Photo by Ed Waters, Jr. Bud Otis, chief of staff for Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, is thanked by Chad Tyler, right, club president, and Lynn Shanton, who coordinated his speaking engagement.

Bud Otis, chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, a Republican who represents Frederick , said the 6th District representative is one who believes in serving not only the constituents in his district, but reflecting their views and doing what is best for the nation.

Otis, former president of Review & Herald Publishing Association in Hagerstown, has been the chief of staff for Bartlett for nine years.

"We are friends, we go to the same church. That's where he asked me to come to work with him, and I say 'with' him, not 'for' him, that is the way we work together," Otis told the Southern Frederick County Rotary Club on Thursday morning.

During his presentation, Otis criticized President Barack Obama's handling of problems with automakers and Wall Street.

"I never thought in my life that General Motors would be owned by the government," Otis told Rotarians. "It would have been better to let General Motors go bankrupt and start a new company."

He blasted the administration for closing auto dealerships that were making money and employing people.

"It is simply taking away second- and third-generation businesses from families," Otis said. "I've been in Russia, I know what taking is. And these are not elected people doing this, they are appointed 'czars.' I think there are about 30 czars now running around Washington."

He emphasized the value of Fort Detrick to the Frederick community, not only in economic terms, but also as "the premiere site in the country to protect us. It needs our support."

Bartlett launched an annual procurement event several years ago to connect local businesses with potential government contracts. The next one is set for Oct. 30 at the FSK Holiday Inn.

Otis voiced his support for business, saying it is the backbone of the nation's economy. He said the congressman's office has helped people in business with problems such as getting contract bids at Site R, a government complex a few miles north of the Mason-Dixon line. The office has also helped people with other problems, such as coordinating the return of a local who visited Greece and became ill and needed assistance to return.

Otis said an example of working together is a recent meeting with members of the Great Frederick Fair board of directors, which wants to buy six acres of land next door. He brought in a representative from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to the meeting and participants discussed the potential opportunity.

"I wanted everyone involved to be in the room. If someone is not there, they will be blamed. We need the input from all involved," Otis said.

The congressman's office and staff of 17 have adhered to ethical standards, avoiding lobbyists and what could be construed as improper action.

"A one-sided democracy is not good, it didn't work for the Republicans, it doesn't work for the Democrats. It is not good in Maryland, it is not good at the federal level," Otis said. "We need to work together."

Otis encouraged anyone to contact the office.

"There are a lot of things you can do without a lawyer," he said of helping constituents with all types of questions and problems. "Every government department has a legislative desk, which is a direct connection to Congress."

"We have placed more young people in military academies than any other district. We have outstanding students here. They need to contact us in their junior year. They will get a $300,000 education," Otis said.

Otis spent four years in Russia, helping to establish the first religious sectary, or non-conformist congregation, since 1917, and a religious publishing association modeled after the Review & Herald in Hagerstown. Otis had traveled to 35 countries on mission trips for the Seventh Day Adventist Church and is a former president of the United Way of Washington County.