SALISBURY, MD - A months-long dispute between the Wicomico County Council and the County Executive may be coming to an end following a Circuit Court Judge’s decision this week.
The saga began with a disagreement between the Council and Executive, Julie Giordano, over a staffing decision. Giordano hired two staff members despite the Council being unable to come to a consensus to approve the staffing decisions, a move the Council said she couldn’t make. The Council then moved to pause funding for the employees’ departments, Administration and Public Works, ensuring the employees couldn’t be paid.
Giordano responded by accusing the Council of violating the County Charter and threatened legal action against them, ultimately bringing the issue to court in November.
On November 16, a Wicomico County Judge ruled in favor of Giordano, saying she had been allowed to appoint the employees. The Council, however, said the ruling was based on an incorrect version of the County Charter and petitioned for an appeal.
On Thursday, December 14th, Giordano announced that appeal had been rejected, underscoring her staffing appointments had been valid. Matthew Leitzel, according to the County Executive, was legally appointed and will be returning to the position of Assistant Director of Administration.
“Assistant Director of Administration Leitzel’s appointment was handled correctly and he will return to his position without any interruption of his salary,” Giordano said in a statement. “Legislative Bill No. 2023-11 which the County Council passed for the elimination of the budgetary line allocation for the position of Assistant Director of Administration has been stricken and severed in regards to Mr. Leitzel”
Giordano tells WBOC the legal expenses the county will now shoulder from the lengthy dispute is about $60,000, with still more expected.
