SALISBURY, Md. – Tuesday night, The Wicomico County Council held a meeting at the Civic Center, including a public hearing on a proposed charter amendment that would significantly alter the structure of the county’s government.
The proposed amendment would remove the office of the county executive. In its place there would be a county administrator appointed by the council.
The meeting was held at the Civic center instead of the usual government office building, because a significant turnout was expected. Nearly every seat was filled and, at times, it was a tense environment as public comment carried on for well over an hour. It was not overwhelming, but those who spoke in favor of removing the office of the county executive were in the minority.
“It really doesn’t fit for a smaller county to have this form of government. We’ve seen it now we’ve elected three county executives, and the experience has not been good under any of them,” said Robert Taylor, who was one of the many that provided public comment.
Included in the dozens of residents who got up to speak were business owners, a veteran, and even a middle-school girl, who all felt their voices needed to be heard. At one point, County Executive Julie Giordano herself stepped to the microphone and addressed the council directly. She spoke passionately and called the amendment a “power grab” by the council.
“There is a difference in personality, you know what I mean? And there is this struggle for power on both sides,” she said after the hearing, continuing, “They’re so hyper focused on that office, as opposed to being hyper focused on their citizens.”
In her public comments, Giordano said with conviction that if the executive office is ultimately dissolved, she would be running for a seat on the council.
The proposed charter amendment will be voted on at the next council meeting on June 14th. If the council does vote in favor of the amendment, it would appear on the ballot for voters in the general election this November.