LA PLATA, Md. — Charles County is beginning its required review of commissioner salaries and calling on residents to participate. On May 6, the Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted to re-establish the 2025 Compensation Commission, a citizen-led panel that will recommend pay rates for the next term of elected officials.
The five-member commission will include community members from across the county and is part of a regular process that takes place every four years. In addition to reviewing commissioner salaries, the group will also consider compensation for elected Orphans’ Court judges and members of several appointed boards and commissions.
A Legal Requirement
The Compensation Commission is re-established every four years as required by law to review whether adjustments to commissioner salaries are needed for the next term. The most recent commission completed its work in 2022, and those changes went into effect for the current board term beginning in 2023.
Details on current commissioner compensation are outlined in Charles County Bill 2022-01.
Mandated under Maryland Local Government Article §10-302 and Charles County Code §27-2(F), the commission’s role is to review existing salaries and recommend changes that would take effect for the incoming board term beginning December 2026.
Scope and Responsibilities
The 2025 commission will include five members — one from each of the four commissioner districts and one at-large member from anywhere in the county. All will be appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, with one designated as chair.
The commission will review:
- Salaries for county commissioners
- Compensation for elected Orphans’ Court judges
- Stipends for appointed boards and commissions, including:
- Board of Appeals
- Board of Electrical Examiners
- Board of License Commissioners (Liquor Board)
- Planning Commission
- Police Accountability Board
- Administrative Charging Committee
- Trial Board
- Animal Matters and Nuisance Abatement boards may also be considered for inclusion.
Once recommendations are submitted, the Board of County Commissioners may recommend an increase or decrease in compensation, but in no event shall compensation be less than already provided. Any approved changes for county commissioners must be enacted before the 2026 election and will only take effect for the next board.
Application Process Now Open
Charles County Government is now accepting applications from residents to serve on the Compensation Commission. The five open seats include representatives from Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4, as well as one at-large member. The service term runs from July through December 2025, and members serve voluntarily, with possible reimbursement for expenses.
Learn More
To understand the commission’s role and purpose, you can view the official presentation from Assistant Deputy County Attorney Danielle Mitchell and Acting Director of Fiscal Services Jacob Dyer, presented to the commissioners on May 6.
Additional Charles County Board Vacancies
Several other county boards and committees are also seeking new members. Current vacancies include:
- Board of Electrical Examiners – One representative with a Master General license
- Board of Social Services – Three citizen members
- Commission for Women – One citizen member
- Disability Review Boards – One general practice doctor
- Drug and Alcohol Abuse Council – Members working in prevention or treatment
- Historic Preservation Commission – Two members with a background in history or related fields
- Mental Health Advisory Committee – Multiple citizen members
- Resilience Authority – One citizen member
- Sheriff’s Office Retirement Plan Committee (SORP) – One at-large citizen member
To view the full list of vacancies and apply, visit the official Charles County application page.
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The job they are doing salaries should be about 30 cents a hour that might be to high