Wicomico Co. Council considers referendum to remove County Executive position

UPDATE: On May 21st, Wicomico County Council voted to move forward with a public hearing on the removal of the County Executive position. The public hearing will take place at the next County Council meeting.

WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. – Wicomico County leaders are once again at odds, as the County Council consider ousting the County Executive position.

Rolling Toward Referendum?

Tuesday, Council members will consider an agenda item to change the county’s charter. The question is: does Wicomico County need a County Executive? If approved by Council, the question would be put to a referendum in November.

Should Council decide to do so, and voters cast their ballots in favor of doing away with the Count Executive’s office, no noticeable changes would come for a number of years. County Executive Julie Giordano would serve out the rest of her current term, and then the county’s new form of government would commence in 2026.

Calls for Change

Council Council President John Cannon says ultimately, the decision will be up to the voters. After all, he says, that’s where the suggestion for a change came from in the first place.

“I think what the public wants to know is whether or not they want to continue with this form of government,” Cannon said. “There are members of the public that have expressed their frustration as to how this government really works, as to whether there’s too much controversy between the legislative and executive form of government.”

However, County Executive Julie Giordano sees it differently; she says the move is malicious.

“They can sit there and say it’s not personal. It’s personal. And it’s a personality driven initiative, which I think is absolutely ridiculous,” Giordano said. “There is so much progress that we have made with my administration, and even with previous executives, that is just going to be halted. The county’s going to go backwards.”

Imperfect Pairing

Wicomico County is one of about half in the state of Marylander that operates under a County Executive. The office was added to Wicomico County’s government in 2006. Cannon says during that time, the relationship between Council and Executive has never been perfect.

“We’ve had prior executives and prior councils that didn’t get along,” Cannon said. “[Right now,] there’s more frustration than I think is necessary between the two branches of government. And the public sees that without a doubt. And it’s something that’s that had come about in the past as well. So the idea is, you know, where do we want to go from here?”

Checks and Balances

That’s something that Giordano says she can agree with. However, she argues, without a County Executive, there would be no checks and balances for the Council. Giordano also raised concerns about what direction Council may take, without an Executive, should new members be elected.

“I just don’t understand why we’re going to go ahead and change the fabric of government, drop a bomb and then leave,” Giordano said. “I mean, how irresponsible is that to leave Wicomico County, a growing county that is trying to progress forward?”

Cannon argues that in the county’s history leading up to the addition of a County Executive, Council has fared well enough on its own.

“If you look back on what prior councils did when they were acting as an independent body, we had an awful lot of work done in Wicomico County,” said Cannon. “Shorebirds Stadium was built, Henry Parker Complex was built. So, I think there’s been a lot of great achievements in Wicomico County and that can continue.”

Projects at Risk?

Giordano, however, has her eyes on current and future projects, that she says will hang in the balance, with only Council to usher them through the legislative process.

“Last year, we passed the sanitary district bill, and now we’re looking to form that Sanitary Commission,” said Giordano. “I am very afraid that that whole process is going to be halted. There is no way that seven part-time councilmen, and one county administrator, are going to be able to handle everything that we’re doing for water and sewer.”

Money Matters

The county’s bond rating could also be impacted with a change in leadership, says Giordano. One upcoming project that relies on that positive rating includes construction on Fruitland Primary School.

“If we have an uncertainty in government, that bond rating is going to be affected,” said Giordano. “We’ve already had those conversations with those stakeholders or shareholders that are going to be lending us that money.”

On the financial front, however, Cannon says doing away with the County Executive position could save the county money in the long run.

“You’re looking at the public question of whether or not it’s the most efficient and cost effective form of government, period… Nothing to do with the Executive at all. It’s just whether or not the public feels as if that money is money well spent,” Cannon said. “We do know that the costs have increased.”

Voters Face a Choice

Looking ahead to a potential referendum, Cannon is stressing that the move comes from no personal vendetta; rather, he says, it’s a way to ask voters what they truly want from their local government.

“This is not John Cannon making any decisions at all. We work as a body of seven. And that’s how all these decisions get made,” Cannon said. “This is not a council decision in the end game. It’s it’s strictly a measure by which to allow the public to make their own decision.”

Giordano remains confident that voters will choose to keep the position in place.

“We’ll see what happens if it goes to ballot. I really do not think it’s going to pass at all,” Giordano said. “I think that there are a lot of people that are outraged about this and feel like this is an abuse of power by the legislative body.”