Commissioners:

In the packet the commissioners have received on this rezoning request, you will find that 39 Hughesville residents spoke at the planning commission public hearing opposing this request. Those that spoke in support of the rezoning, were the Red Cross and CSM who stand to gain donated property for their organizations. As you know, rezoning is not required for them to receive this gift of land and to build their structures. Tthere are 52 comment letters and/or emails that were sent to the planning commission for that public hearing. 45 were opposed to the rezoning. Seven supported the rezoning. One letter supporting is cancelled out because after finding out more about the rezoning, this person changed their mind and wrote another letter opposing the rezoning. I know this because I have read each and every letter submitted for public record. I encourage the commissioners to do the same and not just look at the statistics.

Over the past few years, hundreds of Hughesville residents have come together providing input for what is now the Hughesville Revitalization Plan, which was unanimously approved by the commissioners.

In America, Maryland and Charles County, we live in a democracy where the majority rules. There are many times, when the commissioners have to decide what's best because they receive little, if any, input from the public. This is not the case, in this instance. Hughesville residents have shown themselves as intelligent, educated, engaged, passionate members of the community. We have chosen Hughesville as our home for what it is and for what the revitalization of the village will bring. We are committed to the plan and are willing to work to make the vision come to fruition. This includes opposing those projects that will negatively impact the plan and our quality of life. In this instance, the task at hand for the commissioners is not to decide what is best for us, but, to represent us, the majority, who have opposed this request. Deny the request for rezoning in Hughesville.

Pauleen Brewer

Hughesville, MD