The “First Couple of Leonardtown” were honored Friday. That’s how Del John Bohanan (D: 29B) described Jan and Chip Norris, honorees at the annual Democrat of the Year Dinner sponsored by the St. Mary’s County Democratic Club and the St. Mary’s County Democratic Central Committee. The event was held at the Leonardtown firehouse.
Jannette “Jan” Profitt Norris has been the elected St. Mary’s County Treasurer since 1995 and before that had worked in the same office since March, 1979 under then treasurer Kay D’ Esposito.
J. Harry “Chip” Norris, III was elected to the Leonardtown Town Council in May, 1973, becoming mayor in 1978. In 1981 he returned to private business. But the call of duty was heard again and he became mayor again in 1995, a position he held until his retirement in May of 2012.
A long parade of speakers praised the Norris team. U.S. Representative Steny Hoyer told the audience of his experience growing up in District Heights under an iconic mayor. He also told of his close relationship with Southern Maryland legend, the late Louis Goldstein, who was the longest running state official as Maryland Comptroller when he passed away.
Noting those two influences were a mayor and a tax collector, Hoyer made the parallel connection with the service of Jan and Chip Norris. He said like his earliest political influences, “They are the most popular and respected people in the community.”
Hoyer said, “These are two people who are examples of what the Democratic Party, and frankly the Republican Party and public officials need to be.”
Hoyer in a short talk said he has a two-part agenda: “getting American on a fiscally sustainable plan” and “creating jobs for our people.” He called the last two years in Congress “the most unproductive” of his long tenure. “I don’t think we are getting anything done,” he added.
Other speakers at the ceremony included Comptroller Peter Franchot, Commissioner President Francis “Jack” Russell, Leonardtown Mayor Dan Burris, Bohanan, Delegate John Wood, Sen. Roy Dyson and Senator Brian Frosh of Montgomery County. Franchot was in the county earlier to give an award to the retired owners of Chaptico Market.
Both of the Norris’s, in accepting the award, praised the people who now work and have worked in the treasurer’s and town offices.
Chip thanked Jan. He said he was tempted to say: “Behind every successful man th
