Lawmakers pass commissioner plan

County police referendum also approved

‘‘I think it’s time for a change and people would like to see it,” said Haines, chairman of the Carroll County Delegation to the Maryland General Assembly.

The Maryland Senate and House of Delegates unanimously passed the Senate version of the bill Monday. All that is left is for Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) to sign it into law.

The proposal was filed as an emergency bill, meaning it becomes law as soon as it is signed. It would also become law should the governor not sign it. Only a veto would cause the bill to fail this time.

The legislation goes into effect for the 2010 election, and would add two commissioners, creating a five-member board elected by districts.

Carroll County now has three commissioners elected at large.

The approved map groups Taneytown and Manchester together; links New Windsor, Union Bridge and Mount Airy; keeps Sykesville proper and Eldersburg (north of Liberty Road and east of Sykesville Road) together; and groups Hampstead and Finksburg.

The districts are drawn according to the Wheatley map, also known as Option 1.

The proposed legislation did not reach the Senate floor in 2006, and Carroll County’s delegation spent 2007 collecting feedback as well as considering a compromise, which failed to gain delegation support.

Del. Susan W. Krebs (R-Dist. 9B) of Eldersburg preferred another map, but is relieved the bill passed.

‘‘I’m very pleased the districting bill finally passed the Senate after two years,” she said in a voicemail. ‘‘It’s been a long, hard struggle getting the bill through the Senate. It’s pleasing to see the voters’ referendum will finally be able to be implemented.”

Haines, who said he preferred electing commissioners at large, supports the decision. ‘‘There was opposition, mostly opposition came from people from the outside who didn’t like the districting map,” he said.

Carroll County Democratic Central Committee chairman Martin Radinsky lobbied Annapolis lawmakers to not pass the bill, and was unavailable for comment by The Gazette’s Wednesday press time.

County police force

Lawmakers also passed legislation that would give Carroll residents the final say in whether the county moves forward with a county police force.

Commissioners voted 3-0 on Oct. 4 to create a police force headed by a chief they would appoint to take over daily policing responsibilities from the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and Maryland State Police.

Commissioners introduced an ordinance to the create police force in January, held public hearings on it in February, but decided to not vote on it pending the General Assembly’s session.

Since commissioners have the power to create the force under state law, only the General Assembly could bring the issue to referendum.

‘‘I’m confidant [Gov. O’Malley] will sign it,” Haines said. ‘‘If he doesn’t sign it, it becomes law anyway. He can veto it, but I don’t foresee that happening.”

Commissioners Julia W. Gouge (R) of Hampstead and Dean L. Minnich (R) of Westminster have asked Gov. O’Malley to veto the legislation should it reach his desk; however, Commissioner Michael Zimmer (R) of Eldersburg asked O’Malley not to.

‘‘I urge you not to veto this bill,” Zimmer wrote in a letter to O’Malley. ‘‘Instead, I suggest you sign the bill and let this process unfold as directed by the votes of our delegation and the General Assembly.”

Zimmer’s letter states that while he supports creating a county police force, ‘‘In the commissioner form of government there is no mechanism for the public to initiate a referendum on decisions by the Board of Commissioners. The only mechanism to engage in this critical means of accountability by the public upon their county government is to appeal to Annapolis and the senators and delegates who represent them in the General Assembly.”

Voters will only get their say at the ballot box if commissioners pass the ordinance that would create the county force.

‘‘The way the bill is drafted, it only goes to referendum if the commissioners adopt the ordinance,” Haines said. The power to referendum would be effective through Dec. 31, 2010.

‘‘During this time, they won’t be able to do it unless they put it to the voters,” Haines said.

County Attorney Kim Millender was not sure when commissioners would decide on the ordinance. ‘‘They have not made any decisions about how to proceed,” she said.