Elaine Blaisdell Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND — Garrett County’s two lawmakers in Annapolis have decided not to pursue the Garrett County commissioners’ request to be granted legislative authority to mandate collective bargaining for County Roads Department employees.
Chairman James Raley said that after a lengthy strike in the 1970s, commissioners had the option of whether they wanted to voluntarily participate in the collective bargaining agreement with the Roads Department. There were no laws in place mandating the agreement.
Roads Department employees are represented by American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Council 67, Local 1834.
“With two commissioners in support of this legislation, we are going to continue to operate the way we always have, without a mandate,” said Raley.
Both Raley and Commissioner Robert Gatto supported the proposed legislation, with Commissioner Gregan Crawford opposing, according to Monty Pagenhardt, county administrator.
The legislative request was addressed at a Dec. 20 meeting. Delegate Wendell Beitzel raised some questions and concerns and was told by Raley that various issues needed to be worked out and that information would be forthcoming, according to a letter from Sen. George Edwards and Beitzel.
“However, after repeated attempts, we did not receive the requested information. Some of the information generated was classified by Chairman Raley as privileged information protected by the attorney-client privilege,” states the Jan. 30 letter. “Due in part to these unanswered concerns, the members of the delegation did not reach a consensus regarding this matter.”
County attorney Gorman Getty III released a statement to Edwards and Beitzel in regard to the information they requested, according to Raley.
“The document that they requested was a client document. We wouldn’t share any type of document like that,” said Raley.
Raley said that he contacted the legislators via email on Jan. 6, 9 and 19 in regard to their specific concerns but didn’t receive any communication until the Jan. 30 letter.
Remaining legislative re-quests from the county have been drafted into legislation and hearings have been scheduled, according to a legislative update provided at Tuesday’s commission meeting. One request by the Garrett County Animal Issues Advisory Commission would give the animal control officer the authority to make an arrest and provide the county the authority to deal with animals at large and barking dog complaints. The legislation would give the manager of the animal shelter more authority rather than have the property owner go through a common nuisance-t type lawsuit.
The advisory commission also requested that the county be added to the Code of Maryland section regarding Regulations of Animals, which would provide for the regulation, humane treatment and keeping of domestic animals within the county, including the authority to assess a penalty of up to 30 days in jail or a fine of $1,000, or both, for a violation of the ordinance.
Legislation that would give the commissioners a say in snowmobiling on public land has not been drafted yet. The commissioners made the request on behalf of the Garrett County Snowdrifters.
Remaining legislative re-quests that have been drafted and have had hearings scheduled include:
• Increasing the hotel rental tax rate from 5 percent to 6 percent.
• Adding the ability for the Department of Public Utilities to assess late fees for water and sewer bills that are not paid by the due date.
• Enabling authority to appoint a member-at-large on the Salary Study Commission to replace a member from the League of Women Voters of Garrett County because the league has disbanded.
• Adding the county to the state’s Correctional Officers Bill of Rights, which would provide certain rights of a correctional officer in the county relating to employment, investigation and discipline.
Contact Elaine Blaisdell at eblaisdell@times-news.com.
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