LEONARDTOWN, Md. - Newly elected officials for St. Mary's County are set to take their Oath of Office on Monday, December 4 at 5:30 p.m. in a public ceremony that will take place at Great Mills High School. A reception will follow in the cafeteria.
Each official will be called forward to take their Oath of Office as administered by the Clerk of the Circuit Court. In order that the new Clerk, Joan W. Williams, may perform her official duties, she will first be sworn into office by Judge Karen Abrams.
The following elected officials will then be sworn in by Williams:
* Linda R. Dean, Judge of the Orphans' Court;
* Charles "Jenks" Mattingly, Judge of the Orphans' Court;
* Dalton Wood, Jr., Judge of the Orphans' Court;
* Dianne B. McWilliams, Register of Wills;
* William M. Mattingly, Board of Education Member;
* Salvatore L. Raspa, Board of Education Member;
* Timothy K. Cameron, Sheriff, followed by Deputy Sheriffs, Office of the Sheriff;
* Kenneth R. Dement, County Commissioner;
* Lawrence D. Jarboe, County Commissioner;
* Thomas A. Mattingly, Sr., County Commissioner;
* Daniel H. Raley, County Commissioner;
* Francis Jack Russell, County Commissioner President.
The Board of Commissioners is scheduled to conduct their first official meeting the following day, Tuesday, December 5.
Jannette P. Norris, Treasurer, Richard D. Fritz, State's Attorney, and Michael J. Stamm, Judge of the Circuit Court, will be recognized at the ceremony and will take the Oath of Office at a later date. Article 5 of the Maryland Code requires that the Treasurer and State's Attorney be sworn into office on the first Monday in January following the election.
Musical groups from Chopticon, Leonardtown, and Great Mills High Schools will be performing at this year's ceremony. The Great Mills High School R.O.T.C. is scheduled to present the Colors.
County officials noted that seating is limited in the auditorium where the ceremony will take place. Additional seating will be provided in designated classrooms with television monitoring of the event. Additional parking will be provided at the McKay's Shopping Center in Great Mills with free shuttle bus service to and from Great Mills High School.
All St. Mary's County citizens are invited to attend. County officials are requesting that everyone who plans to attend R.S.V.P. to the St. Mary's County Public Information Office at 301-475-4200 ext. 1340 or email pio (at) co.saint-marys.md.us. This will allow the event planners to allocate an adequate amount of space to accommodate all attendees.