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Wicomico County Council approves personnel, budget amendments and overrides executive veto; several grants accepted
Summary
The Wicomico County Council approved multiple legislative and budget measures during its March 4 session, including personnel reclassifications, capital grant acceptances and a unanimous override of the county executive's veto on an ethics bill.
The Wicomico County Council acted on a slate of bills and resolutions at its March 4 legislative session, approving amendments to personnel rules and capital budgets, introducing a measure on commercial seafood operations, and unanimously overriding an executive veto on ethics counsel rules.
Among the votes, the council approved legislative bill 2025-03, which adds a subsection recognizing that the state's attorney's office, sheriff's office and the circuit court are constitutionally created state offices and therefore operate under different personnel rules than county departments. The introduction of legislative bill 2025-04 — an amendment to the county Right to Farm chapter to include commercial seafood operations and membership changes to the reconciliation committee — passed its introduction unanimously. The council also reconsidered and approved legislative bill 2025-02 as originally adopted after the county executive returned it with a veto message; that override passed on roll call unanimously.
The council amended the FY2025 capital budget to accept state capital grant funding for two projects: Resolution 31-2025 authorizes the county executive to accept a $900,000 state grant to update the video board at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium (motion carried 6–1), and Resolution 32-2025 authorizes acceptance of an additional $100,000 for the phase 1 development of the Mason Dixon project (passed unanimously). The council also approved a donation of approximately a dozen automated external defibrillator (AED) station accessories via Resolution 35-2025.
Two position-control changes in the Department of Planning, Zoning and Community Development were approved after public hearings. Resolution 33-2025 reclassified and increased pay for a GIS specialist position (M35 → M36, budgeted at $55,340) and passed 6–1. Resolution 34-2025 increased pay for an environmental planner position and also passed 6–1.
Separately, the council received the formal submission of Moustapha Kilikarson as a nominee for director of public works; the transcript records the formal submission but not a confirmation vote.
Votes at a glance - Legislative Bill 20 25-03 (personnel rules: state constitutional offices): approved unanimously (roll call recorded). - Legislative Bill 20 25-04 (Right to Farm amendment to include commercial seafood operations): introduced and approved for introduction unanimously. - Legislative Bill 20 25-02 (ethics law: required special legal counsel for the ethics commission) — executive veto overridden; bill approved as originally adopted (reconsideration and final approval both passed unanimously on roll call). - Resolution 31-2025 (authorize acceptance of $900,000 state capital grant for Arthur W. Perdue Stadium video board): approved 6–1. - Resolution 32-2025 (accept additional $100,000 state grant for Mason Dixon project): approved unanimously. - Resolution 33-2025 (position control: GIS specialist reclassification to M36, budgeted at $55,340): approved 6–1. - Resolution 34-2025 (position control: environmental planner salary increase): approved 6–1. - Resolution 35-2025 (accept donation of approx. 12 AED station accessories): approved by voice vote. - Submission: Moustapha Kilikarson nominated as director of public works; formal submission recorded, confirmation pending.
Why it matters: The package of votes updates county personnel pay and classification for planning staff, accepts state grants that add or improve public infrastructure, and changes county code to clarify the distinct status of state constitutional offices. Overriding an executive veto on the ethics bill also changes how the county’s ethics commission will obtain outside counsel in potential conflict situations going forward.
The council recorded roll-call votes for several measures and held public hearings before approving personnel changes; materials for each item are in the council packet.
Ending: Several items approved at the March 4 session will move to implementation (grant agreements, payroll changes, or further administrative steps) or, for nominations, to later confirmation. The public may review the full meeting packet and posted documents for the exact ordinance and resolution texts.
