Southern Maryland News

McClam running for District 2 commission­er

Career civil servant sees opportunit­ies for economic growth

- By PAUL LAGASSE plagasse@somdnews.com

Access to informatio­n is a key theme in Charles McClam’s campaign for District 2 commission­er. As an intelligen­ce officer in the U.S. military during Operation Desert Storm, deputy chief informatio­n officer at the Department of Agricultur­e, and CIO of the U.S. Small Business Administra­tion, McClam says that successful leadership means gathering and sharing informatio­n widely.

“I see a need for leadership to meet people where they live to gain an understand­ing of their day-to-day issues,” McClam said in a recent interview. “Without that, you’re just not doing a good service.”

McClam cites the controvers­y over the Watershed Conservati­on District as an example of what happens when communicat­ion breaks down.

“The people that I’ve talked to feel that they were not given a fair opportunit­y to understand what was involved with the legislatio­n,” said McClam. “They feel that they’ve been hamstrung with respect to how they can make the best use of their land, and they want an outlet and engagement with the folks that live there that will cause them to revisit this legislatio­n.”

Running as a Democrat, McClam was the first to file as a challenger for the seat, which is currently held by Debra M. Davis (D). McClam has been a Charles County resident for over 15 years.

McClam says that his diverse experience working with largescale federal programs in agricultur­e, law enforcemen­t and small business suits him well for identifyin­g and taking advantage of economic opportunit­ies for the county.

“We need to start looking for smart ways to help this county grow and become the economic engine and powerhouse of Southern Maryland,” McClam said. “It’s not going to happen by itself. You need leadership that has the vision to look 10 to 15 years down the road and figure out the best approach to take to ensure smart growth, which doesn’t happen as a matter of course.”

McClam would like to see the county explore ways to better use the land along the Potomac River. He points to Myrtle Beach in his native South Carolina as an example of how thoughtful developmen­t turned the town into its county’s economic driver.

“They have transforme­d the place,” he said. “You name it, they have it. And that has provided a revenue stream for the county that allows them to look at other initiative­s that in the past they may not have been able to.”

Improving the county’s transporta­tion infrastruc­ture requires leaders to think regionally, McClam argues. “We can’t afford to work in a microcosm,” he said. “We have to figure out ways to collaborat­e with our neighbors.” The new Gov. Harry W. Nice Memorial Bridge could stimulate travel to and from King George County in Virginia, he said, while continued developmen­t around National Harbor opens up possibilit­ies to collaborat­e with Prince George’s County.

McClam expressed concern about what he saw as a lack of outreach on behalf of the current commission­ers to residents on important decisions. “I’ve yet to see a commission­er come out into the community and have town halls with folks to highlight major key initiative­s that are coming up for a decision,” McClam said. “There is not a good touchpoint between the current leadership at the commission­er level and the people that they serve.”

“I think the county can do better bringing the people along with them to help inform the decisions they’re responsibl­e for making,” McClam said in conclusion. “Over the last several years, I haven’t seen that. I think I can bring leadership to help bridge that divide.”

 ?? STAFF PHOTO BY PAUL LAGASSE ?? Charles County resident Charles McClam recently retired after 38 years as a career civil servant with the Department of Agricultur­e and the Small Business Administra­tion.
STAFF PHOTO BY PAUL LAGASSE Charles County resident Charles McClam recently retired after 38 years as a career civil servant with the Department of Agricultur­e and the Small Business Administra­tion.

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