SALISBURY, Md. - Wicomico County Council approved legislation Tuesday creating a new commission to oversee the county-owned Wicomico Nursing Home, but disagreement remains over how much authority the council should have over the facility and its administrator.
The legislation passed 6-1, with Councilman James Winn casting the only vote against it.
The measure creates a seven-member voting commission whose members will be appointed by the county executive and confirmed by County Council. The nursing home administrator will also serve on the commission as a nonvoting member.
Council members unanimously approved a series of amendments before the final vote, including provisions involving the nursing home's personnel system, commission appointments and representation for family members and advocates.
Council President John Cannon said the legislation is intended to create a clearer structure for oversight involving the nursing home, the executive branch and County Council.
“I think this will establish a process where we will actually have a commission, we'll have the executive, we'll have the county council, all three engaged to make sure that we have the most efficient operations possible at the nursing home,” Cannon said.
The vote follows weeks of public debate over management and workplace concerns at the facility, along with broader questions about how the nursing home fits within county government.
Cannon said the relationship between the county and nursing home has not been clearly defined for decades.
“There's a lot of legal minutia, and it's been 50 years and nobody has really clearly defined the role of the nursing home as so in its association with the county,” Cannon said.
One of the most contentious portions of the legislation gives County Council the ability to remove the nursing home administrator.
Winn proposed an amendment that would have removed that authority from the council, arguing the structure should be more consistent with other county commissions. The amendment failed.
County Executive Julie Giordano said that provision remains her primary concern.
“The biggest concern that we have is the removal, and that the council giving themselves the ability to remove, she's not a department head, but being able to remove any sort of personnel because that is completely a violation of our charter,” Giordano said.
Giordano said she believes the issue could have legal ramifications and said she expects the council could receive correspondence from an attorney challenging its authority to remove the administrator.
She also questioned how much authority the newly created commission will actually have.
“So we have a commission that really doesn't have any power,” Giordano said. “But it will be nice to have sort of an advisory.”
Cannon said the commission will be able to meet with nursing home management, review how the facility is operating and report its findings to the executive and County Council.
Councilman Joe Holloway was more skeptical about whether the changes will produce meaningful results.
“So this meeting lasted about a half hour longer than the one in 2018 and it'll probably be the same result: nothing,” Holloway said during the discussion.
Giordano said she supports portions of the legislation, including creating a commission and allowing County Council to confirm its members. She said she hopes the legislation can help reduce tension surrounding the nursing home and allow county leaders to move forward.
Cannon said the next step is for the county to begin putting the new oversight structure in place.
