The Calvert County Commissioners have scheduled an afternoon work session Nov. 19 to consider three possible legislative issues for submission to the county’s delegation to Annapolis.
According to a memo from County Attorney John Norris, the issues to be weighed are establishing a correctional officers bill of rights (COBOR) to address personnel issues, a request for $45.29 million in bonding authority for capital projects and the recent recommendations of the county’s compensation review board pertaining to salaries and benefits for certain local officials.
Additionally, the commissioners could also discuss their support for an initiative to amend a portion of the Maryland Code pertaining to family law.
In a memo to the county commissioners, Calvert Government’s Director of Personnel Gail Bourdon stated legislation might be needed to “change employment relationship” for the Calvert County Detention Center correctional officers.
“The proposed changes would treat correctional officers much more like employees of the sheriff—like the deputies—than county merit employees,” Bourdon stated in the memo. “I am not sure how we can tell the correctional officers they are county merit employees but treat them so differently.”
The proposed COBAR mandates different investigatory and hearing processes, and different punitive measures.
The Department of Finance and Budget has identified the Northern High School Replacement Project as requiring $32.6 million in bonding over the next five fiscal years. This is the county’s share of the project.
In September the Calvert Compensation Review Board recommended a 4 percent pay increase for the sheriff for a salary of $90,480, a 2 percent pay increase for the county treasurer for an annual salary of $52,020 and raises for the Orphans Court judges. No raise has been recommended for the county commissioners although the review board is recommending continued participation in the benefits program for the commissioners with a specific recommendation that they be allowed to participate in the county savings plan.
The family law change concerns final protective orders. The modification would mandate granting a final protective order after considering “a preponderance of evidence” instead of “clear and convincing evidence.”
The commissioners will consider all legislative requests at their Nov.
