Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Voting Rights Redistricting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Wicomico County council approves consent decree settling NAACP Voting Rights Act suit; county to pay $125,000 in fees
Summary
After public hearings and weeks of mediation, the council approved a proposed consent judgment and decree resolving a lawsuit that alleged vote dilution; the settlement creates seven single‑member council districts, aligns school board lines, funds a human‑rights advisory committee, and includes $125,000 in county attorney fees.
WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. — The Wicomico County Council voted Feb. 4 to approve a consent judgment and decree resolving litigation brought by the Wicomico County branch of the NAACP and other plaintiffs alleging that the county’s five‑district-plus‑two‑at‑large system diluted minority voting strength.
The agreement, which council members said was reached after mediation with plaintiffs and review by counsel, would convert the county council to seven single‑member districts and require the Wicomico County Board of Education to adopt matching district lines. The proposed consent decree would run until February 2030, at which point census data would guide any changes.
Kevin Karpinski, counsel for the county, described the litigation’s background and the costs of contested federal litigation, saying trials of this type are expensive and can run into the millions. Karpinski said the negotiated settlement reduces exposure for taxpayers and includes an agreed $125,000 contribution by the county toward plaintiffs’ attorney fees and costs; the Board of Education would pay $10,000 toward fees, the county attorney said.
“Rather than head down that path, I think the county took a very prudent course of action which was to explore whether this could get resolved without expending that type of taxpayer money,” counsel Kevin Karpinski told the council, explaining that the plaintiffs had proposed a map that the county modified and that the parties agreed the modified seven‑district map would address plaintiffs’ concerns.
Under the settlement, the county would also establish a human rights advisory committee with one designated member from each plaintiff organization, require periodic anti‑bias training for council staff and hold twice‑a‑year work sessions with plaintiffs’ groups. The decree would be submitted to U.S. District Judge Matthew Maddox for review.
Supporters who addressed the council urged approval and framed the settlement as a corrective to underrepresentation. Monica Brooks, president of the Wicomico County NAACP, said the settlement reflects a priority on fair representation rather than money.
“This settlement is an investment into democracy and fairness,” Amber Green, one of the plaintiffs, told the council. “Moving forward with a fair system helps prevent future litigation costs.”
Some residents and speakers requested more public outreach during the process; critics later said the public had limited notice of the settlement materials prior to the vote. Council members acknowledged concerns about public engagement but said the county had limited legal options and time to finalize the settlement ahead of court deadlines and state legislative steps required to align school board lines.
The council amended the proposed resolution to add a county executive signature line and then voted to approve the consent judgment and decree. The roll call showed unanimous approval. Council members said the county will transfer the settlement payment from the general fund at a later meeting.
Ending: County officials said the settlement will proceed to the federal court for approval and that staff will report back on implementation details; supporters said the agreement creates a framework for additional community engagement and training.
