County Leaders at Odds Over Legislative Bill

WICOMICO CO. — County leaders are at odds over proposed legislation regarding the county’s internal auditor. Legislative Bill 2025-14 was passed unanimously by the Wicomico County Council about two weeks ago. Under current county law, auditors are not allowed to conduct audits of offices, departments, boards, commissions, institutions, agencies, or organizations. Under Bill 2025-14, the internal auditor would be allowed to conduct a formal audit of the county council.

“The basic premise of the bill is to allow the internal auditor to have more oversight and to do what I would call an audit review of the county council. That’s the primary function of this bill, nothing more. It just creates more transparency and more efficiency on the part of the county council,” Wicomico County Council President John Cannon said.

The council says it introduced the bill at the request of the administration to provide more structure. Now, County Executive Julie Giordano says she is vetoing the bill; however, under the county charter, Giordano cannot veto it. The council has the power to assign additional functions, duties, and personnel to the county internal auditor. Those changes are exempt from the executive veto.

“I just think it looks really terrible that we would have a legislative branch of government, or any branch of government, say that standards don’t have to be followed when we’re giving you tasks to do and when things pertain to us,” Giordano said.

Cannon says the county has consulted with the internal auditor, the auditing committee, and county attorneys.