Bohanan Wants Political Unity for Economic Future

Posted by John Bohanan
Pax Leader

The following letter was signed by Del. John L. Bohanan, Jr.; Glen Ives, President of Southern Maryland Navy Alliance; and Robert Kavetsky, President of the Energetics Technology Center and sent to Southern Maryland’s three boards of county commissioners.

Now is a good time to set aside all regional and any Party differences we may have and join together for the good of the Southern Maryland region’s future. Much work has been done with community leaders in Southern Maryland on an exciting concept to bring our region together for purposes of preparing ourselves for a strong position in the emerging world technology based economy. We would ask you to take a few minutes to consider the positive outcomes that can follow if we can pull together as a region and roll up our (collective) shirtsleeves to dedicate ourselves over the course of the next three years to focusing attention on what our region needs to do to create and implement a vision that will position Southern Maryland to be a player in an increasingly competitive technology based economy.

With a spirit of cooperation and by applying energy and focus to this task, we can work together during the next three years to establish a plan that will have us well placed by the year 2020 to be a major player among technology based economies. Now is the time to think big and go big to tap the incredible talent base now assembled in our three Counties. Absent a regionally coordinated and major effort such as this, we face the risk of squandering an opportunity most regions around the world will never have.

Several papers and presentations have been prepared since late summer of 2012 on this issue, working with such organizations as the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance, which has Calvert and St. Mary’s representation, and the Energetics Technology Center in Charles County. In the attached papers, we have attempted to pull together the highlights of work that has been underway for more than a year.

We would ask that you review this concept and join in making it a reality.  There are dozens of reasons why each of the three Counties should continue their own individual efforts and not cooperate, but our region has the opportunity to really blossom and thrive at a time when the federal sector of government will not be as reliable as it has been for us.  What we do know is that other regions around the country have cooperated to pull together regional plans that really do work.  Southern Maryland has many assets already in place that other communities greatly covet, but we have to put together a cohesive plan that leverages these assets.

How can this be accomplished?  It will only happen if there is a true public/private partnership established, with private sector plank-ownership.  The local governments will need to provide some seed funding to ‘prime the pump’, which will attract state and federal investment.  We also believe that the private sector, much as it has done in the past to support BRAC efforts, will rise to the challenge and support the initiative.

Please review the attached summary information and contact us if you have any questions.  As we have studied other successful and rising communities across the United States, we have come to recognize the importance of bold ideas and initiatives in moving ahead and positioning ourselves to compete globally.  It is clear that in the absence of continued robust federal driven growth, we must look to new and diversified ways to leverage our region’s talents.

This task is larger than any one County or individual and can only be accomplished through the cooperation of many smart individuals and leaders like yourself whose support is crucial to mobilize this effort.  We are asking you to lend your support and encourage other community leaders in Southern Maryland to join in rolling up the shirtsleeves and getting to work as a team to prepare for the competitive challenges in years to come.  We believe Southern Maryland 2020 is an excellent vision to point us all in the same direction.  It will not happen unless elected officials and community leaders join together and put together a comprehensive plan for our future that will benefit each of the three Counties.

Thanks for your consideration of this important undertaking.