SALISBURY — There are less than 30 days until voters will head to the polls to determine the future form of Wicomico County’s government.
Voters will be tasked to decide if they want to remain under the current county-executive-council form of government or revert to a council-manager version.
Nearly 20 years ago, a similar vote created the current county executive-council form of government, but a 5-2 vote by Wicomico County Council at its June 18 legislative meeting made way for a Nov. 5 referendum question.
On the November ballot, the proposed charter revision is labeled Question A. A vote “for the Charter Amendment” is to change to the council-manager form of government. A vote “against the Charter Amendment” is to keep the executive-council form of government.
The Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce, PACE, and the Greater Salisbury Committee will host a group discussion on the future of the County Executive position in Wicomico County on Oct. 9. The public event starts at 6 p.m. inside the Assembly Hall in the Guerrieri Academic Commons at Salisbury University.
Current Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano was elected to her position in 2022 – the first woman to ever hold the post in Wicomico’s history. Rick Pollitt was the first popularly elected county executive, succeeded by Bob Culver and John Psota.
If Wicomico County voters decide in November that they want a new form of government, the change would go into effect after Giordano finishes her current term in 2026.
Giordano said she knew shortly after the election that there would be tension with the county council but was not prepared for exactly how much.
“You have some players on the other side, or across the hall, who have never really accepted this form of government, and I know that we hear that all of the time,” Giordano said. “Running for politics, you understand that there is the metaphorical target on you, but I don’t think I realized just how bad that was going to be. But it is ok. We are doing fine. I love this job, and I love helping the people of Wicomico County.”
County Council President John Cannon has said that wanting to revert back has nothing to do with Giordano, but a that a seven-member council is a more stable form of government.
“Whether or not the public might be dissatisfied with the current executive’s style of governance, the greater picture and the real focus needs to remain on this current form of government which, unfortunately, has led to a compromised system of checks and balances, minimal transparency and inefficient management of county operations and employees,” Cannon said.
But Giordano said it is “one hundred percent” personal.
“There have been council members that have said, well if she would have just communicated with us better or if she would have just done this, well that is personal,” Giordano said. “When you are falsifying things at a council meeting and making personal attacks against me just to slander and discredit me for no reason, that’s personal.”
Cannon said in the past the seven-member Council with an administrator at the helm has brought Shorebirds Stadium, the Henry Parker Sports Complex and improvements to the educational system.
“I’m hoping the public will see it for what it is and choose to return our county to a more responsible and productive seven-member Council-Administrator form of government come November 5th,” Cannon said.
Giordano said a majority of the items her administration brings before the council gets passed. She said he is proud of the 2.5 percent COLA for deputies, the liquor bill and getting the sanitary district law passed, among others, since she took office. She also said she will run for county council in two years if the change happens.
“I have no problem going home and putting my head on my pillow at night knowing I have done everything I said I was going to do to make things better for these employees and our county,” Giordano said.
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