Ronald N. Young

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Ronald N. Young (born October 19, 1940) is an American former schoolteacher, consultant and college instructor, and a politician who is now a member of the Maryland State Senate, and is also a former mayor of Frederick, Maryland.^[1]

Background

Ronald Young was born in Frederick, Maryland and was raised in Frederick. He attended and graduated from Frederick High School. Young attended Frederick Community College and graduated with an Associate in Arts degree. He then attended the University of Maryland, College Park in College Park, Maryland and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in history and government.

Young completed his formal education by earning a Masters of Education degree in administration and supervision from Western Maryland College (later McDaniel College) in Westminster, Maryland. Young became a teacher in the Frederick County Public Schools and taught at the Yellow Springs Elementary School from 1967 to 1973.

Public office

Young became involved in local politics in the late 1960s, primarily in the Frederick County Young Democrats organization along with several friends, among them Galen R. Clagett. Young and Clagett both ran for the Frederick City Board of Alderman in 1969, and Young was elected and served on the Board of Aldermen from 1970-1974 during mayor E. Paul Magaha's administration.

Mayor of Frederick

In 1973, Young decided to run for the mayor of Frederick. He defeated former mayor and serving alderman Donald B. Rice in the Democratic primary, and then defeated serving alderman Glenmore Rice in the general election. Young assumed the role of mayor in 1974 at the age of 34. Young was re-elected as mayor in 1977, 1981 and 1985. In 1989, he was defeated by Paul P. Gordon in the general election in a bitterly contested election, ending sixteen years of service as Frederick's mayor.

Among the many accomplishments achieved or begun during Young's years as mayor were the Carroll Creek flood control project, the Market Street underground wiring project, the Weinberg Center for the Arts, Harry Grove Stadium, Clustered Spires Golf Course, several parking garages and the revitalization of downtown Frederick.

Later years

Young worked in commercial real estate, as a part-time college instructor at Frederick Community College, and as a consultant in the years immediately following his defeat as mayor.

In 1991, he accepted Governor William Donald Schaefer's request to work for the State of Maryland in the Maryland Department of Planning. Young later served under Governor Parris Glendening as the Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and served as the Deputy Secretary of the Maryland Department of Planning until leaving in 2000 after a dispute with Glendening. Young was actively involved in the Smart Growth program while at the Department of Planning, and gave speeches across the country in support of Smart Growth.

In 2001, Young accepted the position of town manager of Indian Head, Maryland. He helped Indian Head to receive funding for many vital projects, and served until 2005, when he decided to make one more run for mayor of Frederick.

After his defeat for the mayoralty of Frederick City by William J. Holtzinger, Young maintained a semi-retired lifestyle. He is still involved in commercial real estate, consulting, novel-writing, and his true love, painting.

In the Senate

In 2010, Young decided to run for Maryland State Senator for District 3. He defeated Don DeArmon in the Democratic primary in September 2010, and defeated incumbent Senator Alex X. Mooney in the general election in November 2010. Young was sworn in on January 12, 2011 and appointed to the Senate's Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee.

Affiliations

Young is a member of a number of organizations, including the Urban Land Institute; American Planning Association; Elks; Fraternal Order of Owls; NAACP; and the American Legion.^[2]

References