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in collaboration with other county
agencies. He currently has returned to
where his career in emergency started
as a paramedic working closely with
Volunteer Fire Companies and enjoying
Because you deserve qqualified, llocal representation time with his grandchildren.
when managing life’s important issues. I call attention to these gentlemen
because I believe the challenges that
will be confronting education in the
? ESTATE PLANNING future will look like nothing we have
? RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL 300 Market Street confronted before. There is a very real
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REAL ESTATE AND SETTLEMENTS Denton, Maryland probability that our rural system, that
? LLC FORMATION & BUSINESS LAW 21629 has enjoyed a great relationship with
? MUNICIPAL & ENVIRONMENTAL LAW our county commissioners and state
? GENERAL LEGAL COUNSEL 410.310.1774 leaders, will find revenue declining from
these sources. Good relationships and
Our attorney, Patrick Thomas, and our Settlement shayman@mlg-lawyers.com knowledge of others that education
Agent, Sandy Hayman, are available to travel to your www.mlg-lawyers.com leaders rely upon will foster better
preferred location. collaboration. It will be critical for
school board members to think with
Board has under the Code of Maryland eminently qualified in their respective an open mind and cooperatively work
Regulations (COMAR). ways and are persons whom I am certain toward solutions with those entities
would serve admirably. But two of them while at the same time advocating for
At this time, another board member,
have extensive management experience the education of our children.
Louise Cheek, has chosen to not run for
in the government and non-profit
re-election and a re-appointed member, Mr. Barton and Mr. Ebling will be
sectors. I believe their experience and
George Abner, has announced that he able to hit the ground running. Their
backgrounds uniquely qualify them to
will resign at the end of this year. Th is learning curves will be steep but
deal with the immense challenges that
leaves three open seats, two elected and their backgrounds and experience
will be confronting our school system
one appointed, of a fi ve-member board. with Caroline County government,
over the next several years.
Public School systems will be confronted budgeting and working collaboratively
with complicated problems with few Rick Barton, running for District 2 with other government agencies gives
simple solutions. which is most of Denton, Hillsboro and them a solid foundation to be eff ective
some of Greensboro, has a background board members.
Major decisions about the future of
of government service having spent
our children’s education will need to I am retiring from school board service
a career at Maryland Department of
be filtered through a lens that focuses for the second time, the first time
Natural Resources most of which was
on a healthy and safe environment. involuntarily as an appointed member
as a manager and administrator. He
It is easier to manage and plan for in 2009 when I reached my limit of two
served as interim Caroline County
threats that you can see. It is threats consecutive 5-year terms. This time I
Administrator overseeing all Caroline
that you cannot see, like Coronavirus, am retiring voluntarily as an elected
County government operations and
that decision-makers lose sleep over. board member of two consecutive terms.
also served as Interim Director of
No one wants to make a decision But this time is diff erent because there
Maryland Special Olympics. Currently
that will harm the health and safety will be two other new board members
he is Executive Director of a consulting
of any of our neighbors, young or old. instead of the one that replaced me the
company that works with educational
first time I retired. The challenges facing
Our current superintendent Dr. systems in delivery of instruction, timely public education in 2020 are extremely
Patricia Saelens is in the last year of her for those involved in education. different than the challenges of 2009.
4-year contract. The new board will be Bryan Ebling, running for District 1 Please take the time to vote in 2020. It
responsible for either reappointing Dr. which is basically Ridgely and most of is a critical election in so many ways.
Saelens to a 4-year term or hiring a new Greensboro/Goldsboro/Marydel and
superintendent if Dr. Saelens chooses to Henderson, recently retired as Director Mr. Rowe is Vice President/Lending for
not seek reappointment in 2021. Bay Capital Mortgage Corp. with offi ces
of the Caroline County Emergency
in Easton and Annapolis. He has lived in
There are four people running for the Services Department. As Director, Caroline for his entire life and supports
two open board seats, and applications he was responsible the all Emergency the county by volunteering in a variety of
are being accepted for the open Services Operations in the county and ways. He currently lives near Greensboro
appointed seat. Those running are all developing and implementing a budget
with his wife Jeanne and daughter Kelsey.
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