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Somerset County commissioners enter closed session on personnel, approve hires and vacation pay
Summary
The Somerset County Board of Commissioners met in special session Feb. 3 and, by unanimous vote, entered a closed session under Maryland law to discuss personnel. The board reported selection of applicants, hiring, and approval of vacation pay; the closed session ran from 2:10 to 2:43 p.m.
President Charles Laird called the Somerset County Board of Commissioners to a special session at 2:10 p.m. on Feb. 3, 2026. On a motion by Commissioner Darryl Webster, seconded by Commissioner Craig Mathies, the board opened the special session; the motion carried in favor by all members present.
The board subsequently voted to enter a closed session under the authority of the Annotated Code of Maryland § 3-305(b)(1), which authorizes meetings to discuss the appointment, employment, assignment, promotion, discipline, demotion, compensation, removal, resignation or performance evaluation of appointees or employees. The motion to enter closed session was made by Commissioner Craig Mathies and seconded by Vice President Randy Laird and carried unanimously.
According to the written Closed Session Summary Report, the board met in closed session from 2:10 p.m. until 2:43 p.m. at 11916 Somerset Avenue, Room 111. Attendees included President Charles Laird; Vice President Randy Laird; Commissioners Craig Mathies, Eldon Willing and Darryl Webster; Interim County Administrator Ernest Leatherbury; HR Director Jamie Manaia; Assistant Warden Jamie Balderson; EMS Chief Joel Dixon; EMS Deputy Chief Cory Polidore; and Executive Secretary Kimberly Lopez.
The report states that the board took action on three personnel matters during the closed session: selection of applicants, hiring, and approval of vacation pay. The written summary lists those actions as taken but does not provide further public details about the hires or the applicants selected.
The meeting record was submitted by Executive Secretary Kimberly Lopez. No public votes or motions altering county policy were reported during the open portion of this special session; the actions recorded relate to personnel decisions made under the cited statutory authority.
