Under the Administrative Director are the Budget Office and the Public Affairs Office. The Administrative Director also is aided by the Ethics Board and the Local [Video Lottery] Development Council.
Annually, the Commission must certify to the State Ethics Commission that the County is in compliance with State law governing the public ethics of local officials (Code State Government Article, sec. 15-803(b)).
The Ethics Board is composed of seven members, who are appointed to four-year terms by the Board of County Commissioners (County Code, County Government Article, secs. 5-101 through 5-109).
LOCAL [VIDEO LOTTERY] DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
A local development council is established in each geographic area where a video lottery [slots gambling] facility is located (Chapter 5, Acts of 2007; Chapter 4, Acts of 2007 Special Session; Chapter 479, Acts of 2009; Code State Government Article, sec. 9-1A-31). In Worcester County, a video lottery facility, called the Casino at Ocean Downs, opened at Berlin on January 4, 2011.
The Local Development Council advises the County on the impact of the video lottery facility on the communitites in immediate proximity to the facility, and on the needs and priorities of those communities. The Council also makes recommendations to the County and the Town of Berlin regarding the multi-year plans for expenditure of revenue from the facility.
Appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, the Council consists of fifteen members (Code State Government Article, sec. 9-1A-31).
BUDGET OFFICE
During the transition to Code Home Rule government, the Finance Office was created and merged with the Office of County Treasurer in 1976. Since then, the County Treasurer has been appointed by the Board of County Commissioners, and has served simultaneously as County Finance Officer, heading the Finance Office (County Code, Taxation & Revenue Article, secs. 1-101 through 2-202).
Managing all tax matters, the Finance Office collects all County fees, including property transfers, landfill operations, and water and sewer payments. The Office disperses employee payrolls, and oversees accounts payable, and debt and expenditure accounts. For County residents, the Office also provides for motor vehicle registration renewal.
For the Board of County Commissioners, the Budget Office collects and reviews operating budgets for County agencies. Using these budgets, the Office estimates future revenue and expenses, and creates the annual budget due April 30 (County Government Article, sec. 4-201).
FINANCE OFFICE
From 1776 to 1843, the financial supervision of Maryland counties was overseen by two State Treasurers. One served the Eastern Shore, and the other, the counties west of the Chesapeake. In 1843, the two positions merged, and a single State Treasurer began to oversee each county's finances. For Worcester County that State oversight ended in 1892, when the Board of County Commissioners began to appoint annually a tax collector for each of the County's three tax districts. These collectors were overseen by the Board Clerk, who also served as Board Treasurer (Chapter 543, Acts of 1890). Duties of the Board Treasurer were assumed by the County Treasurer in 1915 (Chapter 182, Acts of 1914). Elected to a four-year term, the County Treasurer's position continued until 1976.
HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT
The Human Resources Department is responsible for the County personnel system, issuing notice of job openings, and reviewing applications for employment. Providing training to employees, the Office regulates employee benefit programs, and counseling for County employees. The Department also administers injury reports and claims, insurance and insurance claims, worker’s compensation claims, and retiree benefits (County Code, County Government Article, sec. 4-301).
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