LA PLATA, Md. (Jan. 27, 2010)—The Charles County Commissioners voted unanimously not to approve recommended salary increases for the members of the next Board of Commissioners that will be elected in November of 2010. On Wednesday evening, January 13, the commissioners held a public hearing on the report and recommendations of the Compensation Commission.
After listening to constituent comments and conducting additional research to determine the salaries of other commissioners and local elected officials across the State of Maryland and the Washington Metropolitan area, the Charles County Commissioners voted unanimously not to move forward with the Compensation Commission’s recommended increases in County Commissioner salaries. The County Commissioners’ salaries will remain unchanged during the next four year term.
The process of establishing a compensation commission is required by law. A compensation commission must be appointed by the County Commissioners every four years in the year preceding the election. As set forth in Bill Number 2005-09, it is required that the Compensation Commission recommend the amount of compensation to be paid to elected officials and appointed boards and committees, subject to approval by the Charles County Board of Commissioners, which may reject or reduce the recommended salaries, but not increase them. The Commissioners approved a second motion to consider nominal increases in the compensation of members of appointed boards and committees during the FY2011 budget process.
A third motion adopted by the Commissioners set a goal of investigating an alternative method of reviewing and recommending changes in compensation for future Boards of County Commissioners that would be completely independent of the incumbent Board of County Commissioners.
In accordance with existing law, a new compensation commission would be appointed by the next Board of County Commissioners in the year 2013.
Source: Charles County Commissioners