Graves files for re-election

Incumbent vows communication

Friday, Oct. 23, 2009

By MEREDITH SOMERS

Staff writer

Click here to enlarge this photo

Submitted photo

Charles County Commissioner Samuel N. Graves Jr., seated at center, was joined by family members and friends last Friday as he filed to run for re-election. He is from the county's commissioner District 1.

E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

Last weekend, Charles County Commissioner Samuel N. Graves Jr. celebrated an additional candle on his birthday cake and the kickoff of his re-election campaign.

Revelry aside, the lifelong county resident knows he's got his work cut out for the next 13 months; not only does he have a community and its services to support, he'll have to do it in a less than favorable economic climate.

But while working in the largely thankless job of public service might be a daunting task for one man, Graves said his plan isn't a solo endeavor but an attempt to connect with as many partners in his work as possible.

"The next two or three years are going to be trying financially," Graves (D) said. "If we all work together we can continue to provide top quality services to citizens, within our means.

"I'm very conservative. I don't think nor do I promote that the government is supposed to fix everything. With everyone working together — community, faith-based and nonprofit groups — we can succeed."

Graves' list of volunteer work and memberships is extensive.

He currently serves as president for Charles County Christmas in April and is a member of the Charles County Sheriff's Office Retired Officers Association, the La Plata Rotary and Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 24.

Graves is the past president and a current board member of Freedom Landing, a farm bureau member and he also serves on the county's fair board.

He and his wife, Betsy, have been married for more than three decades; they have two grown daughters.

As a county commissioner Graves is assigned to the Area Council on Aging, Board of Fire and Rescue Commissioners, the county's Department of Social Services, the Homeless and Emergency Shelter Committee, Drug and Alcohol Abuse Council and Fire/EMS Scholarship Committee.

"I am a public servant to the bone," the retired sheriff's captain said. "Gathering and gaining material things is not the most important thing … it is service to others. You need to have the ability and the platform to try and improve the quality of life for more people."

Though public safety, education and health care will be the three-pronged focus for his attempts at strengthening the county, Graves said he will also be dedicating his time to developing lines of communication between the county seat and community.

It's a topic of contention that's been argued in the papers, online, in testimony at public hearings and in the platform summaries of the handful of commissioners' candidates who have already filed for the 2010 election.

Swan Point resident Ken Robinson (D) is the only other candidate on the ballot for the District 1 commissioner race.

"If I can fix one thing, I'd fix what appears to be a lack of ability to effectively communicate with citizens," Graves said.

"I think a lot of ire raised in the community is raised on half-truths."

While there might be a plethora of sources for information, tapping into the facts is the challenge, Graves said.

Not only will he be working to improving the existing channels of communication so that residents can get honest information about the county, Graves said he'll also be striving to be better at bringing what the community has to say back to the government.

"I'm representing the people, not Sam Graves," Graves said. "I go out to meetings in an effort to do community outreach, get those messages and bring them back [to the commissioners]. I'm talking about … going out and listening, finding common ground."

msomers@somdnews.com

See related stories