Glassman Issues 8 Executive Orders to Streamline County Government

In his first week in office, Harford County Executive Barry Glassman issued several executive orders that he said would save money and increase the focus on citizens.

“I look forward to working with the county council on these and future measures fulfilling my pledge to make county government more efficient and customer-service driven,” Glassman said.

In consultation with 70 volunteers on his transition team, Glassman presented the following executive orders that he said would bring about structural improvements:

• Abolish the Office of Chief of Staff
• Privatize county’s tourism and marketing division, shifting responsibility from Office of Economic Development to nonprofit Visit Harford!
• Establish Division of Citizens Affairs and Administrative Services as point of contact for citizens, under Director of Administration.
• Move Harford Transit from Department of Community Services to Economic Development since “the availability of reliable transportation is essential to promoting jobs and job growth,” Glassman said.
• Revive Office of Governmental and Community Relations to promote county’s interests at local, state and national levels with agencies, regulators and legislators.
• Transfer Sustainability Office from Director of Administration to Department of Procurement as part of newly created Division of Efficiency and Innovation.
• Transfer Risk Management Division (except security) to Department of Law because of its involvement in liability, workers’ comp and accident aftermath issues.

Glassman issued the proposals Dec. 3, and the executive orders will take effect in 60 days unless the County Council chooses to act sooner.

Cabinet nominees

Previously announced cabinet nominees were also presented to the council Tuesday and will be automatically approved in 30 days unless the council takes action earlier, according to a statement from the county executive’s office.

County Council President Dick Slutzky said that the council, which met for the first time with its two newly elected members—Curtis Beulah and Mike Perrone—would need a couple of meetings to review the nominations, according to The Aegis.

Retirement incentive

Glassman also proposed legislation to fund a one-time retirement incentive for eligible county employees in the fiscal year 2015.

“With gratitude for the service of all our valued employees, I am proposing this retirement incentive because ongoing fiscal pressures will require a reduction in the county workforce. My hope is that, despite these pressures, a portion of the savings can later be reinvested to help county employees get back on their pay scale,” Glassman said.

The incentive applies only to employees paid in the classified services before Dec. 1, 2014, and necessary funding would come from the county’s unappropriated fund balance.

Glassman told The Aegis he hopes 100 employees would take advantage of the $6.75 million payout program.

Photo Credit: Harford County Government