The Potomac Highlands Dispatch - the online newspaper

Update - 4:47 p.m.
New commissioners' meeting set for Friday with Sheriff Robertson
Meeting with top county officials is not open to the public
McKay: 'We are not, under any circumstances, going to strike any sort of deal'
Valentine: No action yet - 'the only plan is to create a plan'

By The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
CUMBERLAND, Dec. 16 -- The newly elected Allegany County Board of Commissioners is set to meet for the first time after tonight's swearing-in.

Friday's meeting, scheduled for a 10 a.m. start at the county office complex on Kelly Road, is being conducted in executive session. Commissioners-elect Mike McKay, Creade Brodie Jr. and Bill Valentine are expected to attend, as are Sheriff Craig Robertson, County Administrator David Eberly and County Attorney Bill Rudd.

The official announcement came early this afternoon and indicated the discussion would center around public safety and public security - one of 14 exceptions under the Maryland Open Meetings Act which allows closed sessions.

Chapter four (page six) of the Maryland Open Meetings Act restricts the exception to the open meeting requirement narrowly. Specifically, the meeting is eligible for closed session only "if public discussion would constitute a risk to the public or public security," ... "the preparation, administration or grading of a 'scholastic, licensing or qualifying examination,'" and "the conduct or discussion of 'an investigative proceeding on actual or possible criminal conduct.'"

Among other things, the three Republicans had promised a more open government after ousting commissioners Jim Stakem, Bob Hutcheson and Dale Lewis. The latter three had, from a public perception, done a poor job communicating policy changes with the public.

Commissioner-elect Mike McKay, incoming board president, said Thursday afternoon he, Brodie and Valentine intend to keep those promises.

"It's a personnel issue," said McKay, sitting with Eberly in Eberly's office during a phone interview with the Dispatch. "We just want to bring the sheriff up to speed. We are not, under any circumstances, going to strike any sort of deal. We're going to stick to the openness during the campaign that all three of us rallied around."

"From where I sit, the incoming board of commissioners wants to hit the ground running (and) want to begin a process of discussion with the newly elected sheriff so they can resolve some issues that relate to the sheriff's office and the Allegany County Bureau of Police," Eberly said. "And I commend them for that."

Eberly said the topics on Friday will include "personnel, and potential litigation issues."

Eberly said the meeting is a good first step in "this matter moving forward."

Through the Dispatch, McKay asked the public for a little understanding and "breathing room." He said the outgoing commissioners' difficulties with public perception and mistrust evolved over a decade or more.

"We are starting off Day 1 (tomorrow)," McKay said. "We will prove that we're going to be open (and) adhere to the campaign (promises)."

On the surface, it appears the odd man out during the meeting is Bureau of Police Chief J. Robert Dick. Dick is not expected to attend. Eberly, however, said the chief of police reports to the administrator so "they will have representation in the discussion moving forward."

An article posted on the Cumberland Times-News website shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday implied that a plan to transfer the Bureau of Police officers back under the sheriff's office had already been cemented. The article gave readers an impression that the transfer would begin at 10 a.m. Friday - effectively, at the start of the executive session with Robertson and the new commissioners.

That's simply not accurate, Valentine said.

"I've already gotten several phone calls about" the Times-News story, Valentine said. "there is no plan yet. Everybody elected as commissioners stated their desire to put the two agencies back together."

Valentine said that remains the goal. But the Times-News article took "a lot of liberties" with what Valentine said.

"We've asked the sheriff to come up with a plan," Valentine said. "So, he hasn't gotten that plan done yet. The only plan is to create a plan."

That will be a lengthy - and public - process, Valentine said.

"Before a plan is put into effect, (Robertson) will present it to the commissioners at a public meeting," Valentine said. "Then, we'll have public hearings discussing the plan."

He said the public will have multiple opportunities to comment on the proposal. The executive session, meanwhile, is "strictly discussing personnel and possibly legal issues to make sure this thing is done and done right."