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Wicomico County Council overrides executive veto to expand internal auditor duties
Summary
After debate about charter limits and auditor independence, the council voted 6–1 on Jan. 6 to approve Legislative Bill 2025-14, amending Chapter 13 to assign additional functions to the county internal auditor; legal counsel recommended override to avoid implementation disputes.
WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. — The Wicomico County Council on Jan. 6 voted to approve Legislative Bill 2025-14 — a code amendment expanding functions assigned to the county internal auditor — after reconsidering a veto from the county executive and winning a 6–1 final vote.
Staff read the executive’s veto message and the council moved to reconsider the bill. Council members debated whether the changes would compromise auditor independence or were consistent with the charter’s provisions that govern auditor duties and exemptions from executive veto. The council’s presentation emphasized that the bill was introduced following work sessions and public hearings earlier in 2025 and said the measure was intended to increase transparency and efficiency by clarifying additional duties the auditor could perform.
Legal counsel advised the council that the charter’s language and existing county code supported the council’s authority to assign functions to the auditor and recommended an override to ensure the changes would be implemented. “I am nevertheless recommend to the council that they vote to override the veto,” counsel said in his recommendation.
The county executive, whose veto prompted the reconsideration, argued in public remarks (delivered in the meeting record) that the action was about protecting the structural independence of the internal auditor and the balance of power under the charter, saying in part, "This is not about opposing audits. This is about protecting independence, transparency, and the balance of power that our county charter requires." The executive contended the bill created carve-outs that could undermine independent audit standards.
Council members who supported the bill said amendments were vetted through the legislative process and that the changes did not place the auditor in a position of auditing the council in a way that violated the charter. Following roll-call, the council recorded a supermajority approval of 6 to 1 and adopted the bill as originally adopted.
Provenance: Topic introduced in transcript at SEG 861 (presentation of veto and bill background) and concluded with final roll call at SEG 1214.
Next steps: The council-approved code amendment will be implemented through county code updates; legal and administrative staff will coordinate changes to the internal-auditor role per the council’s action.
