CECIL COUNTY — On Tuesday, the Cecil County Charter Review Committee submitted over 15 proposed charter amendments to the Cecil County Council, proposing a variety of amendments including a $32,000 increase to the county executive’s salary and the creation of a sixth election district and council member.
The Commission — which meets every 10 years to review and propose amendments to the county charter that was adopted in 2012 — recommended the following amendment proposals:
Expand the council to seven members with six council members elected by district and a council president elected at large.To get rid of at large council elections by amending the charter to include in-district elections of council members.Term limits for council members so no member may serve more than three consecutive terms starting in 2028.Increase council compensation from $25,000 to $35,00 per year.Allow the council the ability to access its own legal council, appoint a council manager and employ other professionals to assist in finance and other matters.A term limit for the county executive allowing the official to serve no more than two consecutive terms starting in 2028.Increase county executive pay from $98,000 to $130,000.Require the director of finance to make available to council and the county executive — as requested — monthly and annual finance reports.Amend the annual budget due date to the first of April.
Robert Gorman, Chair of the Charter Review Committee, explained that much of the recommended amendments set forth by the commission follow hours of deliberation between the commission’s eight members.
Answering questions about the pay increases for the county executive and county council members, Gorman explained that the raises were based off of numerous inflation calculations conducted by the commission between 2010 –when the charter was written — to 2024.
Gorman stated that the calculations showed little variance from each other but a drastic change in currency value.
“I am not one to push for higher government spending but the salaries were set in 2010. So over the years, we have seen a huge change in inflation,” Gorman said. “When I did the compounding of inflation over the years, it always came out to the same amount, so we arrived at something we thought was on the lower end of the differences.”
One of the major recommended changes the commission proposed changes to the functions of the council’s legal advisor.
Currently, the council’s legal advisor is Lawrence Scott, who also serves as the Hornberger Administration’s County Attorney. Via two recommended amendments, the commission proposed that the council appoint its own council attorney and that legal advice from the county attorney be provided only at the pleasure of the council.
According to Gorman, the commission based the recommendation on the potential for excessive oversight that the county executive could have on the county council — should the county attorney continue to serve as the only legal counsel for the county council.
“The council legislates,” Gorman said. “It should have the ability to consult its own attorneys.”
Since transitioning to a charter government, Cecil County’s governing body has had five council members and a county executive. The Charter Review Commission recommended that Cecil County be divided into six districts rather than five due to anticipated population increases across the county.
If a sixth district is added, a council representative for that district will be added to the county council. The council expansion, per recommendation, will then be composed of seven members — six council members for each district and the council presidents serving at large.
With a continued focus on district representatives, the commission recommended that the county do away with at large voting for district representatives.
The change would mean that council members are elected through “in-district” elections making it to where the only votes secured by a council member candidate are votes from constituents of the district the candidate is running for. Regardless of if the council expansion is passed, the proposal of in-district elections will stand.
Other recommended amendments include:
A requirement for council members to be legal citizens of the United States for at least three years prior to being appointed or elected.Appointments for council member vacancies are made by the political party central committee.Clarity on the council’s ability to manage legislative sessions and the addition of the provision to allow a recess to legislative sessions except for emergencies in the month of August.A requirement for the county executive to be a legal citizen of the United States for at least five years instead of the current to year requirement.A requirement for the county attorney to be a member in good standing of the Bar of the Maryland Supreme Court and that the county attorney not serve as legal advisor for the county council.Change appointment time from 30 days to two consecutive legislative sessions.Add “as it pertains to governmental finances and qualified to discharge the duties of the…” for the position of finance director.
In order for the proposed amendments to become law, they need to be favored by the council. Amendments favored by the council will then be put on the 2024 election ballot for county voters to vote one.
Amendments to receive favorable votes from residents will be implemented into the county charter.
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