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Consumer-protection director urges county executive appointment for plumbing-board chair, cites governance and legal risks
Summary
The director of consumer protection told the committee that permitting the county executive to appoint the plumbing-board chair would improve leadership and reduce legal risk; the director also asked the committee to enter executive session to discuss personnel, litigation and ethics related to board governance.
The consumer-protection director told the Committee on Legislation the plumbing board has suffered repeated leadership turnover, with recent chair resignations and a lack of members willing to serve as chair. The director argued that allowing the county executive to appoint the plumbing-board chair would produce more professional leadership and reduce legal exposure.
"I believe that this board will function better if the county executive picks a better person to run the board," the director said, urging the committee to consider the change as a means to improve meetings and compliance with administrative procedures. The director also asked the committee to move into executive session to discuss "the identity of a law enforcement agent, proposed or pending litigation, and ethical issues regarding members of the board." The committee voted to enter executive session for the reasons stated.
Committee members and staff discussed recruitment challenges and whether changes to board size or composition might be needed. Staff noted vacancies and recent loss of quorum after a chair resigned, and they confirmed repeated outreach to stakeholders, including unions, to fill openings.
