La Plata, Maryland — The Town Council on July 29 moved to table a public discussion about a stipend paid to Mayor Janine James while she performed chief executive duties during a town-manager vacancy, citing pending legal claims and the need for counsel.

Mayor James opened the item by asking that her written statement be entered in the meeting minutes and said the stipend had been lawfully approved by the prior council on Sept. 3, 2024. She said she had not initiated, approved or authorized the stipend: “I did the work. I did not authorize the stipend,” James said. She asked the council to defer the matter until the town’s legal counsel is present and the previous council members who approved the stipend are consulted.

Why it matters: The discussion followed a notice of claim filed June 24 under the Maryland Local Government Tort Claims Act by counsel for Councilman Patrick McCormick; Mayor James argued that continuing the public debate without legal representation could expose the town to legal risk.

Council debate and motion to table: Councilmembers engaged in a lengthy, at times heated, debate. Councilman Patrick McCormick said residents have raised questions and wanted answers, and he argued the item deserved public airing: “If everything was above board like you say, you should have no problem answering the questions I have for you in this discussion,” McCormick said. Councilman Gregory Sampson and others criticized reopening prior council actions publicly without counsel; Paul Guttenberg urged restraint and emphasized the council’s role in governance rather than adjudication.

Following discussion, Mayor James placed a motion on the floor to table the item until legal counsel is present and the previous council is consulted. A roll-call vote recorded the motion as passing: Councilman Paul Guttenberg — Aye; Councilman Patrick McCormick — No; Councilman Gregory Sampson — No; Councilman Hajjian Johnson — Yes; Mayor Janine James — Yes. The motion to table carried.

Officials’ notes: Mayor James and others cited precedent — she said a previous mayor received a stipend under similar circumstances decades earlier — and framed the issue as one of continuity and governance. Council members who opposed tabling said constituents had requested public answers and criticized perceived lack of transparency; supporters of tabling said the legal ramifications warranted delay until counsel could advise.

Ending: The council’s decision does not resolve the underlying dispute; rather, it postpones public deliberation pending formal legal representation and further consultation with prior council members, per the motion. Councilman McCormick has indicated a private legal claim is moving forward under the Maryland Local Government Tort Claims Act.