Dispute Against the Wicomico County Council
The Appellate Court of Maryland has issued an opinion in favor of the Wicomico County Council in
the case County Council of Wicomico County, Maryland v. Julie Giordano, No. 2146, September
Term 2023. The opinion provides critical clarification regarding the interpretation of Section 315(A)
of the Wicomico County Charter, which governs the confirmation of executive appointments.
This appeal arose from a dispute between Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano and the
Wicomico County Council concerning the appointment of an Assistant Director of Administration.
The County Executive had argued that the candidate was confirmed through Council inaction, while
the Council maintained that no formal submission or request for confirmation was made in a legislative session of the Council, thereby rendering the appointment invalid. Subsequently, the Council
also defunded the position pending proper submission and approval of a qualified applicant.
In its ruling, the Appellate Court held that, under Section 315(A) of the Charter, the County Executive must formally name a candidate for any position requiring Council confirmation and must request action by the Council at a Council legislative session. The Appellate Court determined that
since the County Executive failed to follow this required procedure, the candidate was not deemed
approved by inaction. As a result, the Court determined the Council acted within its authority in deleting the budget item for the position until a candidate was properly submitted and confirmed in
accordance with the Charter, and as originally asserted by the County Council.
In 2016, the Wicomico County Charter was amended to include the phrase “at its Legislative Session” in Section 315(A), specifying the procedure for Council confirmation of executive appointments. This amendment was proposed by the County Council and approved by voters through a
ballot question drafted and certified by the County Attorney.
The Fiscal Year 2025 salary for the Assistant Director of Administration is $132,300; and the term of
employment of the individual in question was one year and eight months.
The Council will now have to determine what measures, if any, will need to be taken on behalf of
the citizens of Wicomico County for consideration of recapturing any misappropriation of funds expended through this unwarranted hiring and/or what measures of accountability need to be addressed if there has been a misappropriation of funds or any similar malfeasance.
The Wicomico County Council appreciates the Appellate Court’s thorough review and decision,
which upholds the proper procedural process for executive appointments under the Wicomico
County Charter. The Council remains committed to ensuring transparency, adherence to the rule of
law, and accountability in county governance.
Executive Julie Giordano fights like hell and violates the charter by hiring this guy without Council approval. The first court case she won but only because the WRONG CHARTER was referenced in court. Council wins on appeal after the CORRECT CHARTER was interpreted. Maybe this is the balance of power ya’ll wanted lol. You can once again thank Julie Giordano and all the JulieJuice drinkers for wasting our tax money. Oh, and now Leitzel resigns? How curious. Thanks, so worth the time and money. Watch her again and again shift blame and tell everyone she is the victim. Julie’s middle name is GRANDSTANDING.
How D.A.R.V.O. works:
Deny: The abuser denies the allegations.
Attack: The abuser attacks the person making the allegations, trying to make them look bad.
Reverse Victim and Offender: The abuser pretends to be the victim and blames the other person for causing problems.
With this ruling the council was justified in deleting the salary – and the executive by paying that salary was wrong.
Hopefully, the next election cycle will allow for the election of a capable and qualified executive while ridding us of the at-large member that has been around for too long!
How much time and money did this cost the taxpayers?