County issues took center stage at our meeting tonight, the first under our new President Marc Kilmer. After taking care of the usual business at hand, we heard from John Cannon, the Wicomico County Council President, who joked that he would, “correct everything you have read in the paper.” More seriously, he described the GOP-majority Council as “working well” with Democrat County Executive Rick Pollitt.
But there were a couple differences Cannon brought up, including the veto of a collective bargaining measure with the Sheriff’s Department. Noting that the bill “was not written very well,” Cannon gave the County Council’s side of the controversy. As originally intended, binding arbitration was to be enacted on both the executive and legislative branches; however, by the county’s Charter, the County Council cannot add expenditures to the budget submitted by the County Executive – they can only deduct. Thus, had binding arbitration remained in effect with the Council they could not bargain in good faith due to the fact that by charter they had no right to enact any increases on behalf of the Sheriff’s Department stemming from negotiations. Instead, the Council amended the bill to delete binding arbitration on only their part, that amended bill was vetoed by Rick Pollitt, and the veto was overriden by the County Council. As it stands, binding arbitration is only effective with the County Executive and threatened litigation by the union has not come to pass. In Cannon’s words, the Council made the effort to “maintain integrity between the County Executive and County Council.”
Then the subject turned to issues with auditing. While Rick Pollitt has hired a forensic auditor to investigate the theivery at the county landfill, the question was raised by County Council about the auditor Wicomico County uses and why items such as these were missed. It is within the County Council’s power to select an auditor for the annual audit and this would be a factor in selecting one for the next year. County Council has also sweetened the incentives for hiring an internal auditor, with the original pay rate offered deemed to be too low to attract someone with the requisite experience and qualifications.
Cannon also revealed that specific questions were asked during last year’s budget process, with several centering on those very issues of the large increase sought for purchasing diesel fuel and other increased expenditures by Public Works. The increase in diesel fuel cost was chalked up to the earlier purchase of additional trucks and their usage, meanwhile other increases were required because of a claim that previously deferred maintenance would be undertaken during the fiscal year. These discussions were revealed after Cannon requested the tape of the original budgetary meeting with Rai Sharma be transcribed. A further lament uttered by Cannon was the “use it or lose it” mentality of some county departments, spending down whatever surplus they had during the year to maintain their allocation.
Another budgetary question from those in the audience regarded enterprise accounts, such as those for the Civic Center or the landfill. While there are problems at times, Cannon did express his faith in the process. (When John reads this, I would be interested to know where he stands on privatizing the liquor business here in Wicomico County, another enterprise account as I understand it.) A later remark centered on the tax differential, which is being studied as the county addresses its role in funding at the Salisbury Zoo and money that the city of Salisbury claims is owed to them by Wicomico County per a 1998 agreement. It was also revealed this evening that Salisbury City Councilwoman Debbie Campbell questioned the county’s lack of support for the Salisbury Festival at their City Council meeting.
Other items Cannon mentioned were the need for more “clarity” in defining the relationships the county staff has with the Council and County Executive, and the agreement reached with a developer on how the county’s first private sewer treatment facility would be funded and maintained. Upon the buildout of the development the county would take over full responsibilty with a sinking fund paid for by development residents as backup in case problems occur before that point. John hinted that this could be a first step toward a countywide wastewater authority.
A final point Cannon made was upcoming work on the county’s comprehensive plan and how growth would be handled. Despite more restrictive zoning, land values have continued to rise over the last decade but farmers and other landowners have concerns about zoning so restrictive that their land could be rendered worthless. John talked briefly about the incentive of tradable development rights (TDR’s) which could allow for more dense development in certain areas with the tradeoff of preserving other land for agricultural use in perpetuity.
It was a lot packed into a relatively brief presentation. Once John finished we got into other club and party business, discussing among other things the need for volunteers at the Salisbury Festival, somewhat dismal voter registration numbers, and more hopeful news from the Young Republicans as membership has grown to 25, with the goal of 50 members by year’s end. Not just planning strictly political activities, the YR’s looked to participate in this year’s Relay For Life and help out other charitable organizations as well.
In the midst of that we had the Central Committee report, which focused more on the abundance of press coverage given to Democrat Frank Kratovil as he seeks the First Congressional District seat. Because I’m also the press liaison for the club, I was asked to report on press efforts made each month and will add that to my duties. Dr. Bartkovich also asked the club to “pay attention” to events going on in the county, especially with the landfill investigation.
To close things out, we heard briefly from Dustin Mills, local representative for the Andy Harris campaign. The Congressional race had taken a back seat for the time being, noted Dustin, because Andy was “working hard” in Annapolis. Harris also got kudos from Cannon, who again took the floor to mention Andy’s assistance in allowing a microbrewery to open up near downtown Salisbury – it required a change in state law and both Senator Harris and Senator Lowell Stoltzfus were quite helpful, opined the County Council President.
Our next meeting is Monday, April 28th and the scheduled speaker is Delegate Addie Eckardt, a frequent subject of my posts lately as she toils in the General Assembly.
Speaking of my posts, I can foreshadow this because I wrote tomorrow morning’s post earlier this evening. Two of the issues I discuss are the Kratovil press coverage Dr. Bartkovich alluded to earlier and an amendment that Senator Harris sponsored in the Maryland Senate. So check back about noontime tomorrow as I suggest some lunchtime reading.
