs. Ensuring we have sufficient funding for our employees, Sheriff’s Office, schools, and numerous other partner agencies. Ensuring mandatory needs are met, including EMS. Ensuring the tax burden is not overbearing to our residents.
Priorities include ensuring policies are responsive and helpful to our residents, we have the proper support for our EMS system, and balancing important infrastructure needs. I am proud that I have been able to push for expanded broadband access and choice for our residents. Transparency in government is vitally important and cooperation with our partners is key. Follow my Facebook page for weekly updates at facebook.com/CommissionerColvin and sign up for my email list at www.VoteColvin.com
a. The last 10 years of my government position was spent in the acquisition profession. More specifically as an Integrate Product Team Lead, I lead a team of Engineers, Logisticians, budget and costs analysts, technicians, test engineers and contract professionals. We moved several products from inception to the actual Navy supply chain. I used my resource management skills to estimate, budget and then execute the plan to fruition.
a. School Safety: Work with the board of education to create options to Increase presence of resource officers and mental health professionals.
b. Combat homelessness: Work to create options for those in the mid to low level income ranges. Engaging with Planning and Zoning.
c. Traffic Congestion/Public Transportation:
i. Support resourcing of Department of Transportation in adding additional commuter buses, hiring more drivers and increasing routes in the early afternoon and on weekends.
a. Economic Development: Encourage Business collaborations with County Government. Collaborate with local business organizations to encourage and train small businesses on successfully competing for local opportunities
b. Job Growth: Work with St. Mary’s County businesses to encourage the development of venues where adults and veterans can learn new skills to re-enter the workforce
c. Forecasting: Work with St. Mary’s County Board of Education and county businesses to prepare future leaders
a. My first step is to work to change the stigma of the term, “affordable housing”. Many think this equates to “Section 8” or government subsidies, which is not true.
b. Engage planning and zoning to study the actual population and reassess the income levels and encourage new construction approvals along those guidelines.
c. Work with the Housing Department & local board of realtors to grow programs/ training/funding to move low income residents from renters to home ownership.
a. Environmental: Work with environmentalists to preserve the natural beauty of the county while adhering to federal, state and local environmental policies. Find or create the balance.
b. Strategic Planning: Look beyond the immediate funding of items and plan for maintenance and upkeep throughout the life cycle of the facilities.
c. Management Reserve (MR): Use the MR process to ensure we continuously collect funding that will replace/repair our infrastructure and prevent a crisis situation.
a. Budget Review: Complete an in-depth review and reassessment of long standing funded items that are not being expended or not expended as requested /approved. Follow through with earmarked line items and reprioritize outstanding/unfunded requests.
b. Transparency: Present it in a manner that allows the community to understand how the money travels throughout the system.
c. Initiate a review of current zoning laws and revise those that no longer serve the community.
a. Mental Health Initiatives: Work with County Health Officer to Develop / implement ways the BOCC can support current initiatives. This includes drug abuse, domestic abuse, and Suicide prevention. Ensure resources are available to train others to recognize the signs and seek help.
b. Food Insecurity: I champion efforts to increase community involvement in helping our neighbors.
c. Diversify: A diversified board allows different perspectives & experiences into the decision making process
Achieving my BS degree in k-12 physical education. Minoring in humanities personnel. Working 40+ years in education throughout the county has allowed me to see firsthand how supporting our students has a major impact on their lives. Working for recreation and parks for 25 years allowed me to teach, train and meet different people from all walks of life. Now I want to use this knowledge to make a difference in our community for all generations.
The specific goals I have for this term in office are working alongside schools, libraries, and all local agencies, for awareness of what this district has and can offer. The opportunity for our community to express their ideas with open communication for motivating residents for the success of our county. Our elderly awareness for feasible activities in the southern area.
The county government should encourage economic development and job growth to the southern end. Transportation is an issue for our youth and elderly on the Southern end of the district. A southern community building will bring forth more jobs, activities and growth for the residents to be able to have the same opportunities others have in different parts of the county.
We can build a building complex that can house multifamily concepts. Generational levels, older, younger, and families. This will increase supply and demand. The development of the land will allow more residents to be able to have housing and cut down on our homelessness.
Implement a policy that all residents of St Mary's County can drive down to point lookout at any given time of year without having to pay a fee to travel through the gate. Being able to enjoy the atmosphere. Allowing residents to develop their property. Compose a committee, implement ideas and follow through on the development of the new lower southern MD complex.
Allocate money into our community for the children and the elderly. Having more locations for the advancement of playing sports for ages both indoor and outdoor. Have a mini mall available for our southern end residents to be able to get what they need as well. This district covers a lot of land, and we need to use it in the proper way for the progression of our current and future generations.
Our Libraries at times being limited to what's available for patrons and the current hours conflict with the working-class citizens. Programs that help meet all students at their current level until graduation include field trips. Being able to use the land, we must make more meaningful decisions that truly help all our residents.
